“Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.” (Rev 22.11)
Have you ever met someone after a gap of many years? Have they changed?
There is something in the human nature which resists change. Whatever our circumstances we tend not to change. We remain recognisable in character as well as appearance (allowing for a few grey hairs!). Even during challenging times, the selfish remain selfish; the caring remain caring. Some remain hard-hearted, unchanged. The sins of their youth remain the sins of their old age.
But the scriptures speak of the miracle of new birth. God can change a heart of stone to a heart of flesh. The “blasphemer, persecutor, and violent” (Paul’s self-description in 1 Tim 1.13) became a powerful preacher of the gospel, the power of God.
Some stay unholy. Some are wonderfully changed!

The OT narratives of the Kings of Judah and Israel are realistic. The Kings’ reigns are reported, in all their success and failure, godliness and ungodliness, messiness etc.

One theme in 2 Chronicles describes some of the better Kings of Judah whose faith seems to diminish in their later years. As a man of senior years, I want to learn something here.

Asa, 2 Chron 16 –

Earlier in the narrative, Asa had enjoyed great military success. But now, under a threat from Baasha, King of Israel, Asa sent a substantial gift to Ben-Hadad, King of Aram, to break his treaty with Baasha, and make him leave Judah.

As a result, the prophet Hanani rebuked Asa; “because you relied on the king of Aram and not on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand.” Asa was angry with Hanani and put him in prison. He also brutally oppressed the people.

Jehoshaphat 2 Chron 18-19 –

Like Asa before him, Jehoshaphat had started well.

Jehoshaphat had allied himself with Ahab by marriage, and joined with Ahab, king of Israel in a war against Ramoth Gilead. The prophet Jehu rebuked Jehoshaphat; “should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord?”

In 19.4-11 Jehoshaphat responded to this rebuke. He established a pattern of government. He seems to have received the rebuke; his subsequent delegation of responsibilities avoided the tendency towards dictatorship.

Joash, 2 Chron 24 –

Joash remained faithful during the life of Jehoiada the high priest. Once Jehoiada had died, the officials of Judah came to pay him homage, appealing to his vanity. He abandoned the faith of his fathers.

In 24.20-22 the prophet rebuked Joash and the people but was stoned to death for his trouble. Then the Aramean army invaded 24.23-25. And his officials killed him.

Uzziah, 2 Chron 26 –

The writer points out clearly, that, after Uzziah had become powerful, “his pride led to his downfall” (v16).  He entered the temple to offered incense, a role reserved for the priests. Courageously, the priests confronted and rebuked him. Uzziah, angry at this, was struck by God with leprosy and had to be hurried out of the temple. He ended his days in a separate house “excluded from the temple of the Lord” (v21).

Hezekiah, 2 Chron 32 –

The Chronicles record has to be interwoven with that in 2 Kings 20. Following the defeat of the Assyrian king Sennacherib, the writers comment on Hezekiah’s pride of heart and his repentance; his illness, and his healing. He allowed the Babylonian envoys to inspect his riches; “God left him to test him” over this incident. His strong reliance upon God in his earlier years seems to have departed. Had his earlier successes diminished that trust?

When rebuked by the prophet over the Babylonian visitors (2 Kings 20.19), Hezekiah replied; “will there not be peace and security in my lifetime.” He seems unconcerned with the damage he had done and the burden on his son. Had his selflessness now become selfishness?

Conclusions

In each case, there is the ‘curse ‘of success; military victories, defeat of threats to the throne, religious revivals. But those very successes seem to have triggered spiritual complacency or pride. Some were rebuked by the prophets, but they would not listen – what was it that closed their ears to the words of the prophets?

Jehoshaphat was the exception. When rebuked, he responded, establishing a delegated and sustainable pattern of government to ensure, as far as he was able, blessing for future generations.

Response; maintain an upward focus, towards Christ; and an outward focus, towards others. Consider those who will come after me – am I leaving a legacy of godliness and integrity and humility?

This seems such an obvious question, yet …

Bryn Hughes, in Discipling, Mentoring and Coaching (page 127) comments that British Church culture would seem to be based on ‘Gentle Jesus, meek and mild’ (a hymn lyric) and ‘turn the other cheek’ (from the Sermon on the Mount).

Similarly, F.F.Bruce’s ‘Hard sayings of Jesus’ lists numerous uncomfortable statements from the gospels. It has left me wondering that we can so easily ignore such ‘hard sayings’ leaving us with an over-sentimental view of our Saviour.

It is striking that, when Jesus asked the Twelve what people thought of Him, they responded: “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah. And still others Jeremiah” (Matt 16.13-14). All three of these men were passionate and uncompromising, committed to the truth of God in a challenging and hostile environment. All three risked their lives for the God of truth and for the truth of God. They were not always easy to be around. They made enemies.

In the early Church, we read; “Great fear seized the whole Church and all who heard about these events. No-one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.” (Acts 5.11, 13, 14).

The Lord Jesus seemed to create a similar contradictory reaction as people flocked to hear Him yet turned away from Him. (John chapter 6 is a good example of this.)

How about you?