What does it say?
Jehoram succeeded Jehoshaphat as king in Judah. The relationship with the unrighteous that the Lord warned against came to Jerusalem. Jehoram married Ahab’s daughter and did evil in the sight of the Lord. Edom revolted and set up a king over themselves. God inflicted the house of Jehoram with the Philistines and Arabs who carried away his possessions and sons, except for the youngest because the Lord was unwilling to destroy completely the house of David his servant. Ahaziah succeeded Jehoram as king in Judah. Ahaziah slew his brothers at the direction of his mother Athaliah. His manner of leading was just like that of Ahab, king of Israel; therefore, he allied with Jehoram king of Israel. The Lord used Jehu to destroy the house of Ahab and the house of Ahaziah was inflicted in the wake. When Ahaziah died, Athaliah killed his sons but her daughter Jehoshabeath hid Joash from her and took him to Jehoiada the priest who cared for him and rallied the priests and Levites around him. At the age of 7 Joash was made king and his grandmother Athaliah was put to death. At the direction of Jehoiada, Judah followed the word of the Lord until Jehoiada died at the age of one hundred and thirty years. The king turned away from following the Lord and served the Asherim and the idols. He also murdered the son of Jehoiada for preaching against these things. The Lord sent the Arameans who defeated Judah. Then the servants of Joash turned against him and murdered him, so Amaziah his son became king in Judah.
What does it mean?
Though the prophets the Lord had warned Jehoshaphat of allying with Ahab. Ahab’s influence had devastating effects on the sons who would follow Jehoshaphat in leadership. The marriage between Jehoram and Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab had devastating effects. Like the line of Ahab was destroyed, the line of Jehoram should have been destroyed but because of the Davidic covenant (cf. 1 Ch. 17:1-15) it was not. In fact, the line was protected against destruct as God used a woman to protect the line who brought him into the sanctuary of the house of God. When Joash was crowned king by Jehoiada, he placed the testimony (The Ten Commandments) in his hand. The Ten Commandments are the revealed righteous standard of God. The testimony declared cursed are those who do not observe the commandments and blessed are those who do. (cf. Dt. 27-29)
What shall I do?
I have a gold coin that I keep in my pocket. I take it out and look at it often. On one side is written the Ten Commandments and on the other side the gospel. The Ten are the revealed righteous standard of God. The gospel is the revealed way for law breakers to be made right with God. How can God be just and justify law breakers? God displayed Jesus Christ publicly as a propitiation in his blood through faith. I shall continue to meditate daily on the revealed righteous standard of God and on the revealed way for law breakers like myself to be made right with God. I shall follow the word of God and learn to observe all that he commanded and not the council of the world.
