Jotham’s Good Reign in Judah
June 3, 2019
Commentary
Pekahiah, Menahem’s son, reigned two years before being killed in a conspiracy by Pekah. Pekah then assumed the throne of Israel. It seems that he had never accepted Menahem’s claim to the throne and prior to this had set up a rival government east of the Jordan River in Gilead. Apparently he began ruling in Gilead at the same time Menahem took the throne in Samaria.
When Pekah took the throne in Samaria he made a treaty with Rezin, king of Damascus, against Assyria. This resulted in a military campaign by Tiglath-pileser into Philistia and then Israel. He took all of Gilead east of the Jordan River, Galilee and the northern portion of Israel.
As a result of Israel’s defeat, Hoshea conspired against Pekah, assassinated him and succeeded him as king of Israel. Meanwhile in Judah Jotham began to reign as co-regent with his father Azariah. He reigned for l6 years and finally became co-regent with his son, Ahaz. Jotham was a good king but he did not remove the high places. One of his big accomplishments was the rebuilding of the north gate of the temple to encourage the worship of God.
Rezin, king of Aram, and Pekah, king of Israel united against Judah and forced Jotham and Ahaz to join them against Assyria. This proved to be a test of faith for the Judean kings and therefore brought great pressure from the two northern kings.
Application
Jotham did much good but he compromised by failing to get rid of the false idols. For me a lifetime of doing good is not enough. I must put God first in all areas of my life.
2 Kings 15:23– 38 (NET)
23 In the fiftieth year of King Azariah’s reign over Judah, Menahem’s son Pekahiah became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria for two years. 24 He did evil in the sight of the Lord; he did not repudiate the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin. 25 His officer Pekah son of Remaliah conspired against him. He and fifty Gileadites assassinated Pekahiah, as well as Argob and Arieh, in Samaria in the fortress of the royal palace. Pekah then took his place as king.
26 The rest of the events of Pekahiah’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel.
27 In the fifty-second year of King Azariah’s reign over Judah, Pekah son of Remaliah became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria for twenty years. 28 He did evil in the sight of the Lord; he did not repudiate the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin. 29 During Pekah’s reign over Israel, King Tiglath-Pileser of Assyria came and captured Ijon, Abel Beth Maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, including all the territory of Naphtali. He deported the people to Assyria. 30 Hoshea son of Elah conspired against Pekah son of Remaliah. He assassinated him and took his place as king, in the twentieth year of the reign of Jotham son of Uzziah.
31 The rest of the events of Pekah’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel.
32 In the second year of the reign of Israel’s King Pekah son of Remaliah, Uzziah’s son Jotham became king over Judah. 33 He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother was Jerusha the daughter of Zadok. 34 He did what the Lord approved, just as his father Uzziah had done. 35 But the high places were not eliminated; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places. He built the Upper Gate to the Lord’s temple.
36 The rest of the events of Jotham’s reign, including his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 37 In those days the Lord prompted King Rezin of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah to attack Judah. 38 Jotham passed away and was buried with his ancestors in the city of his ancestor David. His son Ahaz replaced him as king.
Illustration: A Finished Product Takes Time
Have you ever wanted something very badly and shopped for it for many weeks, seeking to find the best product at the most reasonable price? Finally the day arrives when you find it in a catalog and order it. Then you can hardly wait for it to be delivered. When the package arrives, you immediately open it. You are surprised to find a great quantity of individual parts, which you are to assemble. You get a list of parts, a set of directions, which tell you how to assemble the parts, and then a user’s manual, telling you how to us use the product. No matter how anxious you were to see the finished product it took time for it to happen. (Lou Nicholes – Author/Missionary).