How to Ruin Everything
Scripture Reading: 2 Chronicles 21
The reign of Jehoshaphat, while not perfect, was marked by peace and prosperity (see 2 Chronicles 20). The reign of his eldest son and successor was the opposite in every way. Jehoshaphat handed the crown to Jehoram because he was his oldest son. That’s it (21:23). In his paranoia, Jehoram’s first act was to assassinate all of his brothers and some of the other princes left over from his father’s days.
He married Ahab’s daughter and introduced and promoted the evil idolatry of that Israelite king’s reign. He “did what was evil in the sight of the LORD.”
The consequences were predictable. The Edomites and Libhah revolted. The spiritual life of the people of Judah went into decline. Judah was invaded by Arabians and the Philistines. He only reigned eight years and he practically demolished everything good that was done before he took the throne.
We aren’t left to guess at the root problem. “He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD” (v. 6). “He had forsaken the LORD, the God of his fathers” (v. 7). Elijah wrote him a letter explaining, “Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father, or in the ways of Asa king of Judah, but have walked in the way of the king of Israel and have enticed Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem into whoredom…” (vs. 12-13).
Only the covenant hesed of God spared the nation of Judah from destruction (v. 7).
When a nation falls under the wrath of God, it is not a mystery why.
Pray for our nation and our leaders.