Kings of Judah Part 1

2Ch 12:1 ¶ And it came to pass, when Rehoboam (Solomon’s son) had established the kingdom, and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the LORD, and all Israel with him. 1K 14:21-24

·       God’s answer for the sin of Judah 1K 14:25-26

·       Abijam walked in the sins of his father 1K 15:1-3

·       1K 15:4-5; 2C 21:7  for David sake the Lord gave Judah a lamp to light tthe way back to the LORD; the lamp was Asa the son of Abijam. 1K 15:11

Ø    2K 15:11-13 Asa’s good

Ø    1K 15:14 Asa’s short fall he left the high places.

Ø    1K 22:42-43 Jehaohaphat turned not aside from doing that which was right in the eyes of the LORD but the high placed remained.

Ø    2C 20:33 Most of the people did not follow the kings which did right in the eyes of God when it came to worshipping the LORD. Judah was a kingdom of divided worship.

The pattern of the good kings: wisdom turned to folly

·       2C 20:35-37 Jehoshaphat became friends with the Ahaziah, son of Ahab the wicked king of Israel, and they made ships together. But the LORD did not allow this partnership to prosper.

·       Prov 22:6 Jehoshaphat failed to train up his son Jehoram

Ø    2K 8:16-18, 27 Jehoram not only followed the kings of Israel but he married the Athaliah daughter of Ahab and named his son Ahaziah, the same name of the son of Ahab.

Ø    God used Jehu the king of Israel who destroyed the house of Ahab and to kill Ahaziah the king of Judah. 2Chr 22:7-9

Look at how Jehaohaphat’s folly almost led to the destruction of the house of David.

2K 11:1; 2C 22:1-3 Jehoram, Jehoshaphat’s son, married Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab the wicked king of Israel. When their son Ahaziah was killed by Jehu she set out to destroy the house of David set herself upon the throne of David and ruled for 8 years.

·       She killed all of the royal seed of David except Joash who was hid from her. Joash was Athaliah’s grandson

·       Satan used the folly of Jehaohaphat to attempt to stop the line to Jesus Christ

Another light to Judah: Joash

Joash (Jehoash) was hid in the house of God until Athaliah was killed and he was instructed by the priest Jehoiada. [2K 11:1-2] he was only 7 years old when be began to reign [2K12:1]

·       The reign of Joash began 139 years of rule by kings who did right in the sight of the LORD (Joash, Amaziah, Uzziah and Jotham)

·       2K 12:3 But the high places were not taken away: the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.