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2 Chronicles 21:8 "In [Jehoram's] days Edom revolted from the rule of Judah, and set up a king of their own."

 

Edom, the land conquered by Jacob's brother Esau, was consistently a thorn in Israel's side, but during his reign David conquered Edom and brought the Edomites under Jewish rule (2 Samuel 8:13-14). This lasted until Jehoram's reign, when the Edomites revolted and reestablished their own kingdom.

 

Jehoram was a wicked man, he killed all of his brothers along with others he thought a threat to his rule (2 Chronicles 21:4). While the Edomites were, I'm sure, never happy being under Israel's role, they didn't revolt until this wicked king came along. Wicked leaders weaken their nations. When there is a series of bad leaders, as there mainly was at this time in Judah, the downfall is even quicker. This revolt of Edom is one example of that.

 

We can think of David as a "type" for the good, uniting King Jesus will ultimately be, and see that he consolidated the kingdom and brought the wayward into his fold. As David's successors came and went, however, and more of a more of them were corrupt, the kingdom fell apart. Until, of course, the promised successor, the Messiah, came along. His work of consolidating the Kingdom is both accomplished and ongoing (there’s that timey-wimey thing again!), and He asks us to help Him.

 

So, while it might seem like our earthly kingdoms are falling apart (and many are), we should remember that the Jews had to go through a lot before Jesus, the fulfillment of God's promises to David, came along. Humanity also has to go through a lot before the promises of His kingdom (like the ones we are reading about from Isaiah at Mass this Sunday) are completely fulfilled. When the true King returns, though, all nations will serve Him, peace will reign, and we will no longer have to worry about wicked kings and their destructive influence. "Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be Done."