Murder She Wrote
(2 Chronicles 21:1-24:27)
1. I have long been a fan of murder mysteries. I enjoy shows like Perry Mason, Poirot, and my favorite is Ellery Queen.
2. Murder She Wrote is another one I enjoy.
3. It always amazed me how Jessica Fletcher, in the first show, was new widow, about 60 years old. She wrote novels, but never was involved in a murder. Then she was. And every week -- no matter where she went in the country -- another corpse appeared! A little hard to believe.
4. Or consider the small town of Cabot Cove. I don't know what the population was supposed to be, I would guess maybe 5,0000 at the most. Yet every third week or so, someone was murdered there. It had to be the murder capitol of the world, percentage wise.
5. Mystery stories often involve a detective of sorts who understands human nature, a shrewd person. Shrewdness can develop at a young age.
6. One woman writes, My kids are no strangers to their Dad leaving for work on an airplane. He’s usually away for several weeks, so, in the past after dropping him off, we would stop for a treat to dry the tears. On his most recent departure, we asked, like we always do, if they wanted to accompany us on the ride to the airport to drop him off. The 4 year old first replied, “No.” However, after a few minutes of contemplation, he looked at me and asked, “Wait, Mom! If I go and I cry, can we get donuts?” Who can say no to that? [source: www.coloradocountrylife.coop]
7. Even kids not how to work the system. A little drama goes a long way. But there is shrewd drama, and there is foolish drama.
Main Idea: We can choose the drama that comes from foolishness, selfishness, and sinfulness – even to the point of murder – or we can choose stability and meaningfulness that comes from wisdom, godliness, and concern for others.
I. Judah Went Through A Period of Political TURMOIL and Upheaval (2 Chronicles 21:1-24:27).
Most of the time, most of the leaders in this era chose the drama that comes from foolishness, selfishness, and sinfulness – even to the point of murder.
A. The reign of JEHORAM in Judah (21:1-20)
1. After Jehoshaphat died, his son Jehoram became king.
2. Jehoram, who reigned 8 years, was married to Athaliah, Ahab and Jezebel’s daughter, and he made their paganism the religion of Judah.
3. He had his six brothers killed, and also some princes who might challenge him.
4. He lost control of Edom, thus Judah was weakened.
5. The Philistine and Arabs attacked him and carried away his riches, wives, and sons; one son escaped, Jehoahaz, also known as Ahaziah.
6. He died an excruciating death over two years, as God’s prophet predicted, but he did not turn to the Lord.
B. The reign of AHAZIAH in Judah (22:1-9)
1. He was only 22 and continued in the sins of his father; he reigned only one year.
2. Athaliah influenced her son (read 22:3).
3. He went to visit his cousin who was king of Israel, Ahab’s son King Joram.
4. With the Israel and Judah united by family and marriage, they probably envisioned a great future. But it was not to be!
5. Jehu – whom God had raised up to seize the throne in Israel – was busy executing the house of Ahab, including King Joram of Israel; so he killed Ahaziah as well, who also descended from Ahab through his mother.
C. The reign of Athaliah, the USURPER, in Judah
1. Athaliah was a control freak, desperate to be in power.
2. She was not a descendant of David, and she promoted the worship of Baal.
3. She had all the royal family killed and assumed the throne.
4. But one of the previous king’s daughters secretly rescued her brother, a baby.
5. “It is not likely that Jehosheba was the daughter of Athaliah; she was a sister, we find, to Ahaziah the son of Athaliah, but probably by a different mother.” (Clarke)
6. There are two women in this story: one who is out for power and nasty, and one who is kind and in the background; it was the second woman, Jehosheba, who ultimately wins the competition.
D. The heir, Joash, was hidden in the Temple and raised by the HIGH PRIEST Jehoiada (23:1-11).
1. Finally, when Joash is seven years old, Jehoiada gathers military leaders, many of whom hated Athaliah, we can assume.
2. They have to plan to declare him king, and the plan works.
3. As Athaliah hears the trumpets and shouts to welcome the new king, she knows she is toast.
4. This was a bad hair day for Athaliah.
5. The military executed her immediately with the sword.
E. Joash brings great REFORMS to Judah, restoring the Temple and the worship of the Lord – until Jehoiada dies (24:1-27).
1. Some people seem unable to stand on their own, but are influenced by whoever they are around.
2. It is surprising to see who actually has convictions and who doesn’t; time and testing tell.
3. Still, the throne was restored to the David line, and the usurper was no more.
We can choose the drama that comes from foolishness, selfishness, and sinfulness – even to the point of murder – or we can choose stability and meaningfulness that comes from wisdom, godliness, and concern for others.
II. We Can Draw Some FASCINATING Applications from These Events.
A. Political stability is never a GIVEN.
• Politics is about power, and the lust for power can become insatiable, like it was for Athaliah.
B. Many people are OBLIVIOUS to God’s discipline.
1. Someone once said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” If that’s true, most of us have a touch of insanity! More like foolishness.
2. Rather than going through cycles of repeated foolishness, we make the same mistakes over and over again, and God disciplines us over and over again.
3. Jehoram’s kingdom lost ground, his family were taken as slaves, and he died an excruciating death over two years, yet did not seek the Lord. That is how stubborn and proud we humans can be, defying God to the end.
C. Sometimes we are forced to receive what we DISHED out.
• Jehoram killed his brothers, and then Jehoram’s family is taken away.
D. It is wise to plan, but our best plans can BACKFIRE.
“Today, I was woken up at 2 in the morning by my phone ringing. As I groggily reached for it, I managed to knock my fan onto my head, leaving a grate-shaped bruise. The best part? My phone wasn't ringing, I dreamed myself awake.”
1. The families of Jehoshaphat and Ahab thought they could bring their nations back together by intermarriage. The actual results: death.
2. When we accept compromise of important beliefs for unity, righteousness gets trashed. Today’s compromises may mean tomorrow’s complete departures.
E. Some people who benefit humanity most are UNKNOWNS, like Jehosheba.
A shoe salesman leads a man who is rough around the edges to Christ, and then D.L. Moody becomes a great force for God.
F. Faith eras are never PERMANENT and cannot be made so.
• I am not much into the revival thing; I think discipleship is what the Bible emphasizes, not revival.
• But there are eras in a country’s history – and especially in a church’s – when things seem to be zooming along spiritually. We often try to institutionalize what is good for a while – and it doesn’t work.
• But God has His zealous remnant, and that is what we want to be.
G. We are social beings, and VULNERABLE to peer pressure.
We must regulate which group of peers we allow to influence us. Joash had spiritual peers, but he chose to allow his royal peers to influence him most (24:17-18).
