What lessons can we learn from the people's choice of Jehoahaz as king? The Setting: A Sudden Crown “Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz son of Josiah and made him king in Jerusalem in place of his father.” (2 Chronicles 36:1) After godly King Josiah’s death, the nation rushed to install his younger son, Jehoahaz (also called Shallum, Jeremiah 22:11). Within three months Pharaoh Neco removed him, plundered the land, and set his brother Eliakim (Jehoiakim) on the throne (2 Chronicles 36:2–4). The People’s Heartbeat—and Its Blind Spot • They longed for a leader who would mirror Josiah’s zeal but relied on popular sentiment instead of divine direction. • They elevated the man they preferred, bypassing the prophetic voice God had already given through Jeremiah (Jeremiah 22:10-12). • Emotional momentum overrode careful obedience to the covenant (Deuteronomy 17:14-20). Key Lessons for Today • When we choose leadership, passion must be aligned with prayerful discernment. Proverbs 3:5-6. • Popular approval can never replace God’s revealed will. Hosea 8:4, “They set up kings, but not by Me.” • Short-term fixes invite long-term fallout: Jehoahaz’s brief reign opened the door to foreign domination and eventual exile (2 Kings 23:33-35). • God remains sovereign even when human choices misfire. Romans 13:1; He used Egypt’s intervention to move Judah toward the discipline foretold by the prophets. • A godly heritage cannot guarantee a godly future; each generation must personally choose faithfulness (2 Chronicles 24:2; Ezekiel 18:20). • Faithful leadership is measured by covenant loyalty, not by charisma or lineage (Psalm 78:72). Scripture Echoes Worth Hearing • 1 Samuel 8:19-20—Israel’s earlier demand for a king “like all the other nations” foreshadows Judah’s later misstep. • Proverbs 14:12—“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” • Jeremiah 22:10-12—God’s direct word regarding Jehoahaz shows that ignoring prophetic counsel invites judgment. These texts collectively underscore that every leadership choice must bend the knee to God’s Word, lest the people reap unintended consequences. |