Sermon King Ahaziah 22 or 42 When He Began To Reign?

• Sermon Slides for Sermon King Ahaziah 22 or 42 When He Began To Reign? [download id=”14151″]
• Printable PDF for Sermon Sermon King Ahaziah 22 or 42 When He Began To Reign? [download id=”14150″]

[2] The title of the sermon: “KING AHAZIAH 22 OR 42 WHEN HE BEGAN TO REIGN?”

• As you already know, I do sermons based on questions I receive.
• I recently received a question from someone named Dean who studies the King James Version.
• He asked the following question:

[3] 2 Kings 8:26 states that Ahaziah was 22 years old when he began his reign, and in 2 Chronicles 22:2 it states that he was 42 years old. Which one is it? I know there is a reconciling reason to his because I am a person who studies the KJV intently, but I just can’t find the bridge.

• I don’t know Dean at all. He seems like a nice guy at this time.
• So, let’s look at the 2 Scriptures side by side to begin as many people who don’t believe we have the perfect word of God will use this as their proof that the King James Bible has mistakes.

[4]

• So, this would appear to be a contradiction in the King James Bible. Right?
• In 2 Kings 8:26, we see that Ahaziah is 22 years old when he begins to reign.
• And he reigned one year in Jerusalem.

In 2 Chronicles 2:22, we see Ahaziah was 42 years old when he began to reign.

• And he reigned one year in Jerusalem.
• This is a great question from Dean. And yes, I’ve looked at this before, but it’s been several years.
• So, let’s study this in detail today and see if God reveals the answer to us.

And we ask God for His help today because we have faith that He has given us His perfect words.

• There must be a very good reason why one account says 22 years old and the other says 42 years old.
• Whenever I’ve noticed supposed contradictions in the Bible, I learn the most.
• We study. We dig deeper. We find the truth in the Scriptures.

And this is very important because the modern Bible versions have changed the 42 years old in 2 Chronicles to 22 years old.

• They call it a copyist error even though the Hebrew text clearly says 42 years old.
• They will say that this is an error in God’s words, or a typo.
• So they ignore the Hebrew text and change it to 22 so it agrees with 2 Kings 8:26.
• But many of the modern “Bible” versions have changed their mind on this over the years.
• Some of the time it was 42 years old and some of the time it was 22 years old. They change constantly.

But that’s not just for these Scriptures that we’re looking at today.

• The modern versions ignore the Hebrew text of the Old Testament in many other Scriptures.
• The King James Bible has been 42 years in 2 Chronicles 22:2 since it’s beginning and it hasn’t changed.
• Here’s a table showing what the different Bible versions have chosen to do with this so-called contradiction:

[5]

So, there is obviously a difference in the people who have kept the number 42 in their translations and the people who have not.

• It’s very easy to just say: “Well, there was a mistake made by the people who copied the numbers.”
• “It must be 22 because 42 doesn’t make any sense.” Hey, it’s easy to just stop right there.
• And then they simply changed God’s words to 22 versus the number that He put there, 42.
• And the number 42 is clearly in all of the Hebrew texts. FORTY AND TWO. Not TWENTY AND TWO.
• Either God gave us His Scriptures, or He didn’t. So which side will you be on?
• I believe that the King James Bible is the perfect word of God in English. No mistakes. No contradictions.
• So, when I see 22 years old in 2 Kings 8:26 and 42 years old in 2 Chronicles 22:2, this means I better study.

[6] 2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

• Now, do I think God would not already know what people would do with His words?
• Do you not think He has the foreknowledge with respect to this so-called contradiction?
• Here’s what I think and know. God puts these so-called “contradictions” in the Bible to divide people.
• For me, it’s easy to know that there’s not an error here. Simple faith allows me to know this.
• Others, without faith in God’s perfect Scriptures, will immediately say there is a mistake.
• And they will say that only the original texts are God’s perfect words. But we don’t have the originals.
• So, we’ll never have God’s words or know which words are correct according to them.

[7] 2 Timothy 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

• I know that Timothy had the Holy Scriptures, and I know that he didn’t have the originals.
• Timothy was way after Moses. Timothy didn’t have the original writings of Moses.
• He didn’t have the original writing of the Book of Ruth. But Timothy had the Holy Scriptures.
• Why? Because God preserves His words for us at all times, and we have them.
• Timothy had them before the King James Bible. God’s words have always been preserved.
• So why did God put these so-called “contradictions” in the Bible? Did He not know?
• This is how God does things. He puts stumbling blocks in the way of people who have no faith in Him.

