In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah king of Judah, Zechariah the son of Jeroboam reigned over Israel in Samaria six months. And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, as his fathers had done. He did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin. Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him and struck him down at Ibleam and put him to death and reigned in his place. Now the rest of the deeds of Zechariah, behold, they are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. (This was the promise of the LORD that he gave to Jehu, “Your sons shall sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.” And so it came to pass.)
Zechariah was in position to lead for one month. That is not even enough time to get the name plate on the office door changed. The evil was so bad that conspiracy after conspiracy and coup after coup was taking place. To become a king in those days was to sign one’s own death sentence. But Zechariah needed to be king. It was proclaimed by God, four generations earlier:
2 Kings 10:28-30 (ESV)
Thus Jehu wiped out Baal from Israel. But Jehu did not turn aside from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin—that is, the golden calves that were in Bethel and in Dan. And the LORD said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in carrying out what is right in my eyes, and have done to the house of Ahab according to all that was in my heart, your sons of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.”
Zechariah was the fulfillment of God’s promise to his great-great-great grandfather. God keeps His promises. God does not forget His people nor the promises He makes to them. Our walk with God is based upon our trust that His character does not change, nor His promises fall empty.
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