The world we live in is full of so many erroneous things that may pollute our minds and put our faith at stake. Sometimes we find ourselves into the traps laid by the enemy of light, even without understanding how we walked into them. Yea, at times we may not see them, because we have not discovered the only safe hiding place. The place that keeps us safe and sound; safe from the traps and wiles of the devil.
After Ahaziah, the King of Judah, died, his mother, Athaliah, driven with thirst for power, sought to slay all his sons, so that no one of royal blood would later claim the throne from her. Athaliah successfully slew all Ahaziah’s sons but one; Joash.
Joash was taken by his aunt, Jehosheba, who took him to a safe hiding place and after six years, Joash rose and claimed the throne from the evil Athaliah.
Where in the land of Judah would Joash have hid that a queen, Athaliah, wouldn’t find him? Joash must have been hidden behind doors that an entire army wouldn’t break, within walls that no one would bring down. He must have been hidden where mortal men would not see him with their naked eyes. Where else would that be?
“And he was with her hid in the house of the Lord”—2 Kings 11:3. How wonderful! It is in the house of the Lord that Joash was kept safe and preserved for the purpose for which he was created.
In the world we live in, there are so many Athaliahs. From every direction, there is an Athaliah seeking to destroy us. For those of us who may not realize the hiding place early enough as did Joash, Athaliah may destroy us just as she destroyed the other sons of Ahaziah.
Athaliah is evil, she is selfish, and she seeks to make every nation “drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”—Revelation 14:8. This Athaliah, (Satan) has come unto the inhibitors of the earth, “having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.”—Revelation 12:12.
The question is; are we going to survive her wrath, or are we going to be victims? The good part is that we have a choice, we choose where to belong. We choose whether to be victims or to be survivors.
It is a pity that Athaliah has camped in our schools and universities today. Our universities are the homes of greatest debauchery. Drugs and alcoholism are ruining our future generations and the future itself. There is no language that students understand better than pleasure and leisure. They are captured and held captive by Athaliah.
How I wish that students would realize the safe hiding place from where Athaliah cannot find them. The only safe hiding place is in the house of the Lord. In the house of the Lord, Athaliah will not drag you into drug abuse and alcoholism. In the house of the Lord, Athaliah will not convince you to fornicate, or to commit adultery. In the house of the Lord, there is no peer pressure. In the house of the Lord, it is service for the Creator, and service for Him alone.
The house of the Lord, however, is not a hiding place for pretenders, and hypocrites. Many perceive the church to be the home of every pretender. May God forgive all those who have pioneered and given birth to this perception. The word of God is clear that the New Jerusalem is meant only for those who truly abode in the house of the Lord; those who keep all his commandments.
And without “are dogs and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.” The house of the Lord serves as a hiding place only for those who are willing and ready to serve the Lord diligently.
In the house of the Lord, there is an unbreakable protection. Those that hide in the house of the Lord shall like David courageously say, “But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.” —Psalms 3:3.
They are not slow to utter, “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.” —Psalms 28:7.
While hiding in the house of the Lord, I am confident and fearless, and I can say, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”—Psalms 23:4.
Please hide in the house of the Lord, for there is a sure promise that, “For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favor wilt thou compass him as with a shield.”—Psalms 5:12
