After the death of Jehoshaphat, his son, Jehoram, inherits the throne of Judah. Rather than follow the laws and statutes of the Lord, Jehoram marries the daughter of the evil king Ahab, who ruled over Israel.
The Lord is merciful to Jehoram even though he has sinned against him. God made a promise to keep the lineage of David from destruction and he keeps all of his promises, even when we fail him.
During Jehoram’s reign, many cities in Judah rebel against his authority because of his iniquities against the Lord. 2 Chronicles 21:11 says, “He had also built high places on the hills of Judah and had caused the people of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves and had led Judah astray.”
The prophet Elijah sends a prophecy to Jehoram saying that punishment will be brought upon his people, his country and his health because of his transgressions.
2 Chronicles 21:18-19 says, “After all this, the Lord afflicted Jehoram with an incurable disease of the bowels. In the course of time, at the end of the second year, his bowels came out because of the disease and he died in great pain. His people made no funeral fire in his honor, as they had for his predecessors.”
Jehoram’s youngest son, Ahaziah, takes his place as king of Judah. Typically the oldest son would inherit the throne, but raiders had assassinated all of Jehoram’s other sons. Ahaziah’s mother, Athaliah, encourages him to act wickedly.
Ahaziah makes a treaty with Joram, the king of Israel and wages war against the nation of Aram. After Joram is injured in battle, Ahaziah goes to visit him at Jezreel.
1 Corinthians 22:7-9 says, “Through Ahaziah’s visit to Joram, God brought about Ahaziah’s downfall. When Ahaziah arrived, he went out with Joram to meet Jehu son of Nimshi, whom the Lord had anointed to destroy the house of Ahab. While Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, he found the officials of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah’s relatives, who had been attending Ahaziah, and he killed them. He then went in search of Ahaziah, and his men captured him while he was hiding in Samaria. He was brought to Jehu and put to death.”
Because of Ahaziah’s wickedness, God ends his reign over the nation of Judah. When Athaliah, Ahaziah’s mom, realizes he is dead, she begins to destroy the royal family. Jehosheba, late king Jehoram’s daughter, hides Joash, Ahaziah’s son, in a nurses’ closet to keep him from being killed. Athaliah then takes charge of the kingdom and reigns as queen for six years.
