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2 Kings 11:13-15 - Who's in charge here? Day 303

Good morning fellow pilgrims,

I've been working on memorizing the Westminster Shorter Catechism.  This started about this time last year when I was working on the sermons on prayer.  Luther prayed the ten commandments.  So I thought memorizing Exodus 20 and WSC questions on the commandments would be helpful in framing prayer.  Any way, question 39 is What is the duty which God requires of man?  Answer The duty which God requires of man is obedience to his revealed will.  In today's passage, one character is in revolt against God's revealed will in several ways and another character is obedient in face of great opposition.  Yet both are following God's sovereign will.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Blessings,

Jeff

Observations and thoughts

The final appeal of an illegitimate ruler is to accuse followers of the legitimate ruler of treason.  Athaliah must have known that she was done for when the people were celebrating restoration of the true king.

Did God really say that David would not lack a son to sit on his throne?  Surely, Athaliah knew this promise yet she did her best to prevent it from happening.  Even when she sees the true king, her response is not submission but cry of treason.

Athaliah is just one in a long line of people and nations trying to prevent fulfillment of Genesis 3:15.  But isn't the serpent really behind all these efforts?  Satan really thinks he is able to frustrate God's plan of salvation and sells this to the human agents who execute various schemes.

God's preservation of Joash for 6 years by his aunt frustrates Satan and Athaliah.  In human terms, trying to keep something secret usually never works.  Think Watergate.  His preservation is not a "fortunate turn of events".  God was not sitting in heaven hoping that nobody would discover Joash and tell the queen mother.

So whenever I am tempted to think that the world is spinning out of control, I remember Athaliah who thought she was in control.


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