Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb20070415.htm

1 AND 2 CHRONICLES: GAINING DIRECTION OUT OF THE AIMLESSNESS OF APOSTASY
Part V: Gaining Direction From God's Work In The Rest Of Judah's Davidic Dynasty, 2 Chronicles 13-36
E. Learning To Separate From Errant Alliances Our Forerunners Made
(2 Chronicles 21:1-20 et al.)
  1. Introduction
    1. When we were newly converted to Christ, we believers were initially associated with Christians who helped us grow in the Lord. We thus learned to view these people as our examples for our Christian walk.
    2. However, some of these spiritual forerunners may have had errant alliances that God does not approve, so God would want us to avoid such alliances ourselves in contrast to what these leaders have practiced!
    3. This is a big lesson to learn, one illustrated in the life of king Jehoram in 2 Chronicles 21:1-20 et al.:
  2. Learning To Separate From Errant Alliances Our Forerunners Made, 2 Chronicles 21:1-20 et al.
    1. After Jehoshaphat passed away, his eldest son, Jehoram, ruled on the throne of Judah, 2 Chron. 21:1, 3b.
    2. Now, Jehoshaphat gave gifts and offices to all his sons, but gave the throne to his eldest, Jehoram, 21:2-3.
    3. However, when Jehoram came to the throne, in contrast to the generally good direction of his father's life, he killed his brothers to solidify his role and walked in the idolatry of the evil kings of Israel, 21:4-6a.
    4. The explanation for Jehoram's evil turn versus his father's life was his marriage to Ahab's daughter: the Hebrew text at 2 Chron. 21:6b uses the conjunction, ki, rendered "for" (KJV, NIV, ESV) that here means "because" to show Jehoram was led into apostasy by his wife, Ahab's daughter, Kittel, Bib. Heb., p. 1406.
    5. Jehoram had thus failed to learn what his father had also had trouble learning relative to ungodly alliances:
      1. Though Jehoram's father, Jehoshaphat had generally been a godly king (cf. 2 Chron. 17:3), he twice was punished by the Lord for making alliances with Ahab and his wicked son of the Kingdom of Israel:
        1. For joining wicked Ahab in battle (cf. 2 Chron. 18:3, 28-34), God's prophet, Jehu announced judgment against Jehoshaphat (2 Chron. 19:2) that came in the form of a large invasion, 20:1, 22.
        2. Then, for joining wicked Ahab's evil son Ahaziah in a shipping venture, God again punished Jehoshaphat by having his ships destroyed at Ezion-geber, 2 Chronicles 20:35-37.
      2. Nevertheless, instead of learning from God's repeat judgments against his father, Jehoshaphat for having such evil alliances, Jehoram even married wicked Ahab's evil daughter, and so was influenced to go into heartless sin, 2 Chron. 21:6; just as Ahab had slain the innocent Naboth to acquire his land at the influence of his wicked wife, Jezebel (1 Kings 21:1-19), Jehoram was influenced by his wicked wife's influence to slay his brothers and promote idolatry throughout the land, 2 Chronicles 21:4-5, 6!
    6. God did not destroy Judah because of His promise not to destroy the house of David in keeping with the Davidic Covenant, 2 Chron. 21:7. However, He severely punished Jehoram and Judah for apostasy:
      1. By way of divine judgment, God allowed the Edomites and the city of Libnah in Judah to revolt against Jehoram, creating unrest and unedifying conflict in his realm, 2 Chronicles 21:8-10.
      2. When Jehoram continued to lead his subjects into idolatry, a sin 2 Chronicles 21:11 figuratively calls immorality, a written prophecy from the previously-translated Elijah predicted more judgment, 2 Chronicles 21:12-15 (cf. Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978 ed., ftn. to 2 Chron. 21:12): Elijah had been led of God before his translation to heaven to predict in writing that Jehoram's apostasy would be met with lost blessing for his people, the loss of family and possessions, and that Jehoram would suffer diseased bowels where they would fall out in great pain and result in an untimely death, 21:13-15.
      3. Consequently, the Lord let the Philistines with Arabians enter Judah and break into Jehoram's palace and carry off his treasures, his wives and family so that only his youngest son was left, 21:16-17. This was just compensation for his having slain his brothers who were better than he, 2 Chronicles 21:13b.
      4. Finally, God struck Jehoram with the promised case of incurable diseased bowels, and in two years, his bowels fell out so that he died, 2 Chron. 21:18-19b. At his death, Jehoram was given no celebration, and though he was buried in the city of David, he was not buried with the kings, 2 Chron. 21:19c-20.
Lesson: For failing to learn to avoid the alliances his father had with wicked Ahab and his evil family, Jehoram actually married Ahab's daughter, and was led by her into sin that ended in severe judgment!

Application: (1) May we heed Scripture above the erring examples of even relatively good forerunners. (2) May we learn to avoid unholy alliances opposite the errant examples of our forerunners.