Day 866: 2 Chronicles 21- Lost Love?

Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David, and Jehoram his son reigned in his place. 2 He had brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariah, Michael, and Shephatiah; all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel. 3 Their father gave them great gifts of silver, gold, and valuable possessions, together with fortified cities in Judah, but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram, because he was the firstborn. 4 When Jehoram had ascended the throne of his father and was established, he killed all his brothers with the sword, and also some of the princes of Israel. 5 Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. 6 And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife. And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.7 Yet the Lord was not willing to destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and since he had promised to give a lamp to him and to his sons forever.
8 In his days Edom revolted from the rule of Judah and set up a king of their own. 9 Then Jehoram passed over with his commanders and all his chariots, and he rose by night and struck the Edomites who had surrounded him and his chariot commanders. 10 So Edom revolted from the rule of Judah to this day. At that time Libnah also revolted from his rule, because he had forsaken the Lord, the God of his fathers.
11 Moreover, he made high places in the hill country of Judah and led the inhabitants of Jerusalem into whoredom and made Judah go astray. 12 And a letter came to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, “Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father, ‘Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father, or in the ways of Asa king of Judah, 13 but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel and have enticed Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem into whoredom, as the house of Ahab led Israel into whoredom, and also you have killed your brothers, of your father's house, who were better than you, 14 behold, the Lord will bring a great plague on your people, your children, your wives, and all your possessions, 15 and you yourself will have a severe sickness with a disease of your bowels, until your bowels come out because of the disease, day by day.’”
16 And the Lord stirred up against Jehoram the anger of the Philistines and of the Arabians who are near the Ethiopians. 17 And they came up against Judah and invaded it and carried away all the possessions they found that belonged to the king's house, and also his sons and his wives, so that no son was left to him except Jehoahaz, his youngest son.
18 And after all this the Lord struck him in his bowels with an incurable disease. 19 In the course of time, at the end of two years, his bowels came out because of the disease, and he died in great agony. His people made no fire in his honor, like the fires made for his fathers. 20 He was thirty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he departed with no one's regret. They buried him in the city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.
 
Meditation
God is faithful, even when we are faithless (2 Timothy 2:13). God’s covenant love in Christ will not let us go even when we rebel and run away. Like a loving father, the faithful love of God is committed to His children and waits for rebels to return home.
 
Jehoram became king and did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord (6-7). Rather than walking in the ways of his father Jehoshaphat, Jehoram violently killed his brothers and lead apostasy through Northern Kingdom worship practices. His reign was marked with violence internally and bloodshed externally as enemies such as Moab and the Philistines revolted against him. Jehoram rejected the Lord but the Lord would not reject His people. God was faithful even when His king was faithless.
 
Elijah sent a letter to Jehoram, detailing his impending and disgusting death. The king’s bowels came out of his body eight years into his reign and Jehoram “departed with no one’s regret” (18-19). The consequences of our sin will catch up to us. At the same time, God’s covenant love will not let his people go.
 
The disgusting death of Jehoram’s greater Son, King Jesus, secures God’s steadfast love for His people. God’s promise to keep “a lamp in the house of David” (7) finds full expression in Jesus the light of the world (John 8:12). We are like Jehoram, treating brothers with violence rather than love, and worshipping like the world rather than as the Lord desires. Yet God is faithful and His love endures forever. Grace invites us to return to Him.
 
Richly Dwelling
-How does this passage highlight both the rebellion of humanity and the amazing love of God?
 
-Where do you identify with the rebellion of Jehoram? Where do you need to return home in your heart?
 
-God is faithful and His love endures forever. You may have consequences for your sins but in Christ there is no condemnation. Take a moment to pause, ask the Spirit to search your heart, repent, and return home to the love of your Father.
 
Key Verse
6 And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife. And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.7 Yet the Lord was not willing to destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and since he had promised to give a lamp to him and to his sons forever.