23. SHALLUM
SHALLUM
"Shallum the son of Jabesh began to reign in the thirty-ninth year of Uzziah king of Judah; and he reigned a full month in Samaria. And Menahem.slew him, and reigned in his stead. And the rest of the acts of Shallum, and his conspiracy which he made, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel."
After the death of Jeroboam II the story of Israel’s kings quickly degenerated into a series of conspiracies accompanied by civil warfare and violence. Shallum conspired against Zechariah and overthrew him. He in turn reigned only one full month before Menahem overthrew him. He seems to have been so busy attaining the throne and then trying to defend himself against his cruel successor that God does not mention his walking in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat. Perhaps he had no time for matters of religion. At any rate, God, who notes even a cup of cold water given for the Lord’s sake, has nothing good to record about him! Our Lord Jesus enunciated the principle that "every one that exalts himself shall be abased" (Luk 14:11 ). This principle is well illustrated in the lives of these kings. The converse, "He that abases himself shall be exalted," is most beautifully seen in the life of our Lord Jesus. Php 2:5-11 shows us how deeply He humbled Himself and how highly God has exalted Him.
Another principle the Lord laid down is that "all who take the sword shall perish by the sword" (Mat 26:52). We see this as we look at these kings also. How sad it is for a Shallum to be distinguished in God’s records only for the conspiracy which he made and for how he openly assassinated his predecessor, reigned in his stead, and then a month later suffered the same violent end himself! May we be warned and turn from this king’s example!