Breaking Free
by Philip Asselin
This is a complicated story, but one that contains important truths. Amongst the awfulness of the goings on in Israel at this time, when there was open worship of false gods, and murderous acts taking place, Jehosheba is a shining light of hope. Her family line was far from encouraging. Her father, Jehoram, killed his six younger brothers and other princes in Israel after taking the throne (2 Chronicles 21:4). Her mother, Athaliah, was a devout follower of Baal and introduced his worship into the Southern Kingdom. In addition, after the death of her husband and son, Athaliah proceeded to kill all the royal family of the house of Judah. If that wasn’t bad enough, Jehosheba’s grandparents were King Ahab and Queen Jezebel!
What earthly hope could there be that Jehosheba would turn out differently with all that evil in her generational line? Yet she did. She dared to secretly defy her mother and save one young child of the royal family, Joash her nephew (one year old). She hid him in the Temple for six years, until he was eight years old, and all of this happened while her mother sat on the throne (the only woman to ever sit upon the throne of David). At the end of that time she arranged for Joash to be anointed as king of Judah in front of the people.
This isn’t meant to be a history lesson. It’s an amazing story of a woman who broke free of the evil in her family line and showed incredible courage, determination, compassion and care towards a young child. She loved him like her own. Despite the worship of Baal going on all around her, led by her mother, she followed the one true God. She didn’t marry into royalty, but was the wife of the priest of the Temple of God – Jehoiada. This is the only reference to a princess marrying a priest. She had the insight and the faith to follow the true and living God.
Her story tells us that we’re not bound to be like our parents and grandparents. We’re fully capable of choosing our own path in life, and can break free from their actions around us and to us. History doesn’t need to repeat itself in us. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit we can choose to be different (even totally different), if we really want to. Her influence for good wasn’t just felt by her husband, but also by young Joash, and ultimately the whole nation. If she hadn’t intervened the whole Messianic line would have been destroyed.
What about you and me? Are we willing and determined to be different? Are we willing to stand up and be counted, even in the face of terrible danger. Are we willing to not follow the actions of previous generations? Are we prepared to avoid giving up and just saying “It’s not my fault”? Are we willing, with the help of Holy Spirit, to break free from the past and walk into a glorious future with God? If Jehosheba could do this then how much more can we, with Holy Spirit living within us and guiding our steps.
Prayer: Dear Lord. I don’t want to follow the past failings of my generational line. I choose today to break free and declare to the enemy that I’m different. I’m a blood-bought child of the living God, so with Your help and guidance I make a choice to follow You and You alone. Amen.
Philip Asselin Philip is on the associate ministry and teaching teams with Glyndley Manor. He and his wife Gillian attended the second Healing Retreat at Glyndley Manor in 1992, and were greatly helped. They have two grown up children, one grandson, and a step-granddaughter in California, and a daughter and granddaughter in Eastbourne. His desire is to see people healed and set free to serve God.
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