A Bloody Mess

O. T. #970  "A Bloody Mess"
April 28, 2017
2 Chronicles 22
But when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal of the house of Judah. 2 Chronicles 22:10

LET IT GLOW

This is a rather difficult chapter. Hopefully this will help clear up any confusion:

1. Names are confusing due to the writer Ezra used two different names for one king (Ahaziah and Azariah). Also, he is the same person in 21:17-Jehoahaz.Who knows why this happened, but it is a mess to keep straight.
2. There were two kings, from the northern and southern nations, with the same name-Ahaziah. Although Israel's Ahaziah ruled for 2 years from 853B.C.-852B.C. and Judah's king Ahaziah ruled for only 1 year, 841B.C., after him.
3. Since Ezra focused on the nation of Judah's history,  chart shows after the godly King Jehoshaphat ruled 25 years, then came 2 evil kings (Jehoram and Ahaziah) and one evil queen (Athaliah), who was the daughter of King Ahab and Jezebel of Israel.
4. An evil king is in reference to them worshiping an idol (Baal in this time) and not worshiping God.

King Jehoram in chapter 21, was married to Athaliah, identified above. So keep in mind, her family influence was great and evil. She was the queen in Judah. After her husband died, their son, Ahaziah ruled. He was the youngest son, due to his brothers being killed, that reigned.

What is told about King Ahaziah?

• He only ruled one year as king in Judah.
• His walk of life was in the ways of the house of Ahab, since his mother gave him wicked counsel, encouraging him to do wrong. 
• He did evil in the sight of the LORD.
• His advisors led to ruin.
• He joined Jehoram, king of Israel and Ahab's son, to war with Syria, of which they lost. Jehoram was injured during that battle.
• He went to visit Jehoram, maybe took a fruit basket, well, maybe not.
• While there, this guy Jehu came and killed Ahaziah's nephews, which was of God, for the Lord annointed Jehu to cut off the house of Ahab. Ahaziah fled to Samaria, but was found and brought to Jehu and slain.

This is a bloody period. What a bloody mess, for sure. God recorded it to teach us that He judges sin. We don't get by with sin. May as well fess up, for we will sooner or later.
We need to warn folks that our sins will find us out, eventually.


LET IT GROW

Now we read of Queen Athaliah reign in Judah.

•  She had influence in her son's life led him to moral corruption, idolatry, and folly in being induced to war with the Syrians. (MacArthur)
• She arose and destroyed all the seed royal of the house of Judah, except for one (Joash who was 1 year old and hid in the Temple from her.) Had she been successful, the line of David would have been destroyed and the coming Messiah would not have been of that lineage. So God protected this little one from the evil one. Similar to the happening of Pharoah trying to destroy the baby boys in Egypt, but Moses was hid and spared his life; Herod trying to kill the baby Messiah in Bethlehem, so Mary and Joseph fled to Egypt.
• What an evil woman-she killed her own grandchildren! Her thirst for power was unquenchable.

Makes me want to puke. How could a woman do such a heartless thing to her own family! Satan has always been active in believers' lives, striving to bring destruction.
But God stepped in and the priests and Levites protected this next king and line of David for 6 years. Can you wait to read how this evil is ended and good prevails? Read the next chapter. YES! God's plan is carried out.

Here's some advice from Life Application Study Bible: When you seek words of advice, listen carefully and use God's Word to test all things. Hold on to what is good (1 Thessalonians 5:21).


LET IT GO

Endure the evil deeds and words of others while staying faithful to God.

Forgive those who trespass against me. In the same way I forgive others, I will be forgiven.

Even if they don't ask my forgiveness, I must forgive them in order to please God.

Trust God with the outcome-good prevails against evil.