Jotham - King 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. Jotham’s Nature

((What is their History / Background?)

10th King of Judah

Rehoboam, Abijam, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, Ahaziah (Athaliah), Joash, Amaziah, Uzziah

10th King of Judah

Ascended to the Throne at 25, Reigned for 16 years

We’re told these two facts 3 different times in the short verses that are dedicated unto him.

We are not told how he dies. We only know that he died at the end of 41 years.

Son of Uzziah, Father of Ahaz

Jonathan in this sense is a bridge between two different types of people.

2 Chronicles 26:4 “And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah did.”

2 Chronicles 28:1–2 “Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: but he did not that which was right in the sight of the Lord, like David his father: For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for Baalim.”

Uzziah followed the Lord though he messed up later on and became a leper because of it. His son on the other hand was absolutely wicked and we'll discuss him later on, but just know that he was a wicked zealot.

In this sense Jotham is somewhat like the quiet middle child. And that actually was part of his problem.

The son of Uzziah, father of Ahaz.

II. Jotham’s Notoriety

(What they are known for?)

A Relatively Short Life (v1)

Back when I was a young boy. , 41 years old seemed ancient. Like, life was practically over by that moment.

I'm 52 now and I don't see it quite the same way.

In fact while my body is definitely showing and feeling signs of age and my memory may not be the best as it once was, I feel as though I am more in the prime of my life than I ever have been.

(Ill.) Had I died at 41, my daughter would have been about 23, my son only 14 years old. You would have never heard of me here in this church. I would never have known a grandson upon this earth. There would just have been a lot of living that I would not have enjoyed.

A Relatively shorty life.

Doing Right in God’s Sight (v2)

Jotham was known for living an upright life before the God of Heaven.

Very little could be said in a negative sense concerning this man as to what was recorded in Scripture.

This, though, does not mean that his life was as effective as it could have and should have been.

He's known for doing right in God's sight.

A Builder of Walls, Cities and Castles (v3-4)

The Bible makes note of how Jotham was able to build various different things.

And as I thought about this, I thought about how building is a good thing.

But then as I thought about it more, so is tearing down.

What matters is what is it you're building up or what are you tearing down?

We should be building up the things of God and tearing down the things of this world.

He was a builder of walls and cities and castles.

A Victor in Battle and Spoiler of the Ammonites (v5)

He's also known for fighting against the Ammonites and winning and not only that but receiving tribute from them for multiple years.

He was a Victor in Battle & Spoiler of the Ammonites

III. What Makes him Noteworthy

(What Lessons we can Learn from them?)

Wisdom is Retaining the Good and Rejecting the Bad (v2a)

When we get to verse number two we see something a little confusing. In that it states that Jotham “entered not into the temple of the Lord.” At first glance I believe this to mean that he did not want to be around the things of God but when you analyze it and the contrast and you understand his father's history, it makes better sense in that he did what was right but he did not overstep his bounds like Uzziah did.

In that sense he was accepting the good testimony of his father but rejecting the bad that he did.

This is the hope that I have for my children. I pray that they see the good qualities in me by the grace of God and carry those with them while the bad qualities that I have by the order of my flesh, that they reject that.

This, of course, is the way we should approach others as well.

We must understand that no one is perfect so everyone does have flaws. We acknowledge that and endeavor not to mimic those.

1 Thessalonians 5:21–22 “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil.”

Wisdom is retaining the good and rejecting the bad.

You Experience God’s Blessings when you Honor Him (v6)

Look carefully here at Jotham and the things in which he was able to accomplish:

The buildings

The victories

The economic boom

Now look in verse 6 at what they're all attributed to.

(Ill.) I was out knocking doors yesterday and a man asked me, "Tell me what you're going to do for education and small business." I proceeded to tell him about my plan for education but then when it came to small business, I told him, "Other than examining what regulations could give relief to, I couldn't tell you how to get Harry to put a barber shop on the corner of town." I said but I believe the Bible. Matthew 6:33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

I told him the same thing I said in a speech that I'd made a week or so before. I believe if we honor God, the blessings of God will follow.

