Ahaziah Ruled as King of Judah For 1 Year

II Chronicles 22:1–12
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)

When the Arabs raided Judah, they killed all of Jehoram’s sons, except Ahaziah who the people crowned as king (v. 1). He was 22 years old, and he ruled only one year from Jerusalem (v. 2). His mother was Athaliah, and she encouraged her son to sin against the Lord (v. 3). He followed the evil example of king Ahab. After his father’s death he sinned against the Lord by appointing some of Ahab’s relatives to be his advisors which led to his downfall (v. 4). He listened to their advice and went with King Joram to attack the Syrian troops at Ramoth in Gilead (v. 5). Joram was wounded in that battle and went to Jezareel to recover (v. 6) Later Ahaziah went there to visit him, and he was put to death by God (v. 7). 

When Ahaziah arrived at Jezareel, he and Joram went to meet with Jehu, grandson of Nimshi. The Lord had already told Jehu to kill every male in Ahab’s family. While Jehu was doing that, he saw some of Judah’s leaders and killed them on the spot (v. 8). Then he gave orders to find Ahaziah who was hiding in Samaria and immediately put him to death (v. 9). There was no one from Ahaziah’s family left to become king of Judah. When King Ahaziah died his mother Athaliah decided to kill any relative who might become king (v. 10). However, Jehosheba rescued Joash, son of Ahaziah, just as the others were about to be murdered (v. 11). She hid Joash in the temple for six years while Athaliah ruled as Queen (v. 12).

Application

When I think about how God reached down and rescued me from my sinful life out of the millions of people in this world who are still lost in their sin it is amazing and humbling.