The story of Jehoahaz

2 Kings 13:1-9

Jehoahaz Reigns in Israel

13 In the twenty-third year of Joash the son of Ahaziah, king of Judah, Jehoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned seventeen years. 2 He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin; he did not depart from them. 3 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he gave them continually into the hand of Hazael king of Syria and into the hand of Ben-hadad the son of Hazael. 4 Then Jehoahaz sought the favor of the Lord, and the Lord listened to him, for he saw the oppression of Israel, how the king of Syria oppressed them. 5 (Therefore the Lord gave Israel a savior, so that they escaped from the hand of the Syrians, and the people of Israel lived in their homes as formerly. 6 Nevertheless, they did not depart from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, which he made Israel to sin, but walked in them; and the Asherah also remained in Samaria.) 7 For there was not left to Jehoahaz an army of more than fifty horsemen and ten chariots and ten thousand footmen, for the king of Syria had destroyed them and made them like the dust at threshing. 8 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz and all that he did, and his might, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 9 So Jehoahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria, and Joash his son reigned in his place

2 Kings 13:1-9

I titled this message, “The story of Jehoahaz”. But, to be honest, there isn’t much of a story at all. The basic story is (as we have heard so many times before) this king does evil in the sight of the Lord and does not turn against the sins of his fathers. However, this king is tired of the oppression from Hazael and cries out to God. God decides to answer him and Israel once again lives in peace. However, Jehoahaz goes right back to sinning as he did before.

There are a few exceptions but that is the main premise. So, I read it. And, I was about to skip over it because there was not much there and a repeat of what we have heard before. But, as I regularly do, I thought about what was not said and pondered these things.

The main thing that I thought about was God’s foreknowledge. He knew what was going to happen before it happened. So then, why did he help out Jehoahaz even though he knew he would go right back into the same place he was?

I thought about this with other stories, but my impression with those was more of a grace due to the situation. There was more detail in many of the stories in Judges where I could connect with the person crying out to God and relate to why God granted reprieve even though they would turn back to their sins.

But here, there is no such detail. Despite this there are things we do know for certain even though they are not said.

For instance, God looked into Jehoahaz’s heart and saw a contrite heart that really wanted to connect with God. We know this because God in 2 Kings says that Jehoahaz sought the Lord’s favor and that the Lord listened to him. As a result, God sent a deliverer. Who this deliverer was we do not know.

God would not have listened to him if his heart were not truly repentant and wanted to serve God from that moment on. I do believe Jehoahaz wanted to be a holy man, but wanting and doing are two different things.

But then we may ask, was he truly repentant and contrite wanting to serve God? This is where we dabble in legalism and begin to be the judge God does not want us to be. How many times have you or I repented, wept and cried to God only to pick ourselves up to wallow in our mistake or sin again?

The truth is that God looks at us the moment we approach him. He examines our heart and decides then how he will act. He does not determine his action based on our future mistakes.

What kind of grace would God have if he did this? He would be back to judging us. Grace cannot judge if it is to be grace at all.

God looks at the heart. God is fully aware of what is in man and his sinful desires. But what God longs for the most, is a relationship with us. And, when God sees it, He reacts to it.

God can see our future, but we cannot. We only see what is in front of us. We can’t see our future mistakes and when we will fall down next and honestly, it  does not matter. What does matter is seeking God in the moment.