Your Ungodly Alliances Can Impact Future Generations!

We don’t live to ourselves, but depend upon others in many ways. The question that shapes who we are and what we become is, “Who is it that we depend upon?” We are drawn to alliances and relationships with others. God made us this way. But the alliances and relationships we form impact our life and can even impact future generations. Let me tell you an old forgotten story to make my point.

King Jehoshaphat was a good godly king of Judah, but he made an ungodly alliance with wicked king Ahab of Israel. This was a political and military alliance that involved them going into battle together, despite the warning of the prophet Micaiah (2 Chron. 18). Jehoshaphat even gives his son in marriage to the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. Jehoshaphat escapes with his life, contrary to Ahab, but is sternly rebuked by the Lord for such an ungodly alliance (2 Chron. 19:1-2).

But the story doesn’t end there, Jehoshaphat will go on to a successful reign and faithful death, but his son, Jehoram, whom he used to form the political alliance is heavily influence by Jezebel’s daughter. Jehoram will begin his reign as king and the Bible says rather than walking in the godly ways of his father, 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. He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord” (2 Chron. 21:6).

Jehoram will be an idolatrous king who ruled unwisely and will be severely punished by God for his wickedness. He was so pathetic that the Bible records about his death, “he departed with no one’s regret” (2 Chron. 21:20). Everyone was glad to see him go! But his wife didn’t die yet. She would continue to exert an evil influence through her son and her own reigning as queen (2 Chron. 22).

This story reminds us of the power of our alliances, partnerships, marriages, and friendships. They can have a powerful influence upon us that continues to grow as the years pass by. This is a warning for all of us, no matter our ages. We can all invite harmful influences into our lives, they may not take out our faith, but they can have severely detreminal effects upon future generations.

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