Each Generation

6And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife. And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. 7Yet the Lord was not willing to destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and since he had promised to give a lamp to him and to his sons forever.  2 Chronicles 21:6-7.
Each generation needs to find God for themselves. Jehoram, the son of Jehoshaphat reign for eight years. He did evil in the sight of God. At the start of his reign he killed his six brothers and worshiped other gods as Ahab King of Israel had done. God sent a  plague upon the children of Judah and Jehoram developed an incurable disease and he died. God spared him for a time because of the promise he made to King David. God is long-suffering  and gives space for repentance. Jehoram had a disease that was incurable and he died in great agony. Ahaziah also did evil and reigned only one year and his mother, Athaliah reigned after him. And she killed all the royal family of the house of Judah, except for one son of Ahaziah named Joash. Joash was hidden in the house of God for six years. Joash was protected in the house of the Lord by the Levites and in the seventh year of Athaliah's reign, they set up Joash as king and Athaliah was killed. Joash started to honor the Lord God at the start of his reign and removed the high places of the false gods and once again returned Judah to follow after God. Joash did good as long as Jehoiada the priest was there to guide him. Joash was only seven when he started to reign. Jehoiada was 130 years old and he died and Joash started to worship other gods. God sent a small army to execute judgment  upon the much larger army of Judah because Joash had forsaken God after the death of the priest that guided him. We see God's blessings on his people when they served the true God, We see trouble when they turn away and God withdraws his hand and even sends judgment. Each generation must find God for themselves. Sometimes God spares them for a while because of a good ruler before them, but in the end it is each generation for themselves. God brings judgment upon them for their deeds. Joash started out good and was repairing the house of God, but he strayed away after he no longer had the good counsel of the old priest. May we follow after God all the days of our life and not turn away. God bless, LVZ.