2 Chronicles 21:1-20
Jehoshaphat died and his son Jehoram became king in his place. Jehoram had six brothers and their father gave valuable gifts and fortified cities to them. Jehoram secured the kingdom but did so in a most horrific manner. “… he killed all his brothers with the sword, and some of the rulers of Israel also.” (4b) Jehoram was badly influenced by his father’s alliance with Israel by marrying Ahab’s [& Jezebel] daughter. “He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab did (for Ahab’s daughter was his wife), and he did evil in the sight of the LORD.” (6) Jehoram horrific deeds were reflective of insecure leadership. “Yet the LORD was not willing to destroy the house of David because of the covenant He made with David,…” (7a) Jehoram also increased the number of ‘high places’ [false worship of God] interfering with the true worship. So God raised up adversaries against them and Elijah sent a prophetic letter. Jehoram was rebuked for not walking in his father and grandfather’s ways, but following the ways of Ahab his father-in-law. His brothers whom he killed were better than him. As a result Elijah prophesied, “…behold, the LORD is going to strike your people, your sons, your wives and all your possessions with a great calamity…” (14) Not only this, but Jehoram would suffer a slow and painful death. The alliance made by Jehoshaphat was devastating to Israel and his legacy.