How to persevere ourselves until complete victory is established


It is really sad to see how a good king like Jehoshaphat of Judah mingled freely with an evil king like Ahab of Israel!

As a result, Ahab’s daughter, Athaliah, was given in marriage to king Jehoshaphat’s son, Jehoram, 2 Kings 8:16-18! Her true colours were seen when, (on her son, king Ahaziah’s death), she arose and destroyed all the royal seed, 2 Kings 11:1, except for Jehoash who was hidden with his nurse, by her daughter Jehosheba, vs 2.

After six whole years he was crowned king by the priest Jehoiada, and his grandmother, Athaliah, was subsequently killed, vs 12-16!

Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him, except for the high places that were not taken away, 2 Kings 12:2,3. However, towards the end of his life he backslid and compromised with king Hazael of Syria, inorder to avert a war, and was eventually killed by his own servants, vs 17-21! God used Hazael king of Syria, and Benhadad the son of Hazael, all their days to be as thorns in Israel’s side because they walked in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and there remained the grove also in Samaria, 2 Kings 13:1-12.

Nevertheless, when king Joash of Israel, wept over their sad plight on meeting prophet Elisha, while he was on his death bed, Elisha gave him a prophetic word of the victory that he would enjoy over Ben Hadad because of his intercessory spirit! However, Elisha also told him that since he struck the ‘arrows’ only thrice on the ground, he would win only 3 victories over Ben Hadad as against the complete victory that he would have won had he persevered in striking the arrows 5-6 times, vs 14-25. King Amaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah, started out well, however on account of his pride in winning the battle with Edom, he looked upon his Israeli brethren and became determined to wage a war with them.

This eventually resulted in his downfall and the Kingdom of Judah also suffered badly as a result, 2 Kings 14:1-15! So many truths that we can learn from these chapters. There is no point in seeking a good reputation from others by mingling with their evil deeds as king Jehoshaphat did with Ahab!

It is very good to be influenced by godly leaders like priest Jehoiada, however, as we go on in life we need to have our own personal devotion and relationship with the Lord, or else we will end up like compromisers and murderers like king Jehoash did, 2 Chronicles 24:17-27! An intercessory spirit in the midst of confusion and chaos can work wonders, however, unlike king Joash, we must ensure to persevere in the same until complete victory is established.

And finally, no matter how much God exalts or blesses us, spiritually and materially too, let us not become proud, so as to use that as a basis to fight against our own brethren/the people of God!

Let him who has an ear, hear! Amen.

Rowena Thomas
Mumbai, India.