Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. – 2 Chronicles 36:2

Today’s Scripture Reading (March 8, 2017): 2 Chronicles 36

The first one-hundred days has become a psychological marker in politics. During the American election, it seemed to be both the question (what will you do in the first one-hundred days?) and the promise (in the first one-hundred days I will …) given by those running for office. News reports are keeping a tally of how Donald Trump is doing in his “first one-hundred days.” CNN runs it as a banner on some of their news reports about the American presidency. The idea is that in the first one-hundred days, the politician has a chance to set his own agenda and plot the course of the nation for the next few years. Opportunities that are missed in that initial one-hundred days are opportunities that you may never be able to deal with again; this is a limited time offer that will only last for about one-hundred days.

But we often miss the drawbacks of the first one-hundred days, the biggest of which is that situations change. As I enter the voting booth and make my choice, I am not looking for a static, unchanging politician who will have a great first one-hundred days. As a citizen, I need a politician who will make the best choices according to the changing dynamics of the world. What was the right move even yesterday may not be right tomorrow. I need someone who understands that concept when leading the country in which I live. I know you made promises to the people, but sometimes, breaking the campaign promise because of a changing dynamic in the world is not the worst action to make. And, at times, laying your pride aside and doing something different in those changing moments is the responsible and grown up thing to do.

Enter Shallum, who we know as Jehoahaz of Judah. (Jehoahaz was Shallum’s chosen regnal name which means “Yahweh has seized.”) The reality is that Shallum lasted on the throne of Judah for less than one-hundred days. 2 Kings condemns Shallum as a King who refused to walk in the way of his father and did evil in the sight of the Lord, but I struggle with that comment. I am not saying that the words are not true, but I wonder how that decision was made.

Consider the facts. Judah was caught in a power play between Assyria, backed by Egypt, and Babylon. Josiah, Shallum’s father, had decided to back the upstart Babylonians in the conflict. Josiah had blocked the movement of the Egyptian Army as they came north, impeding their ability to get to a place to defend Assyria. And it was in that battle that Josiah was mortally wounded. While King Josiah lay dying, the populace favorite to replace him was the third oldest son, Shallum. It is likely that his older brothers both had grooming to take over the position. And by tradition, Eliakim, who was older than Shallum by two years, should have been made king. But that was not the people’s will.

So the inexperienced Shallum is placed on the throne. War is still raging. Egypt and Assyria are still getting ready to battle Babylon for supremacy. The dynamics of the world outside of Judah are changing, and Judah was still caught in the middle. It appears that the young Shallum decides to do exactly as his father had done, back Babylon, which meant standing in the way of Egypt. Finally, less than a hundred days after the beginning of his reign, Judah is defeated, and Shallum is dethroned by Egypt, taken captive and placed in prison in Egypt, where he would live out the rest of his days. Egypt put the elder Eliakim (who chose the regnal name of Jehoiakim) on the throne.

Commentators, following the example of 2 Kings 23, have judged Shallum. According to these experts, the reforms of Josiah were wonderful, but Jehoahaz decided to reject them. The truth would seem to me to be closer to “the reforms of Josiah were wonderful, but Jehoiakim decided to reject them.” Logic would appear to indicate that the people may have chosen Shallum over his brothers because he was more likely to follow in the footsteps of his beloved father, but he did not reign long enough to accomplish that desire or for anyone to judge if he did good or evil in the sight of God.

And 2 Kings 23 may have been trying to justify the short reign of Shallum. But the only justification needed is that God had declared during the reign of Josiah that the reforms of Judah had come too late; God was already moving in a different direction.       

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 13