My husband’s grandmother Anna barely survived World War II as she navigated war-torn Europe with her young daughter, Irena, in the 1940s.  The two of them were on the last train out of Dresden, Germany before it was leveled. Irena eventually survived the war, grew up, got married, and had three sons. Her middle son, Erik, is my husband. Had Irena been killed during the war, my husband would never have been born.

If Erik had never been born, I never would have married him and we never would have adopted our three beautiful kiddos.  All of my kids have different birth stories, and I am not sure where they would be today had we not adopted them (especially our daughter Khloe, whom we adopted out of an orphanage in Ukraine).  

Lineage matters. 

There is one very obscure story in the Old Testament found in the book of 2nd Kings.  In this story, there was a very close call in Jesus’ lineage.

Back in the days of the Old Testament, Israel’s Kings had many, many sons through many different wives and concubines.  However, at this particular time in Israel’s history, their country was in a very sinful and unstable place, and due to the acts of one crazy, murderous woman named Athaliah, the royal line of King David was reduced to one heir.  

This is important because the Old Testament foretells that the Messiah must come from the Davidic line. 

Had that one baby been killed, there would be no Messiah.  

In 2 Kings chapter 11:1-3 we read:

When Athaliah (crazy grandmother who was also the Queen) the mother of Ahaziah (the current King) saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family. But Jehosheba, (the girl you have never heard of) the daughter of King Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah (the one little baby left in Jesus’ line) and stole him away from among the royal princes, who were about to be murdered. She put him and his nurse (the hero unnamed nurse who took care of the one remaining baby) in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah; so he was not killed. He remained hidden with his nurse at the temple of the Lord for six years while Athaliah ruled the land (and then the little boy became King and all was well again and the Davidic line was preserved).

Essentially, the Davidic line was reduced to one baby, and Aunt Jehosheba saved his life.  

By saving him, she saved the eventual Messiah.  

By saving the eventual Messiah, she paved the way for Jesus to save the world.  

It’s like something out of a Terminator movie, with Jehosheba playing the role of Arnold Schwarzenegger (after he became good, of course).  

Jehosheba is mentioned only once in the Bible.  Her story is summarized in just three verses.  But because of her bravery and quick-thinking, she saved the Christmas story.

Two closing points: 

One, you have no idea how the small action you take today can have a profound impact on not only your future, but the future of the world.

Two, God often uses obscure, unseen people to accomplish a huge portion of His will.

You never know what God has planned for you life, and how He may use you to change the world!  

We celebrate Christmas because God used one obscure woman, Jehosheba, to eventually bring about the coming Messiah.

Merry Christmas!

Hark, now hear the angels sing, a new king born today.  And man will live forevermore, because of Christmas day!