https://odb.org/2023/10/27/three-kings
If we read the Old Testament books of 1 and 2 Kings as well as 1 and 2 Chronicles, we will see that most of the kings of Israel and later Judah (after Israel was divided into the Southern and Northern kingdoms) were either unfaithful to Yahweh or did evil things. It is both disappointing and depressing. The golden years of Israel were at the beginning during the reign of David and perhaps the early years of his son with Bethsheba, Solomon. But after that, it was downhill with only a few kings who turned against the tide and worship Yahweh and followed His percepts. The notable good kings were Hezekiah, Josiah, Jehoshaphat, and Jotham, and sadly, they were a small minority.
I may be wrong, but Jehoram, the subject matter of today’s ODB, may well be the worst of the lot. The first thing he did when he became king was to kill all of his brothers and some officials – presumably to solidify his reign. Contrast this with David, who restored the lands and servants of the grandson of his predecessor, and gave Mephibosheth a permanent place at his table. But in the case of Jehoram, God did not overlook his evil ways and afflicted him with a terrible and painful abdominal illness (could be colon cancer) and because of his cruelty, no one grieved for him or gave him a funeral.
I think the message this morning is that power corrupts and power makes one selfish and self-serving instead of benevolence, selfless, or sacrificial. We may not be kings, but everyone has a sphere of influence and a certain authority. Do we make decisions based on our self-interest or the good of all? Do we think of our parents and other siblings when we act in a certain way? As people in the faith, if we are leaders, we must lead for the good of everyone, and most importantly, as we read about the bad kings in Israel and Judah, we must follow God and His percepts. As followers of Christ, we have the law written in our hearts and thus must allow the Holy Spirit to guide us in all that we do. Always pray that the Holy Spirit grants us wisdom and discernment to do the right thing all the time, even if it’s not always to our benefit or interests. Do what the Lord impresses us to do, not what our flesh desires.
Ronnie's Thoughts 