Read 2 Chronicles 21:1-20
I wonder what was so intriguing about these pagan traditions? How could children from good upbringing, particularly Jehoram having witnessed a faithful father, choose anyone but the LORD to worship? I can’t say as though I was shocked, however. How distraught the LORD must have been to have such an evil king leading his people. Yet God remained true to his promise to David. Jehoram was not a good guy or a good king.
I must admit I was shocked when I read about how Jehoram just up and killed his brothers. There doesn’t seem to be any point to their senseless murders. The text says Jehoram was “established” as king, so there wouldn’t be any threats from his siblings, would there? Maybe there was petty jealousy that was driving Jehoram mad. The text doesn’t say, so I’m just imagining.
Understanding what could be going on in the lives of our Bible characters makes them more real. These are real people who are flawed just like us. The culture and historical period divide here is also a consideration. From my viewpoint, Jehoram was an embarrassment to Judah for not staying true to the LORD. He could have avoided all the wars and land disputes. It sounds like the people weren’t that sad when he died.
When I saw Elijah’s name pop up as having given counsel to Jehoram, it was like seeing an old friend get involved. Recently I’ve taught a few of Elijah’s famous Bible stories for the orphan girls. He was another mighty man that God used to do amazing things. Don’t we all want to model after Elijah and be used by God?
This chapter sets out an example of what being Judah’s king should NOT be. Sadly, Israel’s kings had been evil, and in Jehoram’s case, one of those evil kings was his father-in-law. We had read about how Jehoshaphat had allied with that evil king because one of his sons had married one of Ahab’s daughters. Now we see an enormous consequence of that marriage.
The LORD may have allowed this evil king to do what he did, but Jehoram did not go unpunished. From the sounds of it, his illness was brutal as well as deadly. That may give us a bit of solace when we see unfairness in our world today. God handles all situations the way he deems best. We may or may not ever know how certain situations play out, and that’s okay.
I was glad to see that not all the people had fallen under Jehoram’s spell. I’m sure it was hard to remain faithful to the LORD when your king and so many others were flirting with another belief system. We can find it hard today as well. As believers, we are often under attack, if not personally, because we stand with others who are. It’s a scary world out there. I always defer to Scripture.
What was God’s message to you today?
Let’s pray. Thank you, LORD for always showing up. Those times are especially a blessing when I feel weak and worn out. You always scoop me up and set my feet moving again. This king was horrible, and your faithfulness to your promise to David is admirable. Thank you for always being faithful. Help me do a better job of staying connected to you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