[8] Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

• Will you be on the serpent’s side and question every word of God? Did God really mess up with 42?
• Hey, this number is in all the Hebrew copies of copies of copies. Did God really say this?
• Yes, He did put 42 there, and He did so for a very good reason.

[9] 1 Corinthians 1:19-20 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

• I don’t ever say the number 42 in 2 Chronicles 22:2 is wrong. Why? Because I am not a fool.
• I already know the King James Bible is the perfect word of God in English and that will never change.
• The subject of this sermon is used by fools to say that we don’t have the perfect word of God.
• They will say that this is the worst contradiction in the Bible. Atheists will use this.
• So, you need to know what we’re going over today.
• You need to know that God does these things with a purpose.

[10] 1 Corinthians 3:19-20 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. 20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.

• You have other so-called “Christians,” such as the “great” Dr. John Gill, who will say that it is a mistake.
• You can read many Bible commentaries from the world’s Bible scholars and they say it is a mistake.
• “He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.” These people are attempting to destroy faith in God.

[11] 1 Kings 22:19-20 And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left. 20 And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner.

• King Ahab is a huge subject for this sermon and the answer to the apparent contradiction.
• He is an evil and wicked king of Israel. He was a liar and a deceiver.
• God says if you want to do evil, you’ll get that evil back. Listen to this.
• If you want to be crafty like the serpent, God will take you in your own craftiness. Next verse.

[12] 1 Kings 22:21-23 And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him. 22 And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so. 23 Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee.

• You have all these liars out there who deceive and are being deceived. Make sure you understand this.
• Will you be one of these people, or will you believe what God says?

[13] Proverbs 30:5-6 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. 6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

• I will not be changing my mind and saying that 42 is a mistake. I will not say that a copyist made a mistake.
• God says that His words are pure. He magnifies His words above His own name.
• Do you really think He would leave us to put together His words in whatever way we want?
• This is what the deceivers believe so they can make the Bible say whatever they want it to say.
• If you’re one of those people, do you not have something within you telling you this is wrong?
• Have you believed on the Lord Jesus Christ? Have you put your faith and trust in Him alone?

[14] 1 Timothy 6:20-21 O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: 21 Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.

• Amen again to that. We don’t err from the faith here. The word of God is the word of God.
• The Scriptures are the Scriptures. We trust them in every way possible. With that said, let’s look closer.

[15] 2 Kings 8:25-27 In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel did Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah begin to reign. 26 Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Athaliah, the daughter of Omri king of Israel. 27 And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did evil in the sight of the LORD, as did the house of Ahab: for he was the son in law of the house of Ahab.

• Notice what the Scriptures say as these are clues to the answer to this so-called Bible contradiction.
• In the 12^th year of Joram son of Ahab king of Israel did Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah begin to reign.
• So, we know Ahaziah is the son of Jehoram king of Judah. He reigned one year in Jerusalem.
• So, we know Ahaziah is king of Judah in the same line of King David to Jesus Christ.
• Listen, this is very important to understand as this will open up your understanding of other Scriptures.

All of these names of kings of Israel and Judah can be very confusing at times. This will give you a headache.

• But, God put all of these things here for a reason. We are to study the Scriptures so stay with me.
• Ahaziah is the king we are studying. One Scripture says he started to reign when he was 22.
• The other Scripture appears to say he started to reign when he was 42.
• If you know his story, he only reigned one year because Jehu killed him and the king of Israel, Jehoram.
• You can read about that another day as we won’t have time right now.
• This makes other explanations impossible because he was killed soon after he reigned.
• He didn’t reign for 20 or 30 years. One year IN JERUSALEM.

Notice that the Scriptures tell us his mother’s name is Athaliah, the daughter of Omri king of Israel.

• Verse 27 is very important. “And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab.”
• “He did evil in the sight of the Lord, as did the house of Ahab.” Notice the last part of verse 27.
• “For he was son in law of the house of Ahab.” Every word of God has great importance.
• So, he was son in law of this evil and wicked king of Israel who was Ahab.
• You should already know these things from reading the Bible, but listen to this closely.

[16] 1 Kings 14:7-8 Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Forasmuch as I exalted thee from among the people, and made thee prince over my people Israel, 8 And rent the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it thee: and yet thou hast not been as my servant David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do that only which was right in mine eyes;

• Jeroboam was the first king of Israel after the kingdoms split. This started the evil line of kings in Israel.
• They were all evil and did evil in the sight of the Lord. Read about them all.

[17] 1 Kings 14:9-10 But hast done evil above all that were before thee: for thou hast gone and made thee other gods, and molten images, to provoke me to anger, and hast cast me behind thy back: 10 Therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, and will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as a man taketh away dung, till it be all gone.

