“And after all this the Lord struck him in his bowels with an incurable disease. In the course of time, at the end of two years, his bowels came out because of the disease, and he died in great agony. His people made no fire in his honor, like the fires made for his fathers. He was thirty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he departed with no one’s regret. They buried him in the city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.” 2 Chronicles 21:18-20
Within the space of three verses we have set before us the end of King Jehoram in Judah. For Jehoram there was no grand funeral and his tomb was not surrounded by dozens of mourners.He died a sinful, hardened, and unrepentant king and no one cared. There would not be anyone that would miss Jehoram, many were glad he was gone.
His youngest son, Ahaziah, would go on to reign and do evil as his father did, but his reign would be short. Within one year God would remove him.
What should a Christian see in these three verses? What would the Lord teach us from the life of Jehoram?
First, evil men will be put down and judged by the Judge of all the earth. God, as Judge, has never been mistaken in a single judgment. Evil men will receive the reward of their iniquity. God’s arm is not short that it cannot save, nor is His arm short that it cannot judge. Those who despise God’s mercy in this life, will abide under His wrath in the life to come.
Second, evil men are temporary. Jehoram must go the way of all the earth. Ahaziah must soon perish. The most wicked of men all come to an end in this world. Their evil influence is temporary and their impact is governed by God.
Finally, evil men perish and are not remembered with sincere and lasting affection. They die and the righteous rejoice (Proverbs 11:10, 2 Kings 11:20, Revelation 18:20).
Let us read the words, “And he departed with no one’s regret”, and make every effort to live lives worthy of remembrance. Let us glorify God and do good to our neighbor with days God gives us. Then we will be received into Glory with shouts of triumph and rejoicing. Then we will leave behind those who truly miss us, those who were impacted for good by us, and those who feel the loss of our life.