Sermon Tone Analysis

Judah and the house of Ahab (21:2–22:12)

Outline of Section:

Judah and the house of Ahab (21:2–22:12)

Jehoram (21:2–20) God preserves the house of David (21:2–7) God punishes Jehoram (21:8–20) Ahaziah (22:1–9) Ahaziah and the house of Ahab (22:1–4) Ahaziah’s downfall and death (22:5–9) Athaliah (22:10–12) Three declining kings, pt1 (23:1–24:27) Joash (23:1–24:27) Joash’s accession under Jehoiada’s leadership (23:1–21) Joash’s faithfulness while Jehoiada lives (24:1–16) Joash’s apostasy after Jehoiada’s death (24:17–27)

Jehoram (21:2–20)

God preserves the house of David (21:2–7)

God punishes Jehoram (21:8–20)

Ahaziah (22:1–9)

Ahaziah and the house of Ahab (22:1–4)

Ahaziah’s downfall and death (22:5–9)

Athaliah (22:10–12)

Three declining kings, pt1 (23:1–24:27)

Joash (23:1–24:27)

Joash’s accession under Jehoiada’s leadership (23:1–21)

Joash’s faithfulness while Jehoiada lives (24:1–16)

Joash’s apostasy after Jehoiada’s death (24:17–27)

Judah and the house of Ahab (21:2–22:12)

We will see many of the negative side effects of Jehoshaphat’s alliances with Israel.

Just to review for a moment, Jehoshaphat made many alliances with Israel, which was his greatest weakness.

Fought with Ahab

Fought with Ahab Made a naval alliance with Ahab’s son Ahaziah Made a marriage alliance by giving his son Jehoram in marriage to Ahab’s daughter Athaliah - makes another alliance with Jehoram/Joram, another son of Ahab

Made a naval alliance with Ahab;’s son

Made a naval alliance with Ahab;’s son

These decisions of Jehoshaphat are one of the primary factors for what happens in chapters 21 and 22.

Made a marriage alliance by giving his son in marriage to Ahab’s

made a marriage alliance by giving his son in marriage to Ahab’s

- makes another alliance with Joram, another son of Ahab

- makes another alliance with a future king of Israel

- Jehoram

21:1-7 The Evil Ways of Jehoram

Upon succeeding his father as king, Jehoram murdered his brothers.

Why would he do that?

Probably getting rid of all potential rivals.

He secures his power, but also shows a lack of trust in the LORD.

He tries to establish his own throne instead of being faithful to the lORD and finding true security for His reign

There is a reason given to us for Jehoram’s actions.

His wife.

Who is his wife?

The daughter of Ahab and Jezebel.

Her influence for evil was stronger than Jehoshaphat’s influence for good.

So instead of walking in the ways of David, whose ways did Jehoram walk in?

He walked in the ways of the Kings of Israel, just as Ahab had done.

One example given to us in this chapter is in verse 11.

“Jehoram also built high places in the hills of Judah, and he caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves, and he led Judah astray.”

(, CSB)

His relationship with Athaliah and leading the people into idolatry are the main things that leads to his downfall.

But in verse 7, there is a change of tone.

Even though Jehoram was so wicked, God was still willing to show mercy.

He made a promise to David that He was going to keep, and because of this, He would not completely destroy the house of David.

God made the promise to give David and his sons “a lamp” forever.

This promise of a “lamp” is a reference to something that was said by the prophet Ahijah to Jeroboam before the dividing of the kingdom in .

21:8-20 The Consequences of Walking in the Ways of the Kings of Israel

But obviously there were still going to be consequences for Jehoram for the evil that he had done.

The Lord used several enemies to trouble his reign.

Edom and Libnah rebelled against the rule of Judah.

Libnah was down on the border next to the Philistines.

The reason why Libnah rebelled is given: “because he had abandoned the Lord, the God of his ancestors.”

And because of his evil, Jehoram also receives a letter from someone in verses 12-15: Elijah.

This is the only account from the life of Elijah that the Chronicler included in his history, and Kings does not record this letter.

But within the letter, there is nothing good said about Jehoram and the events that would happen in his reign.

The LORD would strike his family, his possessions, and his health because of the evil he had done.

In verses 16-17, we begin to see the fulfillment of Elijah’s letter.

We are told that the LORD roused the spirit of the Philistines and Arabs.

They together invaded Judah, possibly even entering Jerusalem if this is where the king’s palace is.

They carried off all the possessions found in the king’s palace, along with wives and almost all of his sons except for Jehoahaz/Ahaziah, his youngest son.

This may be God’s way of making sure David’s line can continue.

We learn in ch23 that the sons taken by those who took them away from Judah killed them.

These are th

carried off all the possessions found in the king’s palace and also his sons and wives

The prophet Elijah sent a letter of doom to the king, predicting defeat and disease for the king.

The Lord incited the Philistines and Arabs to attack Judah (21:12–17).

God inflicted the king with a horrible disease in his intestines that was incurable.

We are not given a pretty picture of his death that follows.

The Chronicler added that no one honored the king at his passing (21:18–20; contrast 16:14).

Lessons for returned exiles:

For the original readers, they are continuing to see the negative effects of not trusting in the LORD and of serving other gods.

Hopefully this would keep them focused on serving the LORD and rebuilding their nation.

Second, they possibly would have seen in this passage that God is faithful to his covenant to David even though David’s descendants sin.

The blessing of each individual king was conditional, but the promise to David that he would have a descendant on the throne forever was not conditional.

The returned exiles could find hope in this as they awaited a descendant of David to come.

promise to David that he would have a descendant on the throne forever was not conditional.

The returned exiles could find hope in this as they awaited a descendant of David to come.

Lessons for us: Beyond seeing our need to trust the LORD and to not follow in the steps of those who do evil, we see a couple other applications or lessons:

No matter how good one’s parents may be, this does not mean that the children will be right with the LORD or continue in His ways.

We will see many times in the rest of this book that good kings have wicked children and wicked kings at times have good children.

Being a good parent and teaching the truth does not necessitate that one’s children will serve the LORD.

They have free will and must make this choice for themselves!

A letter of a prophet holds the same authority as the words of a prophet.

Abandoning the LORD brings terrible consequences.

22:1-9 Ahaziah’s Reign

Jehoram’s youngest son, Ahaziah, reigns after his father.

He began his rule at the age of 22. Unfortunately, his rule would not last long because of how the house of Ahab affected him.

His mother Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab, is still in the picture.

Ahaziah walks in the ways of Ahab as his father did instead of the ways of David, following the counsel of his mother.

And Ahaziah follows in the steps of Jehoshaphat in fighting alongside Israel.

He joined Ahab’s son Joram/Jehoram in a battle against the Arameans at Ramoth-Gilead (where Ahab was wounded in battle).

was wicked like his father.

He walked in the ways “of the house of Ahab” instead of in the ways of his father David.

His mother was Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab.

Ahaziah visited his uncle, King Joram of Israel at Jezreel, where he was recuperating from a wound received in battle against the Arameans at Ramoth.