“Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. He passed away, to no one’s regret, and was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.”
~ 2 Chronicles 21:20
Hi James and Ellen,
What do you think causes a kid to become a good kid? What do you think causes a kid to become a bad kid? Do you think that if a kid has a good dad and a good ma that the kid will turn out to be a good kid? Do you think that if a kid has a bad dad and a bad ma that the kid will turn out to be a bad kid? What are some things do you think that might impact a kid to turn out to be a good kid? What are some things do you think that might impact a kid to turn out to be a bad kid? Do you think that a kid will turn out to be a good kid if he or she grows up in a Christ-follower home? Do you think that a kid will turn out to be a bad kid if he or she does not grow up in a Christ-follower home? Your grandpaa’s cousin Tom grew up in a good Christ-follower home. Tom was a year older than your grandpaa. When your grandpaa was a kid, your grandpaa like to go with his dad and ma when they went to the house where Tom lived with his dad and ma. Your grandpaa liked to play with Tom. Your grandpaa remembers climbing trees with his cousin Tom. Your grandpaa’s dad and ma every year grew potatoes. Before your grandpaa’s dad could plant each year an acre or two of russet and red potatoes, the potatoes that your grandpaa’s dad was planting had to be cut into chunks with each chunk having at least one eye. Your grandpaa would sometimes have to help cut the potatoes into small chunks. When it was time to harvest the potatoes, your grandpaa’s dad would use to dig up the potatoes a potato digging machine. Your grandpaa’s dad would use one of his tractors to pull the potato digger down a row of potatoes that were ready to be harvested. Your grandpaa remembers one year – before Tom’s dad and ma moved their family to Orange, California, when Tom’s dad and ma – your grandpaa’s Uncle Gene and Aunt Jill, came over to help fill a couple of metal wagons full of potatoes. Your grandpaa’s dad and ma gave your grandpaa’s cousin Tom’s dad and ma some potatoes for their help in picking up all the potatoes that had been dug out of the ground by your grandpaa’s dad using a potato digger. Your grandpaa remembers sometimes spearing a small potato on the point of a sharp stick and then seeing how far he could sling the skewered potato. Your grandpaa liked his Uncle Gene – who had a really gruff voice, and his Aunt Jill and their six kids. Your grandpaa’s cousin Tom had three bros and two sisters – all good kids. Jimmy – Tom’s oldest bro, and his wife Cheryl have financially supported your grandmaa and grandpaa monthly from the get-go. Your grandpaa’s cousin Tom died a few months ago. Not long before he died, Tom was released from jail where he had spent years. A lifetime of drinking and making poor decisions resulted in Tom being incarcerated. Per what was recently told your grandpaa, Tom before he died made things right with his bros and sisters. For a time years ago, your grandpaa – knowing about the serious troubles that his cousin Tom had gotten into, prayed regularly for Tom. Tom’s bros and sisters never gave up trying to help Tom. So – why do you think that Tom chose to live a bad life?
Why do you think that Jehoram chose to live a bad life? Jehoram’s dad was a good dad. Jehoshaphat was a pious king who ruled for eighteen years over the guys and gals who lived in the southern land area of Israel – which was called Judah. When Jehoshaphat was close to dying, Jehoshaphat gave his six youngest sons silver, gold and valuable gifts. Jehoram was Jehoshaphat’s oldest son. Jehoshaphat probably thought that he was doing the right thing when he chose his oldest son to rule as the next king over the guys and gals who were living in the land area of Judah. Jehoshaphat had Jehoram rule with him for two years as co-kings. Elijah – a devout, melancholy spokesman for God, may have mentored Jehoshaphat. Elijah went from place to place in the northern kingdom of Israel – which was called Israel, and place to place in the southern kingdom of Israel. The king who ruled over the guys and gals who lived in the northern kingdom of Israel at this time was Ahab. Ahab detested Elijah. The Chronicles Books historian – in 2 Chronicles 21, recounted the eight years that Jehoram ruled over the guys and gals who lived in the land area of Judah. Probably not long after his dad died, Jehoram murdered his six bros and aligned himself with the northern kingdom of Israel by marrying one of Ahab’s gals. Because of Jehoram’s malicious actions, God had all of Jehoram’s wives and all of Jehoram’s sons killed – except for Ahaziah – who was Jehoram’s youngest son. God also inflicted Jehoram with a gruesome, lingering disease which caused Jehoram intense, horrific pain and which at the end caused Jehoram’s bowels to come out of his body. Verse 20 says, “Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. He passed away, to no one’s regret, and was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.”
Your grandpaa sometimes wonders how bad guys and gals can live with their evil actions. Your grandpaa at times wishes that God would step in a lot quicker to stop a guy, gal or kid from . . . your grandpaa’s cousin Tom and Jehoram prove that choosing to do bad things will not lead to good health and happiness. So – what do you want to be doing when you become a guy and a gal? How would you feel if no one cared whether you were alive or dead?
2 Chronicles 21 (943)