Hidden Legacy

This story could have been taken from a movie. It's set in the most unstable time in the history of Judah. Jehoram had killed off his brothers, so when he and his son die, there is no one old enough to claim the throne. Ahaziah's son, Joash is still only a baby. Athaliah, a daughter of Ahab, fills the power vacuum to become the only queen in the history of Israel and Judah.

She seems to have been cut from the same cloth as her father and her husband, murdering any threat to her throne. But there's something remarkably different about her reign and Ahab's reign. Ahab reigned for over two decades, but Athaliah's reign is cut short. The people rise up against her by keeping her grandson hidden from her until he is old enough to be put on the throne himself.

The only thing that stopped Athaliah from being another Ahab was that the people knew the Lord and wanted a king who would seek the Lord. They wanted it desperately enough to risk their lives. There is no proof in the text, but perhaps the reign and education established by Jehoshaphat played a big part in this. Because of his work, many of the people of this generation would have known the Law, they would have known the covenant they had with the Lord and they knew the consequences of what Athaliah was doing.

This is a reminder to us that every time we introduce someone to Jesus, it can have a follow-on effect not just within our lifetime, but in the generations to come.

Thought Point

What small things are you doing for the Lord that could have an impact in years to come?

Prayer Point

Ask God to give you the courage to challenge unjust practices that do not honour God and to stand up for what's right.