2 Chronicles 21:8-15: a reflection

8In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves. 9Then Jehoram went there with his captains and all his chariots with him. He rose up by night and struck the Edomites who surrounded him, along with the captains of the chariots. 10So Edom has been in revolt from under the hand of Judah to this day. Then Libnah revolted at the same time from under his hand, because he had forsaken the LORD, the God of his fathers. 11Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and made the inhabitants of Jerusalem play the prostitute, and led Judah astray. 12A letter came to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, “the LORD, the God of David your father, says, ‘Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah, 13but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and have made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the prostitute like Ahab’s house did, and also have slain your brothers of your father’s house, who were better than yourself, 14behold, the LORD will strike your people with a great plague, including your children, your wives, and all your possessions; 15and you will have great sickness with a disease of your bowels, until your bowels fall out by reason of the sickness, day by day.’”

Jehoram becomes king of Judah, but unlike his faithful father Jehoshaphat and grandfather Asa, he turns away from the LORD. He walks in the way of the wicked kings of Israel, leads Judah into idolatry, and even murders his own brothers. A letter comes to him from the prophet Elijah with a solemn word: Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah, but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, judgment is coming. Jehoram had a godly heritage, and he forsook it for a worse path.

Notice the tragedy: Jehoram abandoned the good he had been given. He was raised in the faith of a father who sought God; he inherited a legacy of faithfulness. And he threw it away, choosing instead the idolatry and wickedness of the surrounding kings. He turned from the good ways of his fathers to a path that led to ruin, both for himself and for the people he led astray.

That is a warning to any who have been given a good heritage of faith. To be raised in the knowledge of God, to inherit faithful examples and sound teaching, is a gift; but it can be forsaken. Jehoram had every advantage and abandoned it. Do not throw away the good you have been given. If you have been given a heritage of faith, a faithful example, sound teaching, do not turn from it to the ways of the world, as Jehoram did. Hold onto the good you have received, build on it, and pass it on, rather than abandoning it for a path that leads away from God. The good ways of the faithful are worth holding, not forsaking.

Lord, Jehoram had a godly father and grandfather and a heritage of faith, and he forsook it, turning to the ways of the wicked kings and leading his people astray. Guard me from throwing away the good I have been given. To be raised in the knowledge of you, to inherit faithful examples and sound teaching, is a gift; but it can be abandoned. Keep me from turning from the good ways I have received to the ways of the world, as Jehoram did. Help me hold onto the heritage of faith, to build on it, and to pass it on, rather than forsake it for a path that leads away from you. Where I have been given good, help me treasure and keep it, and not despise or abandon it. Let me walk in the faithful ways, not turn from them.