II Kings 8:23-24
“And the rest of the acts of Joram, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?” (II Kings 8:23)
While Judah had had kings who did wickedly in worshipping other gods and and ignoring his law, Jehoram was the first to go to such extremes of evil, even murdering his own family. II Chronicles 21 gives additional details of his reign.
“Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication, and compelled Judah thereto.” (II Chronicles 21:11)
Like many wicked people, Jehoram wasn’t content to do wrong himself. He actively tried to involve others in his sin. He rebuilt the high places his father and grandfather had destroyed, encouraging the people to resume the old religions, which a far more promiscuous moral standard. He caused the people of Jerusalem to get involved in sexual sin, much like our present day American culture. He even went so far as to force people in other areas into similar sins to satisfy government officials.
“And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of David thy father, Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah, But hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a whoring, like to the whoredoms of the house of Ahab, and also hast slain thy brethren of thy father's house, which were better than thyself: Behold, with a great plague will the LORD smite thy people, and thy children, and thy wives, and all thy goods: And thou shalt have great sickness by disease of thy bowels, until thy bowels fall out by reason of the sickness day by day.” (II Kings 21:12-15)
God was angered by Jehoram’s wickedness and his deliberately getting others involved, and especially since his father and grandfather had taught him better. He knew how God had blessed them for doing right, and had deliberately chosen the opposite. While Jehoshaphat had set a bad example in associating himself with Ahab and his family, It was wholly Jehoram’s choice to emulate them.
As a result of his sin, a great plague would kill many of his people, even including his own wives and children. In addition, he would have a disease, perhaps some kind of an intestinal or colon cancer that finally would result in his intestines falling out.
Here we have also another copying error. Elijah had been dead for several years by this time and the prophet was Elisha instead. Just as in English, there is only a very small difference in spelling. That such errors are so few in repeated copying by hand for about three thousand years is amazing. God has clearly preserved his word, although not in the way some KJV only believers would have us to believe.
“Moreover the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians, that were near the Ethiopians: And they came up into Judah, and brake into it, and carried away all the substance that was found in the king's house, and his sons also, and his wives; so that there was never a son left him, save Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons.” (II Chronicles 21:16-17)
In addition to the plague, and the disease God promised, the Philistines, from the west, and the Arabs from farther south in the Arab peninsula invades Judah, carrying away most of Jehoram’s wives and sons except his son Jehoahaz and his wife Athaliah, as well as all his belongings that were in his house at the time. Jehoahaz would be called Ahaziah after his mother's brother, the former king of Israel.
“And after all this the LORD smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease. And it came to pass, that in process of time, after the end of two years, his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness: so he died of sore diseases. And his people made no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers.” (II Chronicles 21:18-19)
Elisha’s prophecy about his disease came to pas exactly as described. Jehoram suffered for about two years before finally succumbing to cancer. It must have been a horrible period. When he died, they didn’t even have much of a funeral or mourning period for him.
“Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years, and departed without being desired. Howbeit they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchres of the kings.” (II Chronicles 21:20)
After eight years as king, there was so much corruption and wickedness his people were just glad to see him gone. He was so unpopular they wouldn’t even bury him in the same graveyard as the other kings, although they did allow him to be buried in the same city.
“And Joram slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead. (II Kings 8:24)
“And the rest of the acts of Joram, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?” (II Kings 8:23)
While Judah had had kings who did wickedly in worshipping other gods and and ignoring his law, Jehoram was the first to go to such extremes of evil, even murdering his own family. II Chronicles 21 gives additional details of his reign.
“Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication, and compelled Judah thereto.” (II Chronicles 21:11)
Like many wicked people, Jehoram wasn’t content to do wrong himself. He actively tried to involve others in his sin. He rebuilt the high places his father and grandfather had destroyed, encouraging the people to resume the old religions, which a far more promiscuous moral standard. He caused the people of Jerusalem to get involved in sexual sin, much like our present day American culture. He even went so far as to force people in other areas into similar sins to satisfy government officials.
“And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of David thy father, Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah, But hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a whoring, like to the whoredoms of the house of Ahab, and also hast slain thy brethren of thy father's house, which were better than thyself: Behold, with a great plague will the LORD smite thy people, and thy children, and thy wives, and all thy goods: And thou shalt have great sickness by disease of thy bowels, until thy bowels fall out by reason of the sickness day by day.” (II Kings 21:12-15)
God was angered by Jehoram’s wickedness and his deliberately getting others involved, and especially since his father and grandfather had taught him better. He knew how God had blessed them for doing right, and had deliberately chosen the opposite. While Jehoshaphat had set a bad example in associating himself with Ahab and his family, It was wholly Jehoram’s choice to emulate them.
As a result of his sin, a great plague would kill many of his people, even including his own wives and children. In addition, he would have a disease, perhaps some kind of an intestinal or colon cancer that finally would result in his intestines falling out.
Here we have also another copying error. Elijah had been dead for several years by this time and the prophet was Elisha instead. Just as in English, there is only a very small difference in spelling. That such errors are so few in repeated copying by hand for about three thousand years is amazing. God has clearly preserved his word, although not in the way some KJV only believers would have us to believe.
“Moreover the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians, that were near the Ethiopians: And they came up into Judah, and brake into it, and carried away all the substance that was found in the king's house, and his sons also, and his wives; so that there was never a son left him, save Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons.” (II Chronicles 21:16-17)
In addition to the plague, and the disease God promised, the Philistines, from the west, and the Arabs from farther south in the Arab peninsula invades Judah, carrying away most of Jehoram’s wives and sons except his son Jehoahaz and his wife Athaliah, as well as all his belongings that were in his house at the time. Jehoahaz would be called Ahaziah after his mother's brother, the former king of Israel.
“And after all this the LORD smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease. And it came to pass, that in process of time, after the end of two years, his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness: so he died of sore diseases. And his people made no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers.” (II Chronicles 21:18-19)
Elisha’s prophecy about his disease came to pas exactly as described. Jehoram suffered for about two years before finally succumbing to cancer. It must have been a horrible period. When he died, they didn’t even have much of a funeral or mourning period for him.
“Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years, and departed without being desired. Howbeit they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchres of the kings.” (II Chronicles 21:20)
After eight years as king, there was so much corruption and wickedness his people were just glad to see him gone. He was so unpopular they wouldn’t even bury him in the same graveyard as the other kings, although they did allow him to be buried in the same city.
“And Joram slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead. (II Kings 8:24)
If people could only learn from the Bible that sin has consequences, not only for the individual and his family but for all those in his sphere of influence, the world would be less evil. Thanks as always for the great post, & God bless.
ReplyDeleteLaurie
Amen, Laurie.
ReplyDeleteSeems like most people don't understand a principle of cause and effect.