Compare Jotham's reign to other kings who "did right" in God's eyes. Jotham’s Place in Judah’s Story • Jotham reigned sixteen years over Judah, following his father Uzziah (Azariah). • His account is found in 2 Kings 15:32-38 and 2 Chronicles 27. • Scripture twice says he “did what was right in the eyes of the LORD” (2 Kings 15:34; 2 Chronicles 27:2). Key Passages on Jotham “Jotham was twenty-five years old when he became king… He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father Uzziah had done.” (2 Kings 15:33-34) “Yet he did not enter the temple of the LORD. But the people still behaved corruptly.” (2 Chronicles 27:2) “So Jotham grew powerful because he ordered his ways before the LORD his God.” (2 Chronicles 27:6) What God Commends in a “Right-Doing” King • Personal obedience to Mosaic Law. • Zeal for true worship of Yahweh. • Moral courage in reforming idolatry and injustice. • Reliance on God rather than alliances or idols. Jotham Compared with Other Righteous Kings 1. Asa – 1 Kings 15:11-14 – Cleansed idols, deposed his idolatrous grandmother. – High places largely remained. – Late-life lapse when he relied on Syria, not God (2 Chronicles 16). – Like Jotham, heart stayed loyal; both left high places. 2. Jehoshaphat – 1 Kings 22:43; 2 Chronicles 17-20 – Strengthened teaching of the Law, some removal of high places. – Fault: alliances with Ahab’s house. – Jotham avoided compromising alliances; Jehoshaphat did not. 3. Uzziah (Jotham’s father) – 2 Kings 15:3-4; 2 Chronicles 26 – Prospered while seeking God, but pride led him to intrude into the temple and become leprous. – Jotham learned; he “did not enter the temple of the LORD.” 4. Hezekiah – 2 Kings 18:3-6 – Removed high places, destroyed Nehushtan, trusted God against Assyria. – Hezekiah’s reforms exceed Jotham’s; Jotham never tackled high places. 5. Josiah – 2 Kings 22:2; 23:25 – Full-scale covenant renewal; eliminated idolatry nationwide. – Josiah represents the peak; Jotham is faithful personally but stops short of sweeping reform. Shared Marks Between Jotham and the Group • The verdict “did right in the eyes of the LORD.” • Personal integrity and civic projects that strengthened Judah (Jotham’s fortifications, Hezekiah’s tunnel, Asa’s fortified cities). • God-given prosperity and military success when obedient. • Lingering popular idolatry in several reigns (Jotham, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Uzziah). How Jotham Stands Out • Consistency: no recorded moral collapse or prideful act. • Caution learned from Uzziah: respected temple boundaries. • Focus on civil building (“he built extensively on the wall of Ophel,” 2 Chronicles 27:3-4) rather than cultic reform. • Victory over the Ammonites and sustained tribute (27:5), showing God’s favor even without nationwide revival. A Generational Pattern • Obedience brings strength and security (Jotham, Hezekiah, Josiah). • Partial measures (leaving high places) limit national revival (Jotham, Asa). • Pride or compromise after initial faithfulness can mar a reign (Uzziah, Jehoshaphat). Take-Home Truths • Personal faithfulness matters, even when the culture remains corrupt. • Learning from the previous generation’s failures spares us needless judgment. • Structural work (walls, gates, administration) is still spiritual service when done “before the LORD.” • Yet wholehearted reform, as in Hezekiah and Josiah, best aligns a nation with God’s standards. |
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