Jehoram & Ahaziah - Kings of Judah

Introduction

I began to name this the ‘Bible Person Study’, but chose to go with the ‘Bible Character Study’. I hesitated to name it that, as I don’t want to diminish the fact that these are real people we’ll be examining. But the reason that it’s named the Bible Character Study is because we’ll be focusing on the person’s character throughout. But don’t forget that these were real people, with real lives that made real choices that had real consequences.

I. Their Nature

(What is their History / Background?)

The 5th and 6th Kings of Judah

Rehoboam, Abijam, Asa, Jehoshaphat preceeded in Judah

Saul, David & Solomon united

Reigned a total of 9 years

Jehoram 8 years

Ahaziah 1 year

During the Reigns of Jehoram Kings of Israel

Jehoram reigned exclusively for 12 years

Contemporary of Elijah (Jehoram)

We see that Elijah - who would have been leaving the scene toward the onset of Jehoram’s reign, sent a Word of Judgment to Jehoram King of Judah

II. Their Notoriety

(What they are known for?)

Walking as Kings of Israel (2Ki. 8:18; 27)

There’s a great reason for this… this is a very problematic time for the Davidic Dynasty

Remember - God Judged the line of David for the sins of Solomon (1Ki. 11:29-39) But promised David a perpetual line (v34-36)

BUT we see the separation that once was easily seen from the Kingdoms has evaporated. Long gone are the days of Asa & Jehoshaphat - Omri & Ahab’s influence has polluted the Davidic line, and they are now acting just like the heathen northern kingdom.

Walking as Kings of Israel - but like I said, there’s a reason for that…

Close Relation to the Omri Dynasty (2Ki. 8:18; 26-27)

2 Kings 8:18 “And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab: for the daughter of Ahab was his wife: and he did evil in the sight of the Lord.”

2 Kings 8:26–27 “Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Athaliah, the daughter of Omri king of Israel. And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did evil in the sight of the Lord, as did the house of Ahab: for he was the son in law of the house of Ahab.”

This will mean more than you know in the coming points….

Now, let’s get to specifics

Jehoram

Married Ahab’s Daughter (2Chr. 21:6)

Murdered his Brothers & Princes (2Chr. 21:4)

After the death of his father, Jehoram went about and killed all of his brothers and any ‘prince’ in the land that could possibly challenge for the throne.

How wicked must you be in order to rise up and kill your brothers… not to gain the throne, but simply in fear of losing it. His father had already established him as the heir, but had made sure that his other children were taken care of.

Caused a Religious Rebellion (2Chr. 21:10)

We see that the Edomites rebelled against the rule of Judah, but there was another rebellion - one that was for a far different reason: The people of Libnah revolted ‘because he had forsakedn the LORD God of his fathers’.

They recognized the drastic difference between the rule of Asa and Jehoshaphat, and Jehoram.

Caused a Religious Rebellion

Promoted Heathen Worship & Fornication (2Chr. 21:11)

Here we see that Jehoram is not only promoting the worship of idols, but compelling them to.

This use of fornication is one that is ascribed to Spiritual fornication.

God often illustrated his relationship with the COI and as the image of marriage. Just look at the book of Hosea, or Jeremiah.

Isaiah 1:21 “How is the faithful city become an harlot! It was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; But now murderers.”

Jeremiah 2:20 “For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot.”

And because of that, Spiritual fornication was a serious thing!

Ahaziah

Son of Ahab’s Daughter / Omri’s Grandaughter (2Chr. 22:2)

Oftentimes, the ‘son of’ or in this case ‘daughter of’ is not necessarily referring to the person, but the lineage or dynasty.

Ex: Jesus referred to as the ‘Son of David’

Again, being recognized here as the ‘daughter of Omri’ is important in this verse.

Discrepancy of Age (2Ki. 8:26; 2Chr. 22:2)

2 Kings 8:26 “Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Athaliah, the daughter of Omri king of Israel.”

2 Chronicles 22:2 “Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Athaliah the daughter of Omri.”

There appears to be a discrepancy between these two verses. On one it appears to say Ahaziah is 22, the other 42.

