Thy Will be Done
Scripture Reading: 2 Chronicles 23-24; Psalm 17
In the seventh year Jehoiada took courage and entered into a covenant with the commanders...And Jehoiada said to them, “Behold, the king’s son! Let him reign, as the LORD spoke concerning the sons of David…”
After a bloody coup, Athaliah—the wicked daughter of Ahab and Jezebel—seized power in Judah. In her lust for control, she attempted to wipe out the entire royal family of David. From a human standpoint, it looked as if the line of promise, the line through which the Messiah would come, had been destroyed. But God had other plans.
One child survived. A boy. Joash—the last remaining link between David and the Messianic promise. Vulnerable, hidden, protected.
What saved him? The courage of Jehoshabeath, his aunt and the wife of Jehoiada the priest. What restored him to the throne? The boldness and wisdom of Jehoiada, who risked everything to rally faithful men, overthrow Athaliah, and place the rightful king on David's throne.
On one hand, this story shows us God's unshakable faithfulness. His promises never fail. The Messiah—Jesus—would come through the line God appointed. No wicked ruler, no demonic scheme, could change that.
But on the other hand, God's purposes were carried out through very human decisions—acts of courage, loyalty, and faith. Jehoshabeath didn't shrug and say, "Well, God's sovereign, He'll work it out." Jehoiada didn't sit idle, hoping for a miracle. They acted. They risked. They did something.
So, was it God's sovereignty or human responsibility that preserved the Messianic line?
Yes.
God is sovereign. His will cannot be thwarted. But He works through means—through people like Jehoshabeath, Jehoiada… and us.
The same is true today. We can rest in God's sovereignty, but that rest is not an excuse for passivity. God calls us to bold, godly action. He uses ordinary people, often in small, courageous choices, to accomplish His eternal purposes.
May He use us that way too.
I love this. Amen!