20140819 Tuesday, August 19 2014
2 Chronicles 21: Why Did Elijah Write A Letter To Jehoram?

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet"

The establishment of a human Israelite monarchy was demanded by the people because the sons of the righteous prophet and judge Samuel were corrupt liberals who would have surely misled the nation to its destruction (see Our King May Judge Us). The Israelite kings themselves, in the united kingdom (see How Many Kings Reigned In The United Kingdom?), as well as the kingdoms of Israel and Judah after the division (see Israel In History and Prophecy: Israel and Judah), also frequently experienced a profound difference in character between father and son - sometimes good followed by evil, sometimes evil followed by good.

Jehoshaphat had been a righteous king of Judah (see Jehoshaphat's Castles, The Two Kinds Of Patriotism, Jehoshaphat's Judges and Jordan's West Bank Invasion) who was succeeded by his firstborn son Jehoram.

"21:1 Now Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And Jehoram his son reigned in his stead. 21:2 And he had brethren the sons of Jehoshaphat, Azariah, and Jehiel, and Zechariah, and Azariah, and Michael, and Shephatiah: all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel. 21:3 And their father gave them great gifts of silver, and of gold, and of precious things, with fenced cities in Judah: but the kingdom gave he to Jehoram; because he was the firstborn." (2 Chronicles 21:1-3 KJV)

Jehoram was an degenerate and evil man who sought to corrupt Judah in the same way that Ahab and Jezebel had corrupted Israel (see The Dogs of Ahab and Jezebel and The End Of The Line For Ahab And Jezebel).

"21:4 Now when Jehoram was risen up to the kingdom of his father, he strengthened himself, and slew all his brethren with the sword, and divers also of the princes of Israel. 21:5 Jehoram was thirty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. 21:6 And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, like as did the house of Ahab: for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife: and he wrought that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD. 21:7 Howbeit the LORD would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised to give a light to him and to his sons for ever.

21:8 In his days the Edomites revolted from under the dominion of Judah, and made themselves a king. 21:9 Then Jehoram went forth with his princes, and all his chariots with him: and he rose up by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him in, and the captains of the chariots. 21:10 So the Edomites revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day.

The same time also did Libnah revolt from under his hand; because he had forsaken the LORD God of his fathers. 21:11 Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication, and compelled Judah thereto." (2 Chronicles 21:4-11 KJV)

The prophet Elijah had frequently confronted Ahab and Jezebel in person (see Elijah's Defeat Of The Prophets Of Baal). Elijah was unable to do so with Jehoram because Elijah had been taken away to "heaven" (see the Fact Finder question below to understand where Elijah actually went), so Elijah wrote a letter to the king.

"21:12 And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying,

Thus saith the LORD God of David thy father, Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah, 21:13 But hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a whoring, like to the whoredoms of the house of Ahab, and also hast slain thy brethren of thy father's house, which were better than thyself: 21:14 Behold, with a great plague will the LORD smite thy people, and thy children, and thy wives, and all thy goods: 21:15 And thou shalt have great sickness by disease of thy bowels, until thy bowels fall out by reason of the sickness day by day." (2 Chronicles 21:12-15 KJV)

Jehoram's troubles, that he created for himself, then began. The wrath culminated in Jehoram's death, in exactly the manner that the LORD (Who was and is Jesus Christ - see Genesis 1: In The Beginning Was The Word and The Kingdom Of The LORD God) declared to Jehoram in the letter written by Elijah.

"21:16 Moreover the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians, that were near the Ethiopians: 21:17 And they came up into Judah, and brake into it, and carried away all the substance that was found in the king's house, and his sons also, and his wives; so that there was never a son left him, save Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons.

21:18 And after all this the LORD smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease. 21:19 And it came to pass, that in process of time, after the end of two years, his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness: so he died of sore diseases. And his people made no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers.

21:20 Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years, and departed without being desired. Howbeit they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchres of the kings." (2 Chronicles 21:16-20 KJV)

Fact Finder: Elijah ascended into heaven on a "chariot of fire" during the reign of Jehoshaphat (i.e. Jehoshaphat was still king after Elisha had succeeded Elijah - 2 Kings 3:11). How then could King Jehoram, who succeeded his father Jehoshaphat as king, have received a letter from Elijah after Elijah was taken away into "heaven"? Where did Elijah really go?
See Where Did That Chariot Of Fire Take Elijah?