[18] 1 Kings 14:11-13 Him that dieth of Jeroboam in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat: for the LORD hath spoken it. 12 Arise thou therefore, get thee to thine own house: and when thy feet enter into the city, the child shall die. 13 And all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him: for he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found some good thing toward the LORD God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam.

• So, in this line of the kings of Israel, we will see Ahab. God cuts of Jeroboam. He cuts off Ahab too.

[19] 2 Kings 9:7-10 And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, at the hand of Jezebel. 8 For the whole house of Ahab shall perish: and I will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel: 9 And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah: 10 And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her. And he opened the door, and fled.

• All of this is related to this apparent contradiction. We simply must read and study the Bible.
• These are the chapters and stories about this. This chapter is telling us directly about Ahaziah.

[20] 2 Kings 10:11 So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his kinsfolks, and his priests, until he left him none remaining.

• The house of Ahab was going to be cutoff completely. And Ahaziah is son in law to the house of Ahab.
• Ahaziah’s dad, Jehoram, was married to Athaliah, the daughter of king Ahab.
• But king Jehoshaphat was Ahaziah’s grandfather. Let’s look at this and don’t get confused here.
• Also keep in mind that Athaliah is the one who killed all of the royal seed.

[21] 2 Kings 11:1-2 And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal. 2 But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king’s sons which were slain; and they hid him, even him and his nurse, in the bedchamber from Athaliah, so that he was not slain.

• Here’s a family tree with Ahaziah to help you understand this a little better.

[22]

We see some of the kings of Israel going down the left side there.

• Ahab and Jezebel have Ahaziah (a different one that the subject Ahaziah which is on the right side).
• They also have Jehoram and Athaliah. Athaliah marries a different Jehoram who is son of Jehoshaphat.
• The names can get very confusing because many are the same.

Jehoram, the son of Jehoshaphat has Ahaziah who we are talking about today.

• So, Ahaziah’s mother is the daughter of king Ahab, the evil and wicked king of Israel.
• And she was a sicko. Ahaziah could have followed after his grandfather’s ways but he didn’t.
• Athaliah affected not only her husband (similar to her mom Jezebel) but her son too.

Now, let’s go to 2 Chronicles Chapter 22 where the so-called contradiction is located.

• First, let’s go back to the previous chapter, 2 Chronicles Chapter 21, to the end of the chapter.
• Let’s see what God says about Ahaziah’s father, Jehoram. Notice where he is on the tree right there.
• His dad is Jehoshaphat. Jehoram is an evil king. God smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease.

[23] 2 Chronicles 21:19-20 And it came to pass, that in process of time, after the end of two years, his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness: so he died of sore diseases. And his people made no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers. 20 Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years, and departed without being desired. Howbeit they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchres of the kings.

• Notice that Ahaziah’s dad here is 32 years old when he reigns and reigns 8 years.
• He was 40 years old at the end of his reign.
• This is very important and tells us Ahaziah couldn’t have been 42 when he began to reign because his dad was only 40.
• Now let’s go to 2 Chronicles Chapter 22. This is where we learn much more.

[24] 2 Chronicles 22:1-2 And the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king in his stead: for the band of men that came with the Arabians to the camp had slain all the eldest. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned. 2 Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Athaliah the daughter of Omri.

• The Bible says, “Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign.”
• Again, the Bible tells us that his mother’s name was Athaliah the daughter of Omri.
• This is her grandfather, but the Bible uses these terms over and over again.
• For example, Jesus is the Son of David and the Son of Abraham but he wasn’t actually his direct Son.

[25] 2 Chronicles 22:3-5 He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab: for his mother was his counseller to do wickedly. 4 Wherefore he did evil in the sight of the LORD like the house of Ahab: for they were his counsellers after the death of his father to his destruction. 5 He walked also after their counsel, and went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth-gilead: and the Syrians smote Joram.

• We see that Ahaziah was his counselor. The house of Ahab was his counsellers.
• He walked after their counsel. Guaranteed that God hated this. He hated it so much He did something.

[26] 2 Chronicles 22:7-8 And the destruction of Ahaziah was of God by coming to Joram: for when he was come, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab. 8 And it came to pass, that, when Jehu was executing judgment upon the house of Ahab, and found the princes of Judah, and the sons of the brethren of Ahaziah, that ministered to Ahaziah, he slew them.

• This is the same chapter with the “contradiction” of 42 years old. God is explaining things to us.
• What is He talking about here? The house of Ahab, the house of Ahab, the house of Ahab.
• Over and over again God speaks of cutting off the house of Ahab.
• Jehu was chosen by God to cut off the house of Ahab.
• Jehu is the one who had the eunuchs throw Jezebel out the window. Jezebel was Ahab’s wife.
• Jezebel was Ahaziah’s grandmother and he walked after her ways. SO GOD CUTS HIM OFF TOO.

