His Fiery Judgment

TEXT: 2 CHRONICLES 21:12-20

Key verse: “Behold, with a great plague will the LORD smite thy people, and thy children, and thy wives, and all thy goods” (2 Chronicles 21:14).

Billy Graham told a story of how he was arrested on a traffic offence and charged to court. According to him, he pleaded guilty and the judge, who was though friendly, was embarrassed that Graham could commit such an offence. As he could not pervert the course of justice, because that would have been inconsistent with impartiality, the judge concluded that Graham must pay the penalty of the offence. While reflecting this from the scriptural perspective, Graham pointed out that inasmuch as God is a God of love, He is equally a God of justice, otherwise everything about Him would not be meaningful.

According to our text, Elijah, the prophet of God, equally revealed a God of justice, as He brought a damning judgement upon Jehoram, the wicked king. The charges against Jehoram were many: he departed from the good ways of God, which he was taught; he conformed to the ways of the house of Ahab; he set up and enforced idolatry in the land; he murdered his brethren because they were better than him; and unlike Ahab, when the threat of judgment came, he slighted the warning.

Bad men bring God’s judgment to people around them. This was what happened to Judah, as Jehoram’s sins brought calamities upon them. His wives, children, substance and the entire land of Judah suffered the consequences of his actions. Jehoram suffered the same fate; he was afflicted with a violent inflammation of the bowels until the bowels fell out.

On this wicked king, God brought His judgment. Jehoram, visibly cursed of God, was hated while he lived and neglected when he died.

The end of a sinful life is dreadful in this world; and a neglect of God’s warning will lead to an even more dreadful eternity in hell.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: It is dangerous and damning to fall into the hands of the living God.