When Asa was confronted by God’s prophet Hanani, he got angry, jailed Hanani, and took his anger out on his people. He rejected correction and refused to admit his error to God. His greatest failure was missing out on what God could have done in his life, if he had been willing to humble himself. He held on to his failure until his death (2^{nd Chronicles} 16 v 12. He however was described as a king whose heart was fully committed to God and who led his people to a covenant to seek God with all their heart and soul.

JEHOSHAPHAT KING OF JUDAH

King Jehoshaphat succeeded his father King Asa. In his early years as king, he walked in the ways of the Lord as his great grand father David did. He did not consult the pagan god Baal like the people in the north. Jehoshaphat’s heart was dedicated to the ways of the Lord. He instructed the re-education of God’s ways to his people through bringing in the priests to teach them. He brought about Judges in the kingdom to maintain order and leadership 2^{nd chronicles 19 v 5}  

However he later aligned himself with the north by arranging for his son Jehoram to be married to the wicked king Ahab’s daughter, (Athaliah), also the daughter of queen Jezebel. The reason for this was to enable a military alliance between the northern kingdom Israel and the southern kingdom Judah.

Jehoshaphat ruled for 25 years, however he kept making alliances with the Godless leaders of the northern kingdom leading to double standards and double mindedness. Although he destroyed most of the Baal idols and Asphath poles, he did not succeed in wiping out the corrupt religious practices of the people entirely. 

After the death of Jehoshaphat queen Athaliah his son’s wife, i.e.

Jezebel’s daughter) put to death the prophet Micaiah, because Micaiah had prophesied against her wicked father king Ahab of the north. Jehoshaphat had great wealth, and gave his seven sons leadership over many of the regions. His eldest son Jehoram succeeded him to rule Judah at his death.

King Jehoram soon got settled as leader of Judah and executed all six of his brothers. He reigned 8 years. He followed the standards of the northern kingdom under King Ahab, steeped into paganism and idolatry. It was this son Jehoram, whom King Jehoshaphat had married to the daughter of Jezebel and King Ahab’s (Athaliah).

Jehoram did evil in the eyes of the Lord 2^{nd chronicles 21 v 7.} Nevertheless, because of the covenant the Lord had made with David, The Lord was not willing to destroy the house of David. He had promised to maintain a lamp for him and his descendents forever. Elijah the prophet spoke against Jehoram as his reign was marked with evil and cruelty. He returned the practice of paganism, promoting idol worship. Jehoram died by a lingering and painful disease of the bowel.

AHAZIAH became king when his father Jehoram died. He walked in the evil ways of his father,and followed the pagan practices of the northern kingdom. When Ahaziah was killed after one year reign, his mother became queen by destroying the entire royal family so that she could reign, however AHAZIAH’S sister JEHOSHEBA who was the wife of the priest Jehoiada, hid away the last heir JOASH her nephew to safety. She and her husband the priest raised JOASH secretly in the temple for six years. After six years the people had a coup led by the chief priest Jehoiada, they brought forth the true king and Atheliah was put to death. At the death of Atheliah, JOASH was recognized as the king of Judah.

By then, the people were steeped in paganism. The priest Jehoiada destroyed the pagan temple and idols, and returned the people to following the true God. King JOASH was seven years old when he became king. He reigned in Jerusalem 40 years, he restored the temple under the guidance of the chief priest Jehoiada. The nation prospered, but when the priest died, JOASH turned away from God.

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