A TRAGIC FAILURE. 2nd Chronicles 22 Occasionally, history presents a tragic leader who hesitates, is indecisive, and struggles to decide what to do, often seeking guidance from others. In the case of Ahaziah, his mother served as his main counselor. All his other advisors, more or less, were sycophants influenced by her, so the advice he received was wicked and evil. It seemed she was determined to eliminate any traces of worship of the one true God. A bad mother, who was a poor parent and had bad parents herself, cannot be relied upon to give good advice unless she is born again by the Spirit of God.
The influence of Ahab, who had been dead for a long time, continued to spread from Israel to Judah. Athaliah’s idolatrous heart controlled her evil mind, leading her to commit and promote wickedness. Maybe Ahaziah was afraid to oppose her, or perhaps he had been so thoroughly taught by her that he accepted wicked advice without question. Despite her evil nature, she would never be satisfied with her wicked plans until she got her way, regardless of who in her family suffered or died.
We must be cautious about whom we seek counsel from. The seed of evil takes root deep when planted in the soul; only the life that God alone can give can restore such a sinner. Not everyone openly opposes scriptural practices and principles. Still, we should take time to consider whether the advice provided is based on God's word or some other hidden agenda. A leader may have bad advisors who give bad counsel, but he is responsible for any actions he takes because of his position.
The destructive power of evil becomes clear when it goes unchecked. Destruction is unavoidable when a leader refuses to humble himself. Each individual is responsible for their own actions. No one can force me to do what I know is wrong. It’s up to me to decide whether I'm willing to pay the price for doing right or if I'll heed bad advice "to keep the peace."
The bond between the leaders of the northern and southern tribes was strong enough that, over time, they shared the same name, not at the same time, but as a symbol of their close connection. Early in his reign, Ahaziah also joined Jehoram of Israel in a war where his uncle, Jehoram, was seriously wounded. During a visit meant to show interest and possibly solidarity, he was caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, and both of them died on the same day in Samaria.
Just because someone comes from a God-fearing family doesn’t make him immune to God's righteous justice for his iniquity. Because his grandfather was a good leader with a strong reputation among the people, it doesn’t mean we can avoid the consequences of our actions. Ahaziah had God-fearing ancestors, but he followed the advice of a bad mother, who influenced other bad counselors from Samaria to give poor advice, and he died a violent death in Samaria after just one year of his reign.
Because of the respect people had for Jehoshaphat, his grandfather, Ahaziah was buried in Jerusalem. He was a powerless king who ruled for only one year. It was unlikely that his subjects even knew him because he had gone north and ultimately died there. Bad counselors lead to bad advice. Bad advice leads to bad decisions. Bad decisions lead to bad actions. Bad actions lead to bad results. The people didn't like his father, Jehoram, and they hardly knew him. Now they were "fair game" for an evil woman, Athaliah, the king's mother, to take over leadership. And she did. That woman is like the one we read about in Revelation, riding on the “beast’s” back.
There is only one way to face the consequences of sin and restore what we lack. The flesh, with all its tentacles, reaches into every part of life. It may start with temptation, but it will end in mortal conflict. The devil may stay hidden so that the world and the flesh, working under his control, will weave a fatal trap that captures the mind through the lust of the eyes focused on the wrong place, and the pride of life follows close behind the smile of a pretty face. There is no way good and evil can or should coexist. There are no compromises or solutions to fix sin. The only penalty that can resolve the problem of sin once and for all is death; after that, a new life can begin.
Her wickedness knew no limits. She killed her grandchildren and all the family members. She was controlled and manipulated by Satan to prevent the line of David, through which our Lord Jesus Christ would come. There was one female relative she did not kill—she was married to the high priest. Her daughter was fully aware of that sinful mother and managed to save her uncle's son through her actions. God had placed Jehoshabeath in the right place "for such a time as this."
How good it is of God not to let man's wickedness thwart His divine purposes of grace. God has His people all over the world in the positions He chooses, doing His will and waiting for His time to act according to His plan. Powerless men cannot stop the power of God as it reaches others through the Gospel of His grace.
But deep in the core of the world’s attraction is the determination to overthrow anything of God or that the Lord of glory will crown. There is no way the person who wants to do what is right can ever hope to gain approval from God if he keeps insisting that everything in the world is not sin. There is no way for good and evil to coexist or be reconciled. There are no compromises or solutions to fix sin. The only penalty that can resolve the problem of sin once and for all is death; after that, a new life can begin.
Learn the lessons of those who were followers of the counsel of evil men. Take some time to trace the generations who suffered because leaders followed them. Stop and consider that evil is stopped only when it is put to death. Repentance from sin and turning to God in faith is the beginning of righteousness.