Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20040229.htm

1 AND 2 KINGS: ENJOYING GOD'S BLESSINGS IN AN APOSTATE ERA
Part XLIV: Blessing To The DEGREE We Keep Holy Associations
(2 Kings 8:16-24)
  1. Introduction
    1. Paul warned Christians (in probably by alluding to the ancient comedy, Thais by Menander) that "bad company ruins good morals," cf. the English Standard Version (with its footnote) at 1 Corinthians 15:33.
    2. In associating with bad company, then, a believer who thus ruins his good morals leaves himself open to losing God's full blessing in life. This fact is clearly seen in the reign king Jehoram of Judah (as follows):
  2. Blessing To The DEGREE We Keep Holy Associations, 2 Kings 8:16-24.
    1. Thinking he might be away for an extended period of time while helping Ahab fight at Ramoth-Gilead, Judah's Jehoshaphat made his son, Jehoram king with him, 2 Kings 8:16; Bib. Know. Com., O. T. , p. 553.
    2. Now, king Jehoshaphat was himself a fairly righteous king in that he once led Judah to turn back to the Lord versus walking in the idolatry of his neighboring king Ahab of Israel, 2 Chronicles 17.
    3. On the other hand, Jehoshaphat thought little of joining wicked Ahab in battle at Ramoth-Gilead, something God punished Jehoshaphat for doing according to 2 Chronicles 18:1-2 with 19:1-3.
    4. Well, such a league not only led to God's punishing Jehoshaphat, but it ALSO bred a lack of intolerance for evil unions in Jehoshaphat's family relationships ; Jehoshaphat's son was thus influenced to turn to idolatry and both he and the land of Judah suffered a loss of God's blessing, 2 Kings 8:16-24:
      1. When Jehoshaphat made his son, Jehoram coregent with him, instead of following God as had Jehoshaphat, Jehoram followed the idolatrous ways of the kings of Israel, 2 Kings 8:16-18a.
      2. The REASON for this departure even from his father's personal commitment to Judah's God was that his father, Jehoshaphat had made an alliance with Ahab by giving his son, Jehoram in MARRIAGE to the idolatrous daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, cf. 2 Kings 8:18b in light of Deuteronomy 7:3-4.
      3. Thus, Jehoram was influenced by his wicked wife toward idolatry, so God's blessing was withdrawn from Judah though the relatively upright Jehoshaphat was still a coregent with Jehoram, 8:19-24:
        1. On the one hand, God had promised the kings of Judah to be blessed as heirs to David's throne due to God's reward for David's obedience to the Lord, 2 Kings 8:19.
        2. However, even though the relatively good Jehoshaphat was king with Jehoram, since Jehoram was idolatrous, God's blessing was partially withdrawn to the weakening of Judah: (a) The Edomites who had once submitted to Judah under Jehoshaphat (cf. 2 Chr. 20:1-29) rebelled under Jehoram's reign, and set up their own king, 2 Kings 8:20. This event reflected the judgment of the Mosaic Covenant: when God's people sinned, their enemies would challenge them instead of being afraid of them, cf. Deut. 28:1, 10, 15, 25. (b) Jehoram attacked the Edomites to regain his power over them; however, due to the commitment God had made to sustain a "light" in Judah for the sake of His servant, David, God let Jehoram win that battle, 2 Kings 8:21; 8:19. (c) However, this victory was only temporary; Edom revolted again when Libnah revolted under Philistine influence (Ibid., p.554), making Jehoram's reign difficult and less honored, 2 Kings 8:22. (d) Jehoram eventually died, and 2 Chronicles 21:18-19 reveals he succumbed to a painful disease of his intestines and was buried without honor due to Judah's former kings. This sad end to his life indicated God's removal of blessing in accord with the stipulations of the Mosaic Covenant, cf. Deuteronomy 28:15, 20-22.
    5. In summary, the son of a relatively good king turned to idolatry and suffered defeat and a dishonorable end due to the compromise in associations first by Jehoshaphat and then more fully by his son, Jehoram!
Lesson: Partly from the ERRANT EXAMPLE of his relatively GOOD father, Jehoshaphat who made GODLESS associations with wicked king Ahab of Israel, and partly from the ASSOCIATION that Jehoshaphat himself FORMED in uniting his son, Jehoram in marriage with the IDOLATROUS daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, Jehoram turned to idols and lost God's best for himself and Judah!

Application: (1) Let us watch our ASSOCIATIONS, for bad company ruins good morals, and that leads to bad works that God will not bless! (2) Let us ALSO faithfully SEPARATE from associations that can influence OTHERS we impact to UNHOLY alliances, and that to THEIR loss of God's best!