To die without pain or glory.- We are nothing without the Lord God of the universe.
Our focused verse in 2 Chronicles Chapter 21 is:
In the course of time, at the end of the second year, his bowels came out because of the disease, and he died in great pain. His people made no funeral fire in his honor, as they had for his predecessors.. (2 Chronicles 21:19 NIV).
Reflection
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Historical Commentary.– By marrying the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, Joram of Judah was closely linked with the king of Israel, and during his reign followed after Baal , “as did the house of Ahab.” The terrible apostasy of the king of Judah did not go without rebuke. The prophet Elijah, who had not yet been taken to heaven, could not kip silent while the kingdom of Judah followed the same path that had brought the northern kingdom to the ruin. The prophet sent Joram of Judah a written communication in which the wicked king read these words: “The Lord, the God of David your father says: ‘Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah, before you, but you have sin and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to fornicate, as the house of Ahab fornicated, and also hast slain thy brethren, your father’s family, which were better than thyself: behold, the LORD will strike your people with a great plague. “(PR 158).
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Joram of Juda Annihilated his brothers and fellow leaders.– When a person feels insecure in the assign “position or responsibility” often does the same Joram did: fire the best people, mistreat subordinates to force them to resign the office, relocates individuals to positions of lesser responsibility, render powerless the high achieving teams.
- Nobody mourned his death nor lighted a fire in his honor.- When Joram married Athaliah, daughter of Ahab, he introduced idolatry into Judah as has never been seen before. Elijah lived and prophesied to the northern kingdom, however, apostasy in Judah was so great that God instructed him to send a letter to Joram and urge him to change his behavior, but he did not repent. Joram “he died in terrible agony, because of the illness, his intestines came out” (verse 19).
Prayer
Loving Father, We ask for your perfect forgiveness if we have been abusive with others. We also ask that your Holy Spirit speaks to us and keep us away all sins, please keep us close to you and your saving love. In the name of Jesus, amen.
By Dr. Franz Rios, Translated and adapted by Pablo J. Rios.
