LESSON 31: God Working Amidst Evil Days

Two by Two, not animals tonight – instead, sets of Wicked Leaders, We are going to see tonight, two wicked leaders in Judah, and two wicked leaders in Israel. There are some interesting contrasts and comparisons and even confusion if we don’t take our time to understand what God is doing and teaching us today.

I. AHAZIAH, 8th NORTHERN KING OF ISRAEL

1 Kings 22:51 KJV

Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel.

He reigned from about 853–851 BC, just 2 years

1 Kings 22:51–2 Kings 1:18; 2 Chronicles 20:35–37

He was actually a contemporary of Jehoshaphat who took part in the Syrian campaign. Remember as we studied last time, Jehoshaphat was a good king – but one of his major mistakes was compromising with the wicked.

Let’s be reminded that is good to make in roads with the world so that we can win them and influence them. But unfortunately, what ends up happening is that most people end up compromising who they are supposed to be to reach the world. God wants you to reach the world but don’t compromise your holiness and purity before God in order to do so.

A. The epitaph of his life was wickedness

1. He did evil

1 Kings 22:52–53 KJV

And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin: For he served Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked to anger the LORD God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.

2. His heritage was especially wicked

It is the only time I’ve read this, you might have heard some be called “the triple threat” such as in basketball or baseball, this king was the triple threat of wickedness because of his wicked heritage because it says in:

1 Kings 22:52 “he walked in the way of his father and the way of his mother and in the way of Jeroboam

So, he was the oldest son of Ahab and Jezebel.

3. He served and worshipped a false god

He didn’t just serve and he did not just worship, he served and worshipped a false god.

We need to still be careful with that. We serve at the altar of something - we always says Satan, sin or self.

If you profess to be a Christian, yet find full satisfaction in worldly pleasures and pursuits, your profession is false. Morning And Evening, Page 355

Charles Spurgeon

4. He provoked God to anger

v.53

Did you know there are more references to the anger of God in the Bible than there are to his love and kindness.

We are not to be angry, but we are also not to anger God in doing things that He hates.

5. He did very wickedly

Look at 2 Chron 20:35-37

B. Ahaziah’s wicked inquiry

1. His fall

2 Kings 1:1-2a

2. His open rebellion and disregard

vv. 2b

3. God’s judgment sent by the mouth of Elijah

a. He meets the kings’ messengers on their way to inquire of Baal-zebub

b. They return and inform the king who knows it was Elijah

vv.6-8

4. Ahaziah sends for Elijah with three bands of soldiers

vv.9-16

C. The judgment is fulfilled

v.17

II. JORAM, 5th SOUTHERN KING OF JUDAH

He reigned from 853–845 a duration of 8 years

2 Kings 8:16–24; 2 Chronicles 21:1–20

A. His bad start

1. He married Athaliah

She was the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel.

2. He murdered his six brothers

B. He continued as an evil king

2 Kings 8:18

C. The revolt of the Edomites & Libnah

vv.20-22

D. Elijah had a message sent to Joram posthumously

E. His sad but appropriate end

1. Defeated by the Philistines and Arabians

2 Chronicles 21:16-17

2. Died of a terrible disease

2 Chronicles 21:18-19a

3. No one mourned his death

2 Chronicles 21:19b

III. AHAZIAH – 5th SOUTHERN KING OF JUDAH

Ahaziah was one of the kings that I would call: “one and done”

He ruled for but one year in 841 BC

2 Ki. 8:24–9:29; 2 Chron. 22:1–9.

He was known by Ahaziah, Azariah, and also Jehoahaz

A. The Meanings

1. Ahaziah - Jah has seized

2. Azariah - Jah has helped

3. Jehoahaz - Jehovah has seized

Next week I’m going to teach a lesson about Jah and Jehovah - something that I learned this week, I think it will be a blessing as we are coming towards Christmas.

B. He went with Jehoram against the Syrians

Like Jehoshaphat, like Joram of Judah, so did Ahaziah of Judah, he joined forces with the rebellious wicked kingdom of Israel.

This would quickly lead to his downfall:

C. He was slain by Jehu

Who would become the tenth northern king

IV. JEHORAM – 9th NORTHERN KING OF ISRAEL

He reigned from 852–840 BC which was 12 years.

Jehoram meant - Jehovah raised

2 Kings 3:1–9:25; 2 Chronicles 22:5–7

He was the youngest son of Ahab and Jezebel.

He persuaded Jehoshaphat to ally with him against Syria.

A. His Apostate Faith

2 Kings 3:1-4

B. Rebellion and defeat of Moab

vv.4-27

1. The compromise of Jehoshaphat

2 Kings 3:5-9

2. The help of God through the prophet Elisha

vv.10-20

Elisha basically performed a miracle for the sake of Jehoshaphat’s sake, which won the battle but required faith.

a. Prepare for God’s blessing & deliverance

They followed the God’s direction through Elisha.

b. God provides the water

v.20

c. God provides the victory

vv.21-24

C. God’s blessing under an evil ruler

God is still at work even when the wicked rule.

I want to encourage you today that God’s blessing on us is not dependent on DC, NY, LA or anything going on in Florida or Texas – it depends on our submission and obedience to God.

1. The filling of the widow’s oil

2 Kings 4:1-7

2. A son for the barren Shunammite woman

2 Kings 4:8-17

3. The restoration of the life of the Shunammite woman’s son

2 Kings 3:18-37

4. The cleansing of the poisoned pottage

3:38-41

5. Feeding of 100

vv.42-44

6. Healing of Naaman

5:1-27

It was Jehoram that was the king that is mentioned in:

2 Kings 5:6-7

7. The recovering of the lost axe

6:1-7

8. The revealing of Ben’hadad’s plans several times

vv.8-12

9. The visualization of God’s power

vv.13-17

10. Smiting the Syrians with blindness and then protecting them

vv.18-23

And on and on:

I think there is something very exciting to see here. God works his greatest miracles when things look their bleakest - when things by the world’s eyes or by the worldly Christians eyes are the most hopeless, we will look for God to work and bless.

He can and He will work like this, because their is no glorying to be shared with man - God is on the throne and this is His world and and His work and we are going to be faithful to Him in the midst of it.