25/01/2012 - WHEN THE MAN OF GOD STRENGHTENS HIMSELF

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In the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and made a covenant with the captains of hundreds: Azariah the son of Jeroham, Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, Azariah the son of Obed, Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri.

II Chronicles 23:1

The verse we have just read is about the wickedness that was rampant in Judah in biblical times. That region had never seen anything like that before. In fact, what happened on the throne of that people could embarrass even the most wicked men.

To understand how much evil had prevailed, we need to observe what happened since the death of King Jehoshaphat: Jehoram, his son, as soon as he took over the kingdom he killed all his brothers with the sword and the children of that cruel ruler were killed by a confederation of people who could no longer bear any more oppression on the part of that man. But the youngest son of Jehoram survived the attack and began to reign, however because he was counseled by Athaliah – his mother, who was the daughter of the wicked Ahab – he also did a lot of iniquity and died prematurely. Then, upon seeing her dead child, she ordered the killing of their own grandchildren in order to take over the kingdom. However, the life of Joash, one of her grandsons, was spared by the zeal of the wife of Jehoiada, the high priest, because just as the Lord had said: David’s lamp would not be extinguished (I Kings 11:36).

Joash, although still a young child, would be the solution for the people. He was seven years old when he began to rule and his reign in Jerusalem lasted four decades. While Jehoiada was alive Joash reigned in an exemplary manner but as soon as the priest died he also showed the wickedness that was in his heart.

The passage we read at the beginning of this message says that Jehoiada strengthened himself. My brethren, when a man of the Lord strengthens himself in his duty, something big happens. The sad thing is that many people of God no longer serve Him as they should because they only think of themselves and of what they can achieve by their own hands, forgetting that only those who are faithful to the Lord are truly successful.

Jehoiada was faithful in all things and he did not despise even the captains of hundreds. That priest made a covenant with them, showing them that he respected those who were least esteemed. Likewise, those in leadership should give due value to the ones who are serving alongside them.

It was God who had raised those people as leaders, and today, the same is true for workers, Levites, in short, all those who work in the service of the Lord. It is not right to despise them – whether they are leaders or followers. In the past, God\’s work was done only because there was an alliance between those who were called to execute the will of the Lord.

In Christ with love, 

R. R. Soares