Placeholders
A large portion of the Old Testament is a listing of the kings of Judah and Israel. This can be very boring reading, though it is important to the history of Israel and to the claim of Jesus of Nazareth as the rightful King.
There were both good kings and evil kings that reigned over Judah. Some tried to do what was right in the sight of God. Some of their successors tried their best to do everything they could to disobey the commands of the Lord.
David, though he was greatly flawed, pleased the Lord. He had a heart that was right toward God. His son Solomon started out well and turned from the Lord during his 40 year reign. His son Rehoboam did many stupid things but no record is found in Scripture of whether God deemed him good or bad. His son Abijam was a evil man. He reigned for only 3 years. His son Asa was a good king. He had a long reign (41 years). His son Jehoshaphat was also a man that did right in the sight of the Lord. Then, a couple of evil kings followed in the succession of kings. All of these were actual descendants of David.
Some of the kings would be godly men but then have a son who was evil. Some evil kings would have a son who was a good king. The evil kings brought great harm to the nation. When a good king arose, God was able to bless the nation and get done what He wanted to do. As was mentioned above, the evil Abijam reigned a short 3 years, then his son Asa did God's will for his 41 year rule.
Why did God let the evil men live and come to the throne? They were worthless men and not fit to live. If God could not do His will through a bad king why did He bother with them?
I believe they were “placeholders”. For the sake of God's promise to David that He would build him a dynasty, God left David a descendant that would occupy the throne and maintain the capital city, Jerusalem. Also, some men are placeholders as in genetically or generationally occupying the space of time until a future person can be born.
There is a very bizarre condition provided for in the Law of Moses (Deut 25:11-12). If two men are fighting and the wife of one of them grabs the other man by the genitals in order to help her husband, the authorities are to cut off the woman's hand without showing any pity or mercy. The testicles are the location of the seed for the next generation and potentially future generations. The man himself may be a worthless man deserving of much more than injury in the private parts. But his future son or daughter is not to be destroyed in this manner.
An evil man may have a child that turns out good or bad. A person may say that his father was evil so I have to be evil also. That is a worthless excuse. No, it's an influence; maybe a strong influence but it is not the child's final choice.
Despite the evil influence the child had, he has the choice to be evil like his father or he may realize that he has received a college-level course in how to not do life. Despite a child's influence, he wants to be evil or he wants to shun evil. It's his choice.
Despite our upbringing, we choose to do evil or we choose to live righteously. For those who have had good parents or bad ones, we are to honor our fathers even if they were placeholders.
Mar. 17, 2026