We see that principle playing out in the life of Jotham right here.

You experience God's blessings when you honor Him.

You Can Live Righteous, yet have Limited Influence (v2b)

This is a most interesting point concerning Jotham. He lived a righteous life in the sight of God but his righteousness hardly impacted anybody.

Not with the people: 2 Kings 15:34–35 “And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord: he did according to all that his father Uzziah had done. Howbeit the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burned incense still in the high places. He built the higher gate of the house of the Lord.”

Not with his own son: 2 Chronicles 28:1–2 “Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: but he did not that which was right in the sight of the Lord, like David his father: For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for Baalim.”

One reason why this is important is because I've heard many people say that they have no need of witnessing to people for they witness with their actions.

Church, that is not enough.

Our actions should support our testimony, it is not our testimony in totality.

(Ill.) My children don’t need to just see that daddy lived a righteous life - daddy has a duty to tell them why I endeavor to live righteous - the benefits of living for Jesus and the sorrow that accompanies any other life.

Jotham didn’t do that. Do you know how I know?

God blessed him because he honored God

2 Chronicles 28:22–23 “And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the Lord: this is that king Ahaz. For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him: and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me. But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel.”

His son understood that because he was defeated by the Syrians, their god must be best!

You can live righteously but have limited influence.

Building People is More Important than Building Things (v2-5)

As mentioned Jotham built all sorts of things but what he did not build up was his people.

In order to build, you must invest time, effort and resources. If we spend all our TIME, EFFORT AND RESOURCES on things of this world, we will not have them available to build greater, eternal things!

We must invest in people!

Building People is More Important than Building Things

A Good Life is not Measured in Years (v8)

As we spoke of, Jotham lived a good and righteous life in the sight of the Lord but he only made it to about 41 years old.

As the saying goes "Life is not measured by the number of years but by the life lived within them."

None of us know how long the Lord is going to allow us to be on this earth. What we need to make sure of is to make the most of the time in which He has given us and all we are assured of is today.

So every day make today count.

(Ill.) My wife spoke to Francie Rochester the other day and I thought of Chloe. I think she was only six years old when she left this earth but she still lived a good life. She loved her family and brought joy to them. She was an example unto all the doctors and nurses that interacted with her and ultimately people were saved through her death.

A good life is not measured in years.

National Blessings can Hide Spiritual Decay

So what we see here is a very real illustration of how a nation can experience blessings but yet it masks spiritual decay.

This I believe is where America is at. God has been so patient and so kind unto us and He has blessed us so richly and abundantly but for years spiritually we have been decaying. And because of our prosperity this truth has eluded so many people.

(Ill.) I was driving through corn fields somewhere in Indiana or Illinois with coworkers of mine at the time, and one of them said, "America will always be fine." I asked how so and he said, "Just look at this." pointing to the crops in full bloom.

What was he doing? He was under the illusion that because we were prosperous as a nation, that somehow that would save us from the spiritual decline that we were in.

And I believe that's where a lot of people are at today. Even with all of our troubles and political divide, America right now is a very prosperous nation. But we are also a very backslidden nation.

National blessings can hide spiritual decay and then lastly we see a very interesting point.

A Judgment Preparing in Prosperous Times (2Ki. 15:37)

Examine closely what God is saying here: 2 Kings 15:37 “In those days the Lord began to send against Judah Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah.”

The Judgment of God was brewing, because the people were sinful and rebellious and Jotham’s son was wicked as could be. God of course knew about Ahaz and was preparing the Judgment during the years of prosperity.

Church, I don't want to sound like a defeatist, but the truth of the matter is there could be a judgment brewing right now that God has just reserved for a specific point in the near future, like He did there in Jotham's day.

We see a judgment preparing, even in prosperous times.

Conclusion