A Disappointing Finish

Apart from Davidand Solomon, whom the writer of Chronicles presents as exemplary kings, the 1-2Chronicles names nineteen kings over Judah (the southern 2 tribes of Israel). Elevenof these men were ungodly rulers, while eight others were godly. Even so, mostof the godly rulers failed or fell short of being an ideal king in some notableway.

These failuresof good kings remind us of our own need to finish strong for the glory of Godtoday. In the New Testament (NT), Paul himself embraced this same perspective(Phil 3:12-16). As a warning against future failure and an encouragement tofinish well, consider the ways that these good men failed to follow God. Considerwhether you may share some similar tendencies to fail.

Asa

Asa reigned 41years and did so in a godly way for most of his reign. He was the great-grandsonof Solomon, preceded by two ungodly kings, Rehoboam and Abijah. At the end ofhis otherwise godly reign, he failed on two notable occasions. First, he reliedon the king of Syria to provide military security instead of on God (2 Chron16:7). Second, he relied on physicians to provide personal healing instead ofon God (2 Chron 16:12). These failures remind us of a warning that the prophetJeremiah would later give to the southern kingdom over which the kings of 2Chronicles reigned: “Thus says the LORD: ‘Cursed is the man who trusts in man andmakes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the LORD’” (Jer 17:5).

Asa failed by shifting his underlying trust away from God to other sources of help.

Jehoshaphat

Jehoshaphat, son of Asa, reigned 25 years and did so in a godly way for the most part. Even so, he exhibited a strong urge to partner with Ahab, an ungodly king over the northern 10 tribes of Israel (2 Chron 18:1). He did this even though a godly prophet warned against it (2 Chron 18:14-22). This alliance nearly cost him his life in a battle and another prophet confronted his wrong choice (2 Chron 19:2). Near the end of his reign, he made a similar alliance with Ahab’s son, Ahaziah – this time for the purpose of an economic, sea-trade project (2 Chron 20:35-37). As before, a prophet confronted this wrong choice and God destroyed the ships at sea.

Jehoshaphat failed by partnering with ungodly people.

Joash

Joash (son of Ahaziahand grandson to Jehoshaphat) reigned 40 years and did so in a godly way formost of his reign. However, he ended his reign in a disappointing way. For manyyears he had followed the godly advice of the faithful high priest namedJehoiada. After this priest died, however, he turned in a different directionby allowing the people to return to idol worship (2 Chron 24:17-19). He evenkilled the son of his mentor, Zechariah, when he confronted Joash’s sin (2Chron 24:20-22). As a result, God caused a small army from Syria to defeat Joash’smuch larger army, killing many leaders and leaving many wounded (2 Chron24:23-25). In the end, certain men assassinated Joash in his bed.

Joash failed by abandoning godly, biblical advice.

Amaziah

Amaziah (son ofJoash) reigned 29 years and did so in a godly way for the most part. However,after God gave him a great military victory over a national enemy, the Edomites,Amaziah carried the Edomite idols back to Jerusalem and worshipped them (2Chron 25:14-15). To make matters worse, this military victory caused him to feelso self-confident that he challenged the ungodly king of the northern 10 tribesto a battle and lost (2 Chron 25:18-19). As part of this loss, the king ofIsrael destroyed the walls of Jerusalem and confiscated the gold and treasuresfrom the Temple. Several years later, he relocated to a place called Lachichand was assassinated there (2 Chron 25:27-28).

Amaziah failed by accepting other gods and acting in a self-confident way.

Uzziah

Uzziah (son ofAmaziah) reigned 52 years and did so in a godly way for most of his reign.However, near the end of his reign, he insisted on entering the Temple anddoing some things that were only permitted for priests (2 Chron 26:16-23). As aresult of disobeying the Lord in this way, God afflicted him with leprosy forthe remainder of his term. He lived in a quarantined building while his sonconducted official business in his place.

Uzziah failed by proudly disregarding God’s instructions.

Jotham

Jotham (son ofUzziah) reigned 16 years and did so in a godly way (2 Chron 27:1-9). In arefreshing turn of events, he did not undergo a disappointing end. Chronicles mentionsno major failures and gives him a simple and positive review. Unfortunately,however, he did not raise a godly heir to the throne. Ahaz his son would turnout to be a Baal-worshipping king who resembled the ungodly kings of thenorthern kingdom.

Jotham failed to raise up a godly son.

Hezekiah

Hezekiah (sonof Ahaz and grandson of Jotham) reigned 29 years and did so in a godly way forthe most part. However, near the end of his life he contracted an illness andnearly died due to pride in his heart that refused to depend on the Lord forhealing. Thankfully, though, he changed his mind, humbled himself, and reliedon the Lord (2 Chron 32:24-26). As a result, the Lord prolonged his life (see 2Kin. 20:1-11; Isa 38:1-8). Sadly, both his son, Manasseh, and grandson, Amon,turned out to be ungodly men, though Manasseh experienced genuine repentance atthe end of his life.

Hezekiah failed by refusing to rely on the Lord.

Josiah

Josiah(Hezekiah’s great-grandson) reigned 31 years and did so in a godly way for mostof his reign. Sadly, he would turn out to be the last good king over Judah. Despitehis many good choices and initiatives, Josiah made a fatal decision in the end.When the Pharaoh of Egypt passed by Judah for a battle elsewhere, Josiahinsisted on fighting him in a battle, even though the Pharaoh had no intentionsof engaging him and though God never authorized this skirmish. As a result,Josiah was struck with arrows and died.  Fourungodly kings (Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiakin, and Zedekiah) would succeed himleading into to the Babylonian Captivity.

Josiah failed by acting in a self-confident way.

As you consider your own walk with God (assuming you have already turned to Jesus Christ and trusted in him as your God and Savior), do you notice any personal tendencies to fail like any of these good kings? If so, admit this to God and humbly place your trust in him to finish well.