[27]

So, what in the world could the 22 years old and the 42 years old actually mean?

• Some people attempt to say this is simply a copyist error but notice that the Bible says:
• Two and twenty in one case and Forty and two in the other case. This makes copyist errors more difficult.
• Some will attempt to say the original Hebrew has number like we do and just a jot or tittle could easily be copied down incorrectly.

But we know that a jot or a tittle didn’t get changed because Jesus says it won’t get changed.

• Two and twenty or Two and forty would be difficult to copy over incorrectly too.
• The numbers are written out in the Bible with words and not numbers.
• The Hebrew numbers look totally different and take multiple characters. There is no copyist error here.
• The answer lies in the reign of the house of Ahab that Jehu is anointed to cut off.
• God put this apparent contradiction there for people with faith to actually study as we’ve done today.

We know that Ahaziah couldn’t have biologically been 42 years old when he began to reign because his father was only 40 years old at the time.

• This means his father was only 18 when he had Ahaziah if he began his reign immediately.
• His father had other older sons too, the Bible tells us, so he had children at a young age.
• We know, most likely, that Ahaziah was biologically 22 years old when he began to reign.
• We know that Jehoshaphat was part of this issue with Ahaziah.

[28] 2 Chronicles 18:1-2 Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined affinity with Ahab. 2 And after certain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. And Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people that he had with him, and persuaded him to go up with him to Ramoth-gilead.

[29] 2 Chronicles 19:1-2 And Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem. 2 And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the LORD.

• God ends up cutting off the house of Ahab. He punishes the wicked son and grandson of Jehoshaphat.
• They will now be cutoff. God says so, and all of this is in the same Scriptures.
• How long was the house of Omri and Ahab reigning when Ahaziah begins to reign as king?
• Omri is mentioned with Athaliah. Omri is the father of Ahab. It all started there.

Omri reigns 11 years in Israel. Ahab reigns 20 years in Israel. Ahaziah reigns 1 year in Israel.

• And Jehoram reigns 10 years in Israel. Add these up and you get 42.
• The Bible doesn’t give partial years so you have to pay attention to date references.
• This isn’t easy, but, if you do the math, you will see that it is 42 years of reign with the start of Omri to the start of Ahaziah king of Judah.
• You can also come up with other numbers because of partial years.
• Can we prove 42 years for sure using other Scriptures? Yes and no. This isn’t easy.
• But I believe God is telling us that from Omri to Ahaziah’s reign there are 42 years.

These were all the kings of Israel through Omri up until the reign of Ahaziah started.

• These are the kings of Israel up until Ahaziah king of Judah. And Ahaziah of Judah was with them.
• He was aligned with them. Now, did I come up with this? No, I didn’t.
• There are many theories out there for this. This is the only one that makes any sense to me.
• There are others, but they are proven wrong by the Bible.
• Other sources say that Omri’s reign begin 3189 years after creation
• Ahaziah’s reign began 3231 years after creation. This, again, is 42 years.

This theory cannot be proved wrong, and there are hints within the Scriptures everywhere.

• God puts His words there for a reason. He wants us to study these apparent contradictions.
• He doesn’t want us to stumble over them. He will teach us all things. We continue seeking.

And, when we do, we learn more and more. And there are some very complicated things in the Bible.

• This is one of them. Study it for yourself.
• Am I 100% sure this is the correct answer to this so-called contradiction? No, I am 99% sure.
• But, I am 100% sure that the King James Bible is the perfect word of God without contradictions.
• I want to show you something else that I promised would open up your understanding of the Scriptures.
• We’ve been through the lineage of Jesus Christ before, but let’s look again.

[30] Matthew 1:7-8 And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa; 8 And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias;

• The Bible says right here that Jehoshaphat or Josaphat begat Joram and Joram begat Ozias.
• If you look at this closely, you’ll see that God cut out these kings of Judah due to their affinity with Ahab.
• “Jehoshaphat begat Joram. And Joram begat Ozias.” This Ozias would be Uzziah.

So, we see Ahaziah cut out, Athaliah cut out as she reigned, Joash son of Ahaziah cut out, and Amaziah the son of Joash cut out too.

• We see 3 generations cut out of the generations of Jesus Christ. God cut off the house of Ahab.
• There are several Scriptures about God visiting the iniquity of the fathers to the 3^rd and 4^th generation.
• They infiltrated the kings of Judah and God cut them out.
• So-called Bible “scholars” say that the Bible is wrong because these generations are missing.

