2 Chronicles 17-24
Just a Brief Summary of Kings, Ironies, and Events
Asa
Asa king of Judah did right in the sight of the Lord. 2 Chronicles 20:32 tells us that his son Jehoshaphat “walked in the way of Asa his father, and departed not from it, doing that which was right in the sight of the LORD.” But in the thirty-ninth year of Asa's reign, after already having previous troubles with the Lord, he was diseased “exceedingly great” in his feet but sought not after the Lord, only after physicians (see chapter 16, verse 12 specifically). Then Asa rested with his fathers in the 41st year of his reign, and his son Jehoshaphat ruled after him.
Jehoshaphat
Jehoshaphat sought after the Lord and walked in His commandments. And in the third year of his reign he sent his princes and the Levites to teach the law of the Lord to the people in the cities of Judah. “And they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the LORD with them, and went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people.” (2 Chronicles 17:9).
And the fear of the Lord came upon the surrounding kingdoms, and they brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he grew exceedingly great. He “built in Judah castles, and cities of store.” (17:12). The rest of chapter seventeen tells of the great numbers of “mighty men of valour” that waited on the king “beside those whom the king put in the fenced cities throughout all Judah” (vs 19).
But “Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined affinity with Ahab” (18:1). Ahab was the wicked king of Israel. Jehoshaphat went down to Ahab, and Ahab asked him to go to war with him. Jehoshaphat replied that “I am as thou art, and my people as thy people; and we will be with thee in the war.” But he also requested that Ahab inquire of the Lord.
“Therefore the king of Israel gathered together of prophets four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for God will deliver it into the king's hand.” (18:5). But the prophets were not prophets of the Lord, and Jehoshaphat asked if there was a prophet of the Lord of whom they could inquire. King Ahab said that there was but that he hated him. “There is yet one man, by whom we may inquire of the Lord: but I hate him; for he never prophesied good unto me, but always evil...” (18:7). Jehoshaphat rebuked the king, and they called the prophet.
Meanwhile the false prophets continued to publish their false prophecies. One even made horns of iron and said, “Thus saith the Lord, With these thou shalt push Syria until they be consumed.” (vs 10). When the messenger went to bring the true prophet, he warned him to “let thy word, therefore, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and speak thou good.” But the prophet replied, “As the Lord liveth, even what my God saith, that will I speak.” (vs 12-13).
And when the prophet went unto the king, he at first told him exactly what he wanted to hear, that the enemy would be delivered into his hand. But King Ahab knew the man and “said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee, that thou say nothing but the truth to me in the name of the Lord?” (vs 15). And then the prophet gave the true word.
“Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the Lord said, These have no master; let them return, therefore, every man to his house in peace.
“And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would not prophesy good unto me, but evil?”
Then the prophet continued. “And the Lord said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one spake saying after this manner, and another saying after that mannner.
“Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will entice him. And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith?
“And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.” And that was exactly what was done.
Then the very same prophet who had earlier gone about with the horn of iron went up to the prophet and slapped him on the cheek. “Which way went the Spirit of the Lord from me to speak unto thee?” he asked (vs 23). Then the king had the prophet locked up in prison, to stay there until he returned safely. But the prophet said, “If thou certainly return in peace, then hath not the Lord spoken by me.”
So King Ahab and King Jehoshaphat went off to war together. King Ahab disguised himself but asked Jehoshaphat not to. Jehoshaphat obliged, but when the enemy saw him in his fine robes, they thought that he was Ahab king of Israel and went after him. So Jehoshaphat prayed to the Lord and was helped; the enemy realized that he was not Ahab and returned from pursuing him. Then “a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel.” Ahab died at sunset. (Verses 28-34).
Then Jehoshaphat returned home and set up judges in the land, instructing them to be godly in their judgment. (2 Chronicles 19:5-11).
Later (chapter 20) the Moabites and Ammonites came together against Jehoshaphat. “And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.” (20:3). Then all the people gathered together to seek help from the Lord, and the king besought the Lord to save them, and to bring judgment upon their wicked enemies.
“Then upon Jahaziel...came the Spirit of the Lord in the midst of the congregation...” (vs 14). Jahaziel told the people to fear not, that the battle was the Lord's. He told them that they would go down tomorrow and stand still, not needing to fight, and see the salvation of the Lord.
So the next day they went out to meet the enemies, singing praises and worshiping the Lord. Then the Lord “set ambushments against” their enemies so that they fought amongst one another, “And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped.” (vs 24). And the people collected so much spoil and rich jewels that it took them three days. Then they all went to Jerusalem and praised the Lord. And “So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet; for his God gave him rest round about.” (20:30).
But then Jehoshaphat joined himself together with the very wicked king (Ahaziah) of Israel, to send ships with him to Tarshish, but a prophet of the Lord came and prophesied that, because he had joined with the wicked king, his works would be broken. And the ships were broken, that they were unable to sail. (Verses 35-37). And later Jehoshaphat died, and the kingdom passed to his firstborn son Jehoram.
Jehoram
Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he began to rein, and he reigned for eight years. During this time he “walked in the way of the kings of Israel, like as did the house of Ahab; for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife: and he wrought that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord.” He also slew all of his brothers and the princes of Judah when he became king. But the Lord would not destroy him because of His covenant with David. (21:1-7).
Then Jehoram led the people into idolatry, and the Lord sent the prophet Elijah. And Elijah told him that, because of his wickedness and of how he had slain his brothers, the Lord would send a great plague to strike the people and his children, wives, and goods. And Jehoram also was to “have great sickness by disease of thy bowels, until thy bowels fall out by reason of the sickness day by day.”
And the Philistines and Arabians went against Jehoram and carried away all the substance of his house, as well as his sons and wives. Only his youngest son was left. And after all that the Lord afflicted him with the bowel disease, and it was just as had been spoken. And then he died. (2 Chronicles 21:11-20).
Ahaziah
And Ahaziah, youngest son of Jehoram, ruled after him. Ahaziah was also very wicked in the sight of the Lord, and his mother counseled him towards evil (22:1-4). Later he was killed by a man who, anointed by the Lord, was executing judgment towards the house of Ahab (vs 7-9).
Athaliah
Athaliah was the mother of Ahaziah, and very wicked. When she heard that her son was dead, she had all the royal seed of Judah killed and took over the kingdom. Only little Joash, hidden in the temple with his nurse, escaped the slaughter. (22:10-12).
And in the seventh year that Joash was kept hidden, when he was seven years old, the priest gathered together all of the Levites at the temple and they anointed Joash and crowned him king. Athaliah went to see what all of the noise was and famously cried out “Treason, Treason!”. Then they took her away from the house of the Lord and killed her. And all the people went to the house of Baal and tore it down, broke the altars and images, and killed the priest. (23:1-17).
Joash
Joash was seven years old when he began to rein, and he reined for forty years. Joash repaired the temple, but when the old priest died he turned to the princes of Judah for counsel, and they led him into idolatry. The Lord sent prophets to bring the people back to the Lord, but they would not listen. The Spirit of the Lord went upon the son of the old priest, and he prophesied against the people, but they refused to listen and instead stoned him by the command of the king Joash. (24:15-22).
Then the Lord handed a great deal of the host over into the hands of the Syrians, and Joash was diseased. Finally his own servants conspired against him and killed him. (24:23-26).
We can see well that it pays a bitter price when you turn from the Lord.
The wicked rulers suffered through defeat, through terrible diseases, and
through their own murders. But the Lord rewards His righteous ones.