This is what one might point to to try and give an example of a Bible contradiction.

We will address this more shortly

Death by Jehu (2Chr. 22:7-9)

We’d spoken about Jehoram King of Israel last week. It was when Azahiah went to visit him when Jehu began his ride of rampage - as Jehu was used to bring to pass the Word of the LORD against the house of Ahab.

It then is no mistake that Jehu would slay not only Jehoram King of Israel, but also Ahaziah King of Judah.

Death by Jehu

III. What Makes them Noteworthy

(What Lessons we can Learn from them?)

Compromised Godliness leads to Wickedness (2Chr. 18:1; 2Ki. 8:18)

Let’s go back a generation and look at Jehoshaphat.

As I had said, I believe Jehoshaphat to have been a Godly man, and a Godly King. That said, he was in no wise perfect. In fact, you can see in multiple aspects him Compromising.

The Battle Compromise

Where He yoked up w/ Ahab to attack the Syrians at Ramoth-Gilead

The Boat Compromise

Where he yoked up with Ahaziah (King of Israel) to make the navy that God Judged

The Bride Compromise

Where he ‘joined affinity’ (def) give away in marriage. Where he gave his son to be married into the likes of Ahab’s family (Omri’s dynasty)

Where did that compromise take the Kingdom of Judah? Into a Spiritually dark place full of wickedness and ungodliness.

You see, the fact of the matter is, no matter how Godly Jehoshaphat was, when he compromised - IN EVERY INSTANCE - it led to wickedness.

Church, this is why I’m adamant about staying as Spiritually pure as we possibly can. This is why I’m not willing to compromise on:

The Word of God

Our music program

Our ministries

Our message

Our mission

The purity of the Gospel

Because once you step upon a slippery slope, as the Bible says: Deuteronomy 32:35 “To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; Their foot shall slide in due time: For the day of their calamity is at hand, And the things that shall come upon them make haste.”

Many don’t understand it

Many don’t agree with it

But that doesn’t matter to me - as long a I’m the pastor, I’m going to do my best to hold the line!

Age Does Not Determine Character (2Chr. 21:3)

Jehoshaphat it says made his eldest son king, why? Because he was the eldest. It was the appropriate and expected thing to do.

The problem was, if he had a more wicked son, we’ll never know because Jehoram killed them all.

Church as they say, age is but a number. I’ve met wise teenagers and spiritually dumb aged men & women alike.

I’ve seen great character in youth and terrible character in the aged.

How old you are either in physical age or Spiritual age matters not. What matters is your character.

Age does not determine Character

God’s Word Always Comes to Pass

We see this take place in a few instances in the lives of these men.

In Liberation (2Chr. 21:9-10; Gen. 27:38-40)

Hundereds of years earlier, we can look at see a man who had two sons. One he loved and one his momma did. (You remember the story of Jacob & Esau? How Jacob stole Esau’s blessing?)

Well, if you know the story, Esau went to his father in sorrows when he found out (Read Gen. 27;30-40)

The Edomites are Esau’s descendants. During the reign of Jehoram King of Judah, we see God’s Word given hundreds of years earlier come to pass.

God’s Word Comes to pass in Liberation

In Judgment (2Chr. 21:12-19)

God through Elijah would bring Judgment upon Jehoram King of Judah - and it would come to pass as well.

God’s Word comes to pass in Judgment as well.

So what does this mean for us?

God’s Word comes to pass in Liberation:

John 8:36 “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”

The Word of God says: John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

I placed my faith in the finished work of Christ. God’s Word will surely come to pass when I leave this world, I will experience life everlasting!

God’s Word comes to pass in Judgment:

John 3:18 “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

Revelation 21:8 “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Those who have not placed their faith in Christ will be Judged and sent to the Lake of Fire

God’s Word ALWAYS COMES TO PASS!

