Life Lessons

2Kings 11:1

1When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family.

The royal family was actually that of David's line. After Ahaziah's death, David's family reclaimed the throne just as God promised David shortly after he became king. It was not just a promise to David but it was for our sakes because Jesus was from the line of David. Ahaziah had been king for only one year and was 22 when he reigned. He and his mother were descendants of Ahab. Do you remember Ahab? Ahab was the king who was married to Jezebel. Jezebel did not serve God but worshiped Baal (another term for Satan). Ahab allowed Jezebel to take control when he refused to speak up for himself and murder an innocent man. Jezebel also threatened the life of Elijah the prophet. Ahab who said he served God served Baal to keep Jezebel happy. She used her position as his wife and the one he slept with to control him and obtain what she wanted. She was a king's daughter also. The idea of whatever she wanted she would get. Hence the Jezebel spirit was born for those of you that have heard the term.  As the Word says in 2 Chronicles, Ahaziah walked in the ways of the House of Ahab and his mother encouraged his wrong doing. The same people who advised his father advised him and as the Word says it was to his undoing. Ahaziah's death put Athaliah at a place that she thought she would reclaim her family's position herself but no one can thwart the plans of God.

What does this story mean for you? There are at least four life lessons from this incident.  First, parents are supposed to encourage their children to walk the right way, the ways pleasing to God and teach them. If parents refuse and the sons and daughters decide they don't want to know God, it's to their own demise. Second, here's a classic case of generational problems and the spirits that can exist in a family. The only way out from under them is to serve God with a whole heart. Third, whatever in your life that is not of God MUST GO, including people. It's not just for your sake but for the sake of those you are responsible for. Ahaziah as a king surrounded himself with the wrong people and that's a bad choice. Fourth, what God puts in place will not be thwarted by anyone. One can attempt to delay it but know that anyone who fights God is in a losing battle. God is sovereign, meaning He has ALL power and authority.