[31] 2 Kings 15:12 This was the word of the LORD which he spake unto Jehu, saying, Thy sons shall sit on the throne of Israel unto the fourth generation. And so it came to pass.

• The same man who cut off these generations was promised a blessing here.
• “Thy sons shall sit on the throne of Israel unto the fourth generation. And so it came to pass.”
• I believe the answer to this so-called contradiction is this:
• Ahaziah, a king of Judah, was forty and two years old in kingdom of Omri and Ahab, which was his mother’s family.
• He was 22 years old biologically but forty and two years old is the age of the kingdom he was within when he began to reign in Judah.

Do I think this is a far fetched idea that can’t be true? No, because the Bible does similar things in other places.

• God counted Ahaziah as a king of Israel and this is one way God tells us this.
• He wants to make sure we know that he is not counting Ahaziah as a king of Judah. He’s being cut out.
• We also know that any Bible that changes God’s words to 22 is not an actual Bible.
• These are not God’s words. Most of these people raise themselves above God.
• Do they really think the King James Bible translators, as an example, didn’t see this?
• “Oh, they must not be as smart as us and just missed the contradiction that we saw.”
• Here’s 2 Chronicles 22:2 in the 1611 King James Bible:

[32]

• Notice that God mentions OMRI. This is a hint here.
• Notice they put a note to the side of this to read 2 Chronicles 21:6. Let’s read it.

[33]

• The father of Ahaziah is referenced here as he walked in the way of the kings of Israel.
• This helps answer the apparent contradiction of 42 years old again. God is referencing the kings of Israel.
• Starting from Omri’s reign to the start of Ahaziah’s reign is 42 years.
• Again, Ahaziah was 42 years old in the kingdom of Omri and Ahab.

So, you have a choice today: 1) You can choose to have faith in God’s actual words. The Hebrew says 42.

• Or, you can choose to say that only the originals are inspired so you can change God’s words into whatever you want.
• The Bible counts years from events like this constantly. Let me give you just one example to show this.
• There are more, but please listen to this one example and you’ll see s similar thing here.

[34] Matthew 1:11-12 And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon: 12 And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel;

• This is Matthew Chapter 1, which we were just in. These are the generations of Jesus Christ.
• Focus on Jechonias there. They were carried away to Babylon.

[35] 2 Kings 24:8-9 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. And his mother’s name was Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem. 9 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father had done.

• He was 18 years old when he began to reign and reigned three months in Jerusalem.

[36] 2 Chronicles 36:8-10 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and his abominations which he did, and that which was found in him, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah: and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead. 9 Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD. 10 And when the year was expired, king Nebuchadnezzar sent, and brought him to Babylon, with the goodly vessels of the house of the LORD, and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem.

• You could say this is a contradiction too. He’s 18 years old in 2 Kings and 8 years old in 2 Chronicles.
• SAME THING as this apparent contradiction that we studied today.
• The answer to this one is the following Scripture in the same chapter just a few verses later.

[37] 2 Kings 24:10-12 At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jerusalem, and the city was besieged. 11 And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against the city, and his servants did besiege it. 12 And Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers: and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign.

• Time here was measured by the king of Babylon’s reign.
• “And the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign.”
• This is speaking of King Nebuchadnezzar’s eighth year of reigning.
• Then, the Scriptures make perfect sense.

He was biologically 18 years old but was 8 years old in the reign of king Nebuchadnezzar.

• Do you see this? This is a simple example that proves the Bible measures time like this.
• You might say, “How can Ahaziah be 22 years old AND 42 years old at the same time?”
• “How can Jehoiachin be 18 and 8 at the same time?” There’s your answers.
• The Bible does this sort of so-called “contradicting” all the time. IT IS DONE ON PURPOSE.

[38] Matthew 22:43-46 He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, 44 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? 45 If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? 46 And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.

• God does this on purpose. He came to divide.
• He will divide those with faith in His words from those who don’t have faith.
• Don’t turn God’s words into a stumblingblock that you trip and fall over.
• You must study to shew thyself approved and divide the Bible correctly according to Scriptures.

Let’s pray.

Another Theory From Mike P. Murphy that could be the answer:

By the way, I listened to your sermon about 22 years or 42 years for Ahaziah. We are pretty close in agreement with that. My theory I developed is that Ahaziah of Jehoram was so wicked, he ruled in the spirit of Ahab and Ahaziah of Ahab. He was so like Ahaziah of Ahab that if Ahaziah of Ahab were still alive at the time Ahaziah of Jehoram began to reign, he would have been 42 years old. That would put the birth of Ahaziah of Ahab around Omri’s second year.