Some Things are Worth Fighting For (2Chr. 21:10)

The people of Libnah saw something that was so important to them, that they were willing to fight over it. Religious purity for their people.

All through the history of the Christian church, we see people willing to stand up for the Cause of Christ. Many didn’t fight with swords, but rather with their outspoken stance.

The apostles

The martyrs

The pilgrims

The founding fathers

They were willing to stand for Christ and Christian values. The results were amazing.

Now, compare that with the attitude of Christianity today.

The attitude of Compromise

The attitude of ‘Go along to get along’

The attitude of non-confrontation

How’s that working out for us?

We must be willing to confront sin and sinful ways & fight for Christ in our society else, they become the norm.

Church, let me ask you this: If Christ isn’t worth fighting for, what is?

Some things are worth fighting for

Spiritual Fornication is a Serious Thing (2Chr. 21:11)

God sees it as a serious thing: Let me ask you: Are you committing Spiritual fornication?

What are the idols in your life?

Spiritual Fornication is a Serious Thing

How we Approach God’s Word Matters

As we pointed out, between 2Ki. 8:26; 2Chr. 22:2 there appears to be a contradiction:

2 Kings 8:26 “Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Athaliah, the daughter of Omri king of Israel.”

2 Chronicles 22:2 “Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Athaliah the daughter of Omri.”

There are various ways to approach such a thing, and the way we approach it matters.

There either IS a contradiction, or there isn’t. What is our assumption?

Many today do not believe that we have an english Bible without error. Therefore, when they approach something like this, they ASSUME that it’s a contradiction and move on.

I on the other hand DO believe that we have a perfect english Bible in the KJV. Therefore, I approach it as if they are both true, and I need to figure out what I don’t understand.

Because how we view things will get us differing answers

It Results in Differing Answers

There is a few different ways to account for this:

Some will say it’s a transcribed error

Some will say that Ahaziah was 22 when anointed and 42 when we assumed the throne

Some see the 42 was a ‘son of 42’ and attributing the age of his mother Athaliah

Then there’s another explanation I think to be best.

But how you approach this will get you a different conclusion, but it also reveals what you think about God.

It Reveals what we Think about God

Church, is it a hard thing for God to keep His Word pure from one language to another? This God that spoke Creation into existence in 6 days? I think not!

One view is beginning with the assumption that the Bible is right & I’m wrong.

The other is beginning with I’m right and the Bible’s wrong.

This makes a huge difference…

Now let me share with you what I believe the Biblical answer to be:

The ‘Forty & Two years’ was a Hebrew idiom for ‘A son of 42 years’. The meaning is this: Azahiah was a continuance not of the Davidic reign, but of Omri’s reign. I say this for several Biblical reasons:

The relation mentioned in the verse of Omri

The description of the reigns (walked in the ways of the Kings of Israel)

Most importantly, the NT evidence:

Matthew 1:8 “And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias;” (Uzziah)

Do you know who’s not mentioned in the kings? Azahiah, Joash & Amaziah.

Now consider these verses:

Exodus 20:5 “Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;”

Numbers 14:18 “The Lord is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.”

Psalm 109:13–15 “Let his posterity be cut off; And in the generation following let their name be blotted out. Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with the Lord; And let not the sin of his mother be blotted out. Let them be before the Lord continually, That he may cut off the memory of them from the earth.”

Because of the sins of Jehoram and the marking of that wicked dynasty, Ahaziah, his son Joash & his son Amaziah were ‘blotted out’ of the lineage of Christ.

REMEMBER CHURCH, THE BIBLE IS FILLED WITH BOTH MILK AND STRONG MEAT. God will give you what you can consume. The more you trust in His Word, the more meat you’ll enjoy

Man’s Plan will never Usurp God’s

When we consider the totality of evidence, it’s evident to me that Ahab’s plan was to unite the kingdoms and his posterity would ultimately be upon the throne. But his plan didn’t come to fruition, because it collided with God’s plan.

Church, man’s plan cannot usurp God’s.

Conclusion