Elisha and the Death of Israel (2 Ki. 3)

What was the sin of Jeroboam? Jeroboam had made two golden calves and told the people to worship Yahweh through the golden calves at Bethel and Dan. God had said for the people to worship him at Jerusalem, but the kings of Israel feared that the people would return to the house of David, and so they devised their own way to worship.

(This is a good reminder that it is not merely who you worship, but also how you worship; God does not take kindly to being worshiped in a manner of our own devising.)

And yes, there is a sense in which Jehoram is an improvement over Ahaziah. If a man who is a murderer and a thief has a son who is only a thief, then that is an improvement! But that is not repentance.

The house of Omri must die. To be the best king in an apostate dynasty is like saying, "He was the nicest ax-murderer I've ever known!"

This is the story of the book of Kings.

• Reforming kings are not enough.
• Sin is not a problem that can be "reformed" away.
• The cyclical pattern of the book of Kings (like that of Judges)
  demonstrates that there is no hope so long as life continues in this pattern of rebellion and reformation.

The only way to deal with sin is through death and resurrection.

Reformation says, "we'll do better next time!"
But God says to the house of Omri: "there is no next time..."