Day 20: Jehoram Lent 2016: Forty days in the genealogy of our Lord
The twentieth generation in the genealogy of Jesus Christ is Jehoram (Joram). The name Jehoram means "the Lord is exalted" or "the Lord is honorable." The meaning of this name reminds us of the purpose of the Christian's life. As Apostle Paul so brilliantly expressed, may Jesus Christ alone be exalted through our lives!
“according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.” (Philippians 1:20, NASB)
Jehoram, the son of Jehoshaphat, was the fifth king of the southern kingdom of Judah. Although his grandfather Asa and father Jehoshaphat were both good kings, Jehoram did not inherit their faith; he became a wicked king.
Jehoram brutally murdered his innocent brothers.
When Jehoram took the throne and secured his authority, he killed all six of his brothers along with some of the officials of Israel who had supported Jehoram’s siblings (2 Chr 21:4). He did this to strengthen his royal authority; but ultimately, it was because his brothers were opposed to the idolatry committed by Jehoram and his wife. Second Chronicles 21:13 states, “You have also killed your brothers, your own family, who were better than you.” Jehoram could not live up to his name but walked the path of a murderer. Had Jehoram lived a life exalting God, he would not have killed his brothers. Rather than exalting God, he foolishly exalted his regal power.
Jehoram walked in the ways of the house of Ahab (2 Kgs 8:18).
Jehoram’s wife was Athaliah, the daughter of King Ahab of Israel. She was the granddaughter of Omri and an ungodly woman who had been indoctrinated in the idolatrous ways of Ahab and Jezebel. Her wickedness rivaled that of her mother Jezebel (2 Kgs 11:1; 2 Chr 22:10).
“He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab did (for Ahab’s daughter was his wife), and he did evil in the sight of the Lord.” (2 Chr 21:6)
The root cause of Jehoram’s iniquitous ways was his wife, the daughter of Ahab. Jehoram was inculcated in the ways of his father-in-law Ahab, mother-in-law Jezebel, and wife Athaliah so that he disseminated Baal worship throughout Judah. Jehoram was ultimately unable to break free from his wife’s sphere of influence. As Jehoram showed disregard for God in his governance, God made the nations that were “under the hand” of Judah to rebel against them. Edom and Libnah revolted against Judah and broke free from the control of Jehoram (2 Kgs 8:20-22; 2 Chr 21:8-10). As a result of Jehoram’s adulterous worship of idols, God stirred up the spirit of the Philistines and the Arabians to attack the southern kingdom of Judah (2 Chr 21:16-17).
The kingdom was mired in darkness, wallowing in its wretched misery. Jehoram’s sins were gravely egregious, deserving total destruction. However, God did not destroy the southern kingdom of Judah because He had established a covenant with David to give a lamp to him and his sons forever (2 Kgs 8:19; 2 Chr 21:7).
Jehoram did not repent even after hearing the warning from Elijah the prophet.
Jehoram did not repent even during the continuing rebellions of Edom and Libnah. Instead, he erected many high places in the mountains of Judah and caused the people to play the harlot by worshiping idols (2 Chr 21:11). The prophet Elijah sent a letter to Jehoram of the southern kingdom of Judah warning him of his wicked deeds. The letter outlines five major points of warning (2 Chr 21:12-15).
- First, the letter accuses Jehoram of not walking in the ways of the good kings—“the ways of Jehoshaphat” and “the ways of Asa” (2 Chr 21:12).
- Second, it accuses him of walking in the “ways of the kings of Israel” and causing the people of Judah to play the harlot like the house of Ahab (2 Chr 21:13).
- Third, it accuses him of killing his brothers (all six) who were better than him (2 Chr 21:2-4, 13).
- Fourth, it prophesies that the Lord will strike Jehoram’s people, sons, wives and all his possessions with a great calamity (2 Chr 21:2-4, 14).
- Fifth, it prophesies that Jehoram will be severely diseased in his bowels and will die because his bowels will come out (2 Chr 21:15).
The sad thing about all this is that Jehoram did not repent at all even after hearing such dreadful warnings.
Jehoram died from a disease of the bowels.
Jehoram witnessed every word, as prophesied by Elijah the prophet, coming true. Yet, he did not repent, and thus he suffered a severe (incurable) disease of the bowels. In two years, his bowels had come out and he died (2 Chr 21:19). Jehoram actually died in extreme agony, rolling around in anguish, and conveys how wretchedly dismal the final moments of his life were. Although God had given him a chance to repent by giving him a disease of the bowels, Jehoram refused to repent even to the end and died in his sins.
“. . . he died in great pain. And his people made no fire for him like the fire for his fathers.” (2 Chronicles 21:19, NASB95)
The consequences of such an unrepentant heart can be seen in the events after his death. It is most likely that Jehoram’s death is the most wretched of all such accounts described in the Bible. Not one person made a fire in his honor (2 Chr 21:19), and no one mourned his death (2 Chr 21:20). The moment he forsook God (2 Chr 21:10), he himself was forsaken by everyone in the world. He was buried in the city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings (2 Chr 21:20). How miserable is the end of this king’s life for he could not even be buried in the tombs of the kings!
As saints, we should leave behind fruits of faith that can be commemorated after our passing. Moreover, we should leave resplendent marks on earth that will be pleasing to God. Those who exalt God will be exalted by God, but those who despise Him will be scorned by Him in turn (2 Sam 2:30). The moment we forsake God (2 Chr 21:10), we will be thoroughly forsaken by the world in utter humiliation (Jer 17:13).
- from God's Profound and Mysterious Providence by Rev. Abraham Park