2 Chronicles 21:16-22:1216Moreover the Lord stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians, that were near the Ethiopians: 17And they came up into Judah, and brake into it, and carried away all the substance that was found in the king's house, and his sons also, and his wives; so that there was never a son left him, save Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons. 18And after all this the Lord smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease. 19And it came to pass, that in process of time, after the end of two years, his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness: so he died of sore diseases. And his people made no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers. 20Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years, and departed without being desired. Howbeit they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchres of the kings. 1And the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king in his stead: for the band of men that came with the Arabians to the camp had slain all the eldest. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned. 2Forty 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. 3He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab: for his mother was his counsellor to do wickedly. 4Wherefore he did evil in the sight of the Lord like the house of Ahab: for they were his counsellors after the death of his father to his destruction. 5He walked also after their counsel, and went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth-gilead: and the Syrians smote Joram. 6And he returned to be healed in Jezreel because of the wounds which were given him at Ramah, when he fought with Hazael king of Syria. And Azariah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab at Jezreel, because he was sick. 7And the destruction of Ahaziah was of God by coming to Joram: for when he was come, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the Lord had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab. 8And it came to pass, that, when Jehu was executing judgment upon the house of Ahab, and found the princes of Judah, and the sons of the brethren of Ahaziah, that ministered to Ahaziah, he slew them. 9And he sought Ahaziah: and they caught him, (for he was hid in Samaria,) and brought him to Jehu: and when they had slain him, they buried him: Because, said they, he is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the Lord with all his heart. So the house of Ahaziah had no power to keep still the kingdom. 10But when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal of the house of Judah. 11But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's sons that were slain, and put him and his nurse in a bedchamber. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of king Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest, (for she was the sister of Ahaziah,) hid him from Athaliah, so that she slew him not. 12And he was with them hid in the house of God six years: and Athaliah reigned over the land. (2 Chronicles 21:16‑22:12).
THE next thing we read about Jehoram king of Judah is that the Lord stirred up the Philistines and the Arabians against him. They invaded Judah and carried away all they found in the king's house, even all his wives and his sons, with the exception of the youngest, named Jehoahaz. After all this the Lord smote the king with an incurable disease, and two years later, amid great suffering, he died. It says he "departed without being regretted" (J.N.D. Trans.). His people did not bury him with honors, as they did his fathers, the kings that were before him.
Jehoram's history is the sad story of a son of a very godly father, turning from the ways of the Lord whom his father loved and sought to follow in the path of His Word. No matter how familiar the Word of God may be to us, if we are not touched by it, if we are not born again, we will not care to follow in the way of the Lord. It reminds us that no matter how well we may have been brought up, our hearts are "deceitful above all things and desperately wicked." Jer. 17:99The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9). It also reminds us of the word in Galatians 6:7,8: "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption." May we seek grace to sow to the Spirit, for "he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."
After this the inhabitants of Jerusalem took Ahaziah (also called Jehoahaz, 2 Chron. 21:1717And they came up into Judah, and brake into it, and carried away all the substance that was found in the king's house, and his sons also, and his wives; so that there was never a son left him, save Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons. (2 Chronicles 21:17); and Azariah, 2 Chron. 22:66And he returned to be healed in Jezreel because of the wounds which were given him at Ramah, when he fought with Hazael king of Syria. And Azariah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab at Jezreel, because he was sick. (2 Chronicles 22:6)), the youngest son of Jehoram and made him king. He was twenty-two years old when he began to reign, the age given him in 2 Kings 8:26,26Two 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 Kings 8:26) and also given here in 2 Chron. 22:22Forty 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. (2 Chronicles 22:2) in other translations. Ahaziah's mother's name was Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab, and we read that he walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother counseled him to do wickedly.
Ahaziah went with his uncle Jehoram (also called Joram) king of Israel, to war against the Syrians. Joram was wounded and went to be healed of his wounds in Jezreel. "While he was there Ahaziah came to visit him. But just at this time the judgment of God pronounced against the house of Ahab by Elisha was being carried out by John, and both Joram and Ahaziah were slain, as well as others of the princes of Judah that were with them. We are told that this destruction of Ahaziah was of God because he went out with Joram against Jehu whom the Lord had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab.
There was now no one in the house of Ahaziah who was able to hold the kingdom, and when Athaliah saw that her son was dead, she destroyed the king's sons, her own grandchildren, and seized the throne. However, Jehoshabeath, sister of Ahaziah and wife of Jehoiada, the high priest, stole little Joash, youngest son of Ahaziah, from among the king's sons that were slain, and hid him and his nurse in a bedchamber in the house of the Lord. God did not allow the cruel usurper to slay the last remaining heir to the throne because He was watching over the house of Judah and would not allow it to be destroyed because of the promise that He had sworn unto David.
Athaliah reigned over the land six years, during which time Joash remained hidden in the house of the Lord. She is a type of Satan who reigns over this world in the absence of Him who is soon to come forth out of heaven as King of kings and Lord of lords.
Messages of the Love of God 8/31/1958