Generational Nastiness

“Now it came about in the course of time, at the end of two years, that his bowels came out because of his sickness and he died in great pain. And his people made no fire for him like the fire for his fathers. He (Jehoram) was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years; and he departed with no one’s regret, and they buried him in the city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.”  

2 Chronicles 21:19-20 

This gets nasty quick.  

King Jehoshaphat was a great king. Served the LORD and brought peace to the people of Judah. He was a great dad to his son, Jehoram, modeling faithful leading. However, Jehoram turned out to be a major dipstick. He had six brothers that his father loved very much. Jehoshaphat showered his sons with gifts and precious things but reserved his kingship for Jehoram.  

Horrifically and bizarrely, when Jehoram became king and his throne was secure, he killed every one of his brothers! What??? We are not given specifics. The telling feels cold and matter of fact in its brevity. No details. He just killed all six of them. His kingship was so bad, so terrible, that when he died no one cared (2 Chronicles 21:19-20).  

Raised in a great home with a great dad. 

Installed as King of Judah with great power and great wealth.  

His secure future is laid out in front of him to enjoy.  

How did this tragedy happen? How could one man kill all six of his brothers? 

… 

He got married.  

Haha! I am not making this up. These are the facts of the case! Jehoram killed all six of his brothers because of his wife. Now, this is NOT a commentary on not getting married OR on sinister wives for husbands can be equally sinister. This IS a commentary on how generational messes can poison our lives.  

Watch this. 

Jehoram is of the more faithful southern Kingdom of Judah. He marries a woman named Attaliah who is from the less faithful northern Kingdom of Israel. Hang on, this gets much, much worse. So, strike one against Jehoram – he should have married a woman from his own people. Attaliah’s dad is King Ahab. Uh oh. King Ahab is a notorious Baal worshipper who also fervently followed in the ways of another bad guy named Jeroboam.  

Jeroboam, the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel, established a “false Judaism” in his land to keep his people from traveling to the southern kingdom of Judah. He erected golden bulls, high places, and temples in defiance of the one true God.  

Attaliah’s dad followed in the ways of Jereboam. But he also worshipped Baal. Baal, in the times of the kings, is like an “anti-God.” He is the god of the local Canaanites, prolific in culture. The God of Israel, the one true God, warned His people about worshipping any false gods, Baal included.  

So when Jehoram married Attaliah he did not just marry Attaliah he married the generational stream into which she was born. Strike two against Jehoram was marrying a woman whose dad is a idolatrous Baal worshipper.  

The situation gets far worse.  

Guess who is Attaliah’s momma? Jezebel. Haha!!! What a mess! Yikes. Run. Stay away. Stay very, very, very far away. Yes, Attaliah’s mom is THAT Jezebel! Jezebel is the daughter of the king of the Sidonians, a people who live on the Mediterranean coast. She is diabolical and evil. In addition to seeking the murder of God’s prophets she also architected the death of Naboth, an innocent man who owned a great piece of land. She was so bad that when Jesus chastised the church at Thyatira for tolerating a false prophetess, he labeled her “Jezebel” (Revelation 2:20).  

That was Attaliah’s mom! 

Strike three against Jehoram for marrying the daughter of Jezebel. And now Jehoram’s murder of his brothers becomes easier to understand. He gave in to the leading of his wife who was acting according the way in which she was raised.  

Let’s make some application. 

1. Your family line can affect who you are, how you perceive the world, and the decisions you make. Can you see how Attaliah’s generations affected her life? She was raised in an idolatrous, manipulative house that took lives to secure positions and land. Each of us has a responsibility to our own personal health. Freedom and deliverance from bad generations is absolutely possible for anyone through Jesus. While a spouse can be super helpful, one must take responsibility for their well-being and bring their generational issues before the Lord for healing. How aware are you of the generational line into which you were born and how it has shaped you?  

2. When you marry, you do not just marry the person in front of you but the family line in which they were raised. Jehoram did not just marry Attaliah, some pretty woman standing in front of him. Jehoram married her family line! This does not mean you don’t marry someone with a difficult family but both of you need to be wise to how much that family line can affect your marriage. Be super careful who you marry! 

3. Spouses can have great sway on one’s way of life. Jehoram had a great dad. He was set up for godliness and success. Then he married Attaliah and we know the rest of the story. Her ways toppled, ran over, the ways of Jehoram’s family. By the way, and this is important, family lines can sway another to the bad AND to the good! Be resolute in the ways of the Lord.  

I hope you are able to see the generational treasures present in 1, 2 Kings and 1, 2 Chronicles. In this OVERFLOW we looked at Jehoram. Last time we looked at Ahaz. So much LIFE wisdom is available for us in the Old Testament! Spend time in it. Study. Learn. Listen.  

And be faithful to walk according to all that our Father will show you!