Vol.5, No. 15 – May 3, 2020 Leadership in a Time of Crisis
2 Chronicles 22:1-12
And the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah, his youngest son, king in his place. . . . –2 Chronicles 22:1
Have you ever had an apple tree in your backyard? When the tree starts to drop its apples, it is because the apples are rotting, or fully rotten.
At 22 years of age, the new king (leader) of Judah is a bad apple. It is not a surprise. He comes from a tree (family) of rotten and spoiled fruit. A whole tree of rotten apples.
His father, Jehoram died at the age of 40, buried in Jerusalem un-mourned, not even buried in the graveyard of the kings. It was likely his funeral was unattended. His mother, Queen Athaliah, daughter of Jezebel, encouraged him, counseled him, to do that which is wicked (21:3). She was the power behind the throne. She was cunning. Ruthless. Godless. It is said, she made Ahaziah seven times more a child of hell than herself. That is a sad saying toward a mother.
Ahaziah is king for only one year. It is 52 weeks too long. His final practice was to have the house of Ahab fawn, flatter, and flirt with him. He did what was evil in the sigh of the Lord, as the house of Ahab had done. For after the death of his father, they were his counselors, to his undoing (22:4). They led him to ruin.
Ahaziah paid a visit to his northern neighbors, just at the time that Jehu was executing the judgment of God upon that idolatrous family. Thus, he was cut off with them. If there is infection in the midst, one must be careful to avoid the destruction it brings.
This 22-year-old leader did not have to be a bad apple. Ahaziah could have chosen to be a man with godly purpose – with direction. That is a godly goal for his nation to follow. He did not.
Rather than to have something worth living and dying for, he has a tombstone that reads:
Here Lies King Ahaziah Who Sought the Counsel of Men; but not of the Lord
863 – 841
Son of Jehoram
Grandson of Jehoshaphat
King for a year
Good Riddance
Life Application
What would have happened if someone would have led Ahaziah to take a different direction in life? It is one thing to hope; it is quite another to take a message of truth that changes life of another. At times, we are derelict in doing what God expects us to do, with regard to other’s having a relationship with Almighty God. Our opportunity to follow God’s expectation can be the answer to a nations need.
When you need counsel, to whom do you look? Whom do you trust with personal concerns? W. R. Cook asks some applicable questions:
- Do you try to avoid the ignorant, and seek the knowledgeable person?
- Do you shun the fool; look for the safe choice?
- Do you reject the novice, choosing the seasoned (mature) individual?
- Do you turn from the unreliable, embracing the truthful person?
- When you are wary of failure, do you draw near to the successful person?
- Are you repelled by the unethical; instead, being attracted to the person of integrity?
- Are you put off by the unsure; instead, encouraged by an authoritative person?
- Do you avoid the fraud; instead, seeking the credentialed person?
- Do you seek first the counsel of God’s Word; or do you move quickly to the counsel of man—the unspiritual ones?
The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot. –Proverbs 10:7
Leadership in a time of crisis is always available—if we would but ask our Almighty God!
