AMAZIAH KING OF JUDAH.

Amaziah succeeded his father jehoah as king of Judah. He began his regin when he was 25years and he did what was right before God but he was not as faithful as David. The people, his subjects where still into idolatry. He killed his father’s murderers but spared their sons. He also fough Edonites, killing about ten thousand. His victory however got into his head and he therefore challenged Jehoash, king of Israel. The king of Israel warned him but he was adamant. Jerusalem was therefore raided with many of the treasures in the house of the Lord carted away to Samaria and many taken hostages. He was assassinated in Lasish after a coup.  

LESSONS

a)     Beware of success, lest it gets into your head and you begin to challenge what should be challenged. When success comes, acknowledge God and continue to seek his face. “pride goes before a fall’

KING JEHOAHAZ and JEHOASH, KINGS OF ISRAEL.

KING JEHOAHAZ, KING OF ISRAEL.

Jehoahaz succeeded Jehu his father as king of Israel. He reigned for 17 years. He did evil in the sight of the Lord and the Lord delivered them into the hands of the Syrians who oppressed them. Jehoahaz therefore cried to the Lord for help and the Lord delivered them. However, the people still continued in idolatry as in the days of Jeroboam.

LESSONS

a)      Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to any nation. Disobedience brought oppression by the enemies of Israel but when the leader repented and cried to the Lord, the Lord heard him. Leaders repent and seek God’s face for mercy, he will always answer. If we confess our sins, the Lord is faithful and just to forgive.

JEHOASH, KING OF ISRAEL.

Jehoash, son of Jehoahaz reigned over Israel for 16 years. He also did evil in the sight of the Lord and he fought against Amaziah, king of Judah. He visited Elisha before his death and would have gained a total victory over the Syrians had he followed Elisha’s instruction with vigor.

LESSONS

a)     Jehoash did gave up easily after 3 attempts at stricking the ground with arrows provided by Elisha and hence forfeited the opportunity of total victory over he Syrians. Leaders should not give up easily, they should got o the extra mile and put in the best as they pursue success for their organization.

ATHALIAH and JEHOASH, KINGS OF JUDAH

ATHALIAH,

After Ahaziah’s death, Athaliah his mother took over the throne. To secure her reign she killed all the princes king’s son  who could be potential kings and rivals. Jehospheba, Ahaziah’s sister however managed to save and hide Joash, Ahaziah’s son was only a year old . she hid him in the temple for 6 years while Athaliah reigned. During her reign, Baal worship prospered. During the 7^th year of her reign, Jehoida, the priest planned with soldiers and security guards of the palace. They brought put Joash, anointed him king and killed Athaliah. They also destroyed the house of Baal and its priest. They established the king and the city was quiet.

LESSONS

a)     Evil will not prosper forever, Athaliah performed her evil enterprise for a while but nemesis caught up with her eventually. A day of reckoning will always come. Leaders beware!

b)    King Jehoram  was unequally yoked with Athaliah and Athaliah ruined his family after his death. Leaders and administrators should beware, many God faring women of like minds, stay within the faith.

JEHOASH KING OF JUDAH.

 Jehoash was 7 years old when he became the king of Judah. He reigned for 40 years. He followed the instructions of Jehoiada, the priest and therefore was able to do what was right in the eyes of God. Although he did not carry out a complete reformation by destroying the alters of Baal, he encouraged and mandated the repairs of the temple of God. He was assassinated by his servants.

LESSONS

a)     Jehoash though young and son of a wicked king chose to obey God by following the instructions of the priest, young leaders who seek the counsel of God fearing elders will be successful.

b)    What is with doing is worth doing well, leaders should endeavor to follow through all Godly reformation that they embark on.

c)     He made sure money contributed in the house of God was properly used to repair the house – accountability and good use of resources.

JEHU KING OF ISRAEL

Jehu was anointed king by one of the sons of the prophets following the instruction of Elisha. Jehu carried out the words of God concerning Ahab’s family. He killed Joram with an arrow and cast his body on the field of Naboth the Jezreelite.

He instructed the eunuchs to throw down Jezebel from the window in her house as she looked out with painted face. Her blood was splashed on the wall and Jehu rode over her body, by the time they came back to pick her body for burial, only her skull, feet and palms were remaining. Dogs ate her flesh, thus fulfilling the word of God that “Jezebel’s carcass shall be as dung  on the face of the field in Jezreel, dogs shall eat her flesh and no one will be able to say this is Jezebel.”

Jehu again commanded that the 70 sons of Ahab be beheaded, their heads were laid in 2 heaps at the city gate. He went ahead to also kill all the family members of Ahab as well as his priests. He killed the 42 brothers of Ahaziah who were going to Samaria to commiserate with Joram’s children. Jehu tricked all the worshippers of baal by inviting them to a feast and had them killed  in the house of baal. II Kings 10;21-28 . Because Jehu carried out the word of the Lord against Ahab’s family and cleansed the land of Baal worshippers, the Lord promised the throne of Israel to Jehu up to his 4^th generation.

Jehu however did not follow through by walking according  to the law of God. During his reign Hazael attacked Israel and Jehu died after reigning for 28 years.

LESSONS

a)     The word of God will surely come to pass, evil will not go unpunished.

b)    Even when it seems evil doers are getting away with evil, in their life time their children may still bear the consequences in latter years. Leaders beware!

c)     Starting right does not mean finishing right.

AHAZIAH KING OF JUDAH.

Ahajiah got to the throne at the age of 22. He reigned for one year in Jerusalem. His mother was Alhajiah, daughter of Omri, king of Israel. He was also son in-law of Ahab’s family and he followed the example of the wicked family by doing evil. He joined Joram son of Ahab and king of Israel to fight against the Syrians. Joram was wounded and Jehoroam went to visit him in Jezriel where he was convalescing, Jehu attacked both of them and Ahaziah was wounded. He fled to Megiddo and died there.

LESSONS

1)    Leaders are not to associate with the enemies of God so that they will not be partakers of their sins and the repercussions. Ahaziah died because of his associations with Joram and Ahab’s family.

AHAZIAH, AND OTHER KINGS.

AHAZIAH, KING OF ISRAEL

Ahaziah, the son of Ahab became king after his father. He reigned over Israel for 17 years. He did evil in the sight of God by serving Baal. When he sustained injury after a falling in his house, he sent to inquire of Baalzebub the god of Efron instead of enquiring from God. He was unrepentant even after a rebuke from Elijah. He sent soldiers to arrest Elijah, at the third attempt and the loss o 100 soldiers, Elijah visited him and prophesied his death. He never recovered from the injury, he died as prophesied.

LESSONS

a)     Leaders who practice evil with impunity shall not go unpunished. We shall reap what we sow.

JEHOROAM, KING OF ISRAEL

Jehoraom, son of Ahab reigned over Israel for 12 years. Even though he put away the image of baal, he still continued in some of the evil. He was probably controlling the priesthood and taking up the responsibility of the priests.

JEHOROAM, KING  OF JUDAH

Jehoraom, son  of Jehoshaphat reigned in Judah for 8 years. He married the daughter of Ahab and he did evil in the sight of the Lord. Edom revolted and liberated themselves from Judah during his reign.

LESSONS

a)     Jehoroam’s marriage to Ahab’s daughter might have influenced him to do evil just like his father in-law. Wives complement and influence their husbands, leaders should therefore avoid being unequally yoked with unbelievers.

b)     God is always faithful to his promises. Inspite of Jehoram’s unfaithfulness. The Lord did not destroy Judah at this time because he remembered his promise to david that he will always be with his descendants and make sure they occupy the throne perpetually.