Topic: Don’t Panic [Friday November 17, 2017]
Text: 2 Kings 11:13-21
Key Verse: “And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was in quiet: and they slew Athaliah with the sword beside the king’s house” (2 Kings 11:20).
A song writer, Sabine Baring-Gould, inspired by the Holy Spirit, penned down the lyrics of the hymn “Onward Christian Soldiers”. In stanza two, he said, “At the sign of triumph, Satan’s host doth flee; on then, Christian soldiers, on to victory; Hell’s foundations quiver at the shout of praise; Brothers lift your voices, loud your anthems raise”. In Israel at this time, there was a fight between darkness and light.
A woman by name, Athaliah pronounced herself ruler at the death of her son Ahaziah, against the wish of the people. Jehoiada who knew the procedures to crown a king, withstood Athaliah. Meanwhile, Joash, an heir to the throne had been smuggled out at the death of his father when Athaliah was carrying out a systematic slaughter of the king’s household. While she imposed herself on the people, Baal worship and all manner of evil was going on in the land. But Athaliah’s grandstanding would not stand. She was caught off guard as her efforts to stop Jehoiada from establishing the kingship of Joash were futile. She was subsequently executed outside the temple. By divine arrangement, Joash was anointed king and the people were happy.
Athaliah tried to stop the inauguration of the king but paid with her life. It was a new dawn in the land as all images and idols were brought down and destroyed. The people entered into a fresh covenant with God and with the king. Has God promised you anything? He will surely fulfill it; He will bring it to pass. There is no adversary so powerful to truncate God’s programme for your life. The devil may try; the storm may rage; the wind of affliction may blow but in His time, He’ll make all things beautiful.
Thought for the day: The counsel of the Lord always stands.
Bible Reading in one Year: Ezekiel 3-5
DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
