Today’s passage: 2 Chronicles 21:1-20
Helpful thoughts:
- Not wanting to risk losing his power, Jehoram killed anyone who could have claimed his throne outside of his own sons.
- The fact that Jehoram was married to Ahab’s daughter is another alliance which would have come through his father, Jehoshaphat. The next king of Judah would be the grandson of the king of Israel. Ahab’s line has blended with David’s.
- Jehoram’s reign was different from his father’s in numerous ways. He died “with no one’s regret” (NKJV – “To no one’s sorrow”) at the age of 40.
Questions to consider:
- Why didn’t God end the line of the kings of Judah like he did in the northern tribes of Israel? What was His promise and why was it necessary to fulfill it?
- How was Jehoram’s approach to conflict and war different from his father’s? What was the result?
- Why did Elijah call Jehoram and Judah’s acts against God, “whoredom”? How had Judah (and Israel) been unfaithful to their “Husband”? Compare this idea with Ephesians 5:25-33. How ought the church (We) conduct ourselves as we await that day when we are presented to the one who died to make us spotless in righteousness?