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Jehoram, king of Judah, left only
one son. He was named Ahaziah; and after Jehoram's death, the people
made Ahaziah king. He was like his father, very wicked.
Ahaziah had been brought up wickedly. His parents taught him what
was wrong; "his mother was his counselor to do wickedly."
It is sad for children to have bad parents, and bad teachers, who will
lead them into what is wrong. Children's hearts are sinful hearts,
loving wickedness better than holiness, and liking what is wrong better
than what is right, and, therefore, they learn evil sooner than good; they
learn it themselves, they do not need to be taught wickedness, for sin is
in their hearts. Kind and good parents try to teach their children
what is right and pleasing to God; but they cannot take away their sin,
nor give them new hearts. They can only teach their children to
pray, and pray for them, that God may forgive, and love, and bless
them. Children, then, must pray for themselves, and ask God to
enable them to attend to all that their kind friends say. Ahaziah's
wicked mother was named Athaliah. She taught her son everything that
was wrong, and Ahaziah was always ready to do like her. He loved
wickedness, and all the friends he chose were wicked like himself.
He went with Joram, the wicked king of Israel, to Ramoth-Gilead, to fight
against Hazael king of Syria. Joram was wounded by the Syrians, and
returned to Jezreel to be cured of his wounds; and while he was lying
there sick and ill, Ahaziah went to see him. Both these kings were
wicked men; and we may fear that Joram did not care to hear about the
things of God in his illness, and that Ahaziah did not want to speak about
them. They were not like those happy friends we read about, David
and Jonathan. The friendship of Joram and Ahaziah was worldly,
wicked friendship; not the friendship which God likes and blesses.
Ahaziah went to Jezreel, because he wished to see Joram. This was
Ahaziah's reason for going there, but God had another reason for letting
him go to Jezreel. God had seen all the wickedness of this king; and
He let him come to Jezreel at this time, that he might be destroyed
there. Ahaziah had long been living in wickedness; God had seen it
all, and now He was going to punish Ahaziah, and his wicked friend Joram
too.
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