Jehoram
Remember
in the prior chapters when we talked about Jehosophat and his partnership with
King Ahab? That would be the battle in
which Jehosophat narrowly escaped death and in which King Ahab himself
died. Remember why it was that
Jehosophat partnered with Ahab in the first place? The answer is very simple. It’s the answer that started the whole mess
after David died: Marriage.
Jehosophat
married his son to one of Ahab’s daughters.
It was no doubt done for reasons of political alliance. It was done in order that the nation of Judah
might live in peace. However, the
ramifications would be impressive. They
would not at all be good, either.
As
Jehosophat is dying, he begins to establish his sons in places of power. Jehoram, the son who was married to the
daughter of King Ahab, would be king, of course. The other sons were given control of leading
cities in the land. Jehosophat’s family
was set up to be leaders in Judah.
However,
Jehoram had other ideas. Once Jehosophat
was dead and Jehoram became king, he made sure that his brothers all met a
rather untimely death. His lust for
power would seal their fate. His desire to
be king and to have no challengers to the throne meant that they would
die. Isn’t it rather sad to think that love
for power, prestige, and the ability to dominate would actually lead someone to
kill their own family? Just in case you
aren’t upon on history, this kind of story is more akin to the norm rather than
the exception. With power, prestige, and
wealth come extreme means to hold onto what you have. Maybe there is something to be said for being
normal and mundane after all.
What is
interesting about this account is the rationale for Jehoram’s action. After all, where would Jehoram learn such
behavior? Certainly his father, Jehosophat – who walked in the good graces of
God, would not have taught Jehoram these things. Rather, look at what the inscription
says. Jehoram walked in the evil ways of
Ahab. Jehoram learned these things not
from his father, but from his father-in-law.
Like Solomon, Jehoram found himself corrupted by the influence of a political
marriage that brought ways into the country other than the ways of the Lord. Isn’t it incredible to ponder how much
influence a spouse can have upon a person even after they have been trained in
the ways of God for much of their lifetime?
Effects of Jehoram’s Evil
We are
told that both Edom and Libnah revolt against the control of Judah. Jehoram is powerless to stop the revolt and exercise
governance over Edom and Libnah. The
provinces are lost.
Why does
Jehoram lose control? The chronicler is
rather blunt about it. Jehoram loses
control because he has walked away from God.
The chronicler loses control because God does not secure control for
him. As Jehoram turns away from God, God
forces Jehoram to lean even more upon his own strength. Jehoram’s strength fails and Edom and Libnah
are lost.
Elijah
Elijah is
considered to be the greatest prophet who has ever lived among the Hebrew
people. We don’t hear much about Elijah
in the chronicler’s works. In order to
hear the great stories of Elijah you need to read the account of Kings.
However,
we do hear Elijah send a letter to Jehoram and made some bold pronouncements. First of all, Elijah accuses Jehoram of not
following in the footsteps of his father or grandfather but instead turning to
the evil ways of the kings of Israel. Second,
Elijah confronts Jehoram with the accusation that he is responsible for leading
God’s people into worship of false gods and in practices that are detestable to
God. Third, Elijah confronts Jehoram with
the knowledge that God knows what he did to his brothers.
Elijah
also proclaims punishment. Jehoram’s
house would be devastated. The
Philistines and the Arabians came up against Judah and defeated them. They took away the wealth and plunder that
up until now had belonged to the kingly family.
The even took away all of Jehoram’s sons except his youngest. As if that was not enough, Jehoram is
afflicted with an incurable disease within his bowels. After struggling with the disease for two
years, Jehoram finally died as his insides literally came outside of him.
The People Respond
The
people make no funeral pyre for Jehoram.
The people had no remorse over Jehoram.
He died after only reigning for eight years. In those eight years Jehoram had undermined
all the work of his father’s reforms and had let Judah fall into political and militaristic
disgrace. He was buried, but not in the
tomb of kings with honor. He was buried
so that the people could move on with a different king.
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