21:6 - Jehoram marries a woman who is the daughter of probably the most notorious idolater in the bible - Jezebel. And he allows himself to fall into the same trap Jezebel's husband did - he allows his wife to lead him into worshiping false gods. We must always be careful about who we share our hearts and souls with. True, Christians should befriend and show love to non-Christians, but that doesn't mean that share we should intimately share our lives with people who do not honor God with their lives. That is exactly why 2 Corinthians 6:14 tells us not to allow ourselves to be yoked with unbelievers.
21:17/22:1 - Why is the same person called both Jehoahaz and Ahaziah? Well, the author can do that because they are both versions of the same name. If you are reading int he NIV, it says Ahaziah in both places, but in the ESV it has both names. Kinda like calling me Brandon and Big Head Brando - same guy...different versions of the same name. This is a contradiction!
21:18ff - Talk about a great legacy to leave behind. Everyone of his kids except one is dead...he has some horrific bowel problem that ends up killing him when his bowels burst out of his body...the people don't give him a kings burial and nobody cares that he is dead. What a way to go! In the end it never pays to reject God and serve only yourself.
22:11 - We see God's judgment poured out for a second time in the last two chapters. Every descendant of the rebellious king is killed except for one child in each occasion. God takes very seriously His covenants, and he promised David that his house would go on forever...Joash is spared because God is always true to His word.
23:1-ff - Finally the priest Jehoaida has had enough of the rebellion and idolatry and overall sinfulness of the people of Judah and he decided to do something about it. He leads a holy revolution. The true God-fearers, the remnant, gather together and they change the country. When the people of God see something wrong in the world, they should be driven to do something about it.
23:16 - Man, Jehoaida was a great leader! He leads a holy rebellion, he puts together a crack team of warrior priest to guard the temple as he anoints the rightful king, and he brings Judah back into a covenant relationship with God.
Chapter 24 - the story of the rebuilding of the temple is very similar to the account from 2 Kings chapter 12, so if you have any questions about it you can check out that chapter blog from a couple months back.
24:17 - The young king Joash has only know the life of royalty. There is a pretty good chance he is a spoiled brat with a pretty high opinion of himself. So when his great advisor Jehoaiada dies and then rich people of Judah come to him speaking with great flattery...he follows them right into idolatry. This is yet another example of the incredible need all people have of accountability...and needing friends around them that can pop their big ego filled heads when need be. Who is that for you?
24:21 - Talk about sick and twisted irony. In the same place that Jehoaida rebelled against the rulers of Judah and anointed Joash king of Judah...Joash kills Jehoaida's prophet son because he spoke the truth of God.
24:22 - I thought it was interesting to note the difference between these final words and the words of Jesus Christ and Stephen from the New Testament. I don't think that Zachariah is necessarily speaking out of a need for selfish retribution...I think he is broken hearted about the state of faith in Judah and wants God to make things right - but he cries out for God's justice. Jesus on the other hand is broken hearted by the twisted sinfulness of the people killing him and he cries out to God for mercy saying, "Forgive them Father for they know not what they do." The way of Jesus was so shocking and powerful and world-changing because it was so others focused.
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