JOTHAM - "LET'S STOP BEING SO CRITICAL" (PART 2 OF 6)

Joatham Rex (King Jotham), Guillaume Rouille

You can say Jotham was the inspiration for this present series. I was planning on putting him with the obscure people from the previous 6 weeks. But then, I realized that he just wasn't obscure, but also criticized by some based on presuppositions, not by the plan meaning of the text.

Allow me to give a little background. 2 Chronicles 26 tells the story of Uzziah. He was a good and godly king until he let it get to his head, and he entered the Temple to offer incense, which only the priests were allowed to do. He became a leper as a result.

What effect did that have on his son Jotham? 2 Chronicles 27:2 says, "He did what was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Uzziah had done (although he did not enter the temple of the LORD). But still the people acted corruptly." NKJV

Was Jotham a good king? You have a difference of opinion. The nay-sayers point out that he did not lead to a revival like Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, and Josiah did. Also, they criticize him for not entering the temple. More than one source goes through the line of Uzziah defiling the temple, Jotham not going to the temple (how dare the King not go to church), and Ahaz (Jotham's son) closing the temple.

Is there a chance that they're being too harsh on Jotham? Since we're dealing with those who look at him negatively, let me word and answer the question negatively: Is there a chance that they're NOT being too harsh on Jotham? NO! WAY! 

Allow me to focus on the two issues in the order the verse gives. First, it tells us Jotham imitated his father in living a godly life. Ah, but Uzziah had a hiccup in that godliness. To me, the wording makes it logical that all it's saying is Jotham copied what Uzziah did right but did not copy what Uzziah did wrong. The context doesn't imply he stayed away from the temple (the next verse states he built up the temple, which doesn't fit the nay-sayers interpretation).

How about the charge that he didn't do enough to reform the people? Should he have tried harder? Let's look at 2 Chronicles 27:6: "So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the LORD his God." It sounds like Jotham did his part, but the people didn't follow. He led them to water, but he couldn't make them drink. 

I'd like to conclude with two points:

1. Jotham is an underappreciated, underrated King of Judah. Not in the highest tier, but he was a good and godly king, and sets an example for us to imitate what others do right and not what's wrong.
2. Too many Christians are quick to be critical when given an opportunity. 

So let me again invite you to give up being quick to be critical, at least until Lent is over with if not longer.