1) Jehoshaphat the faithful. Bible text from the Good News Translation (GNT) is not to be reproduced in copies or otherwise by any means except as permitted in writing by American Bible Society, 101 North Independence Mall East, Floor 8, Philadelphia, PA 19106-2155 (www.americanbible.org). Jehoshaphat was the fourth king of the southern kingdom of Judah, the son of Asa, of the line of David. After some years he went down to Ahab in Samaria 18:2. This article is part of our People from the Bible Series featuring the most well-known historical names and figures from Scripture. This site is a proud member of the Salem Web Network, a subsidiary of, Copyright 2023, Crosswalk.com. Through which remaining prophet did Ahab say they could inquire of the Lord. We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. Ahab summoned 400 of his prophets, all of whom, unsurprisingly, foretold victory. Jehoshaphats life was half over by the time he took the throne, but that didnt stop God from moving in his life. 1. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Will the actions of orthodox Anglicans be as strong as their words post-Kigali? Jehoshaphat also pursued alliances with the kingdom of Israel in the North. b. Sunday (2 Chronicles 18-23) Jehoshaphat Allies with Ahab. Ahab decides to disguise himself so that he will not be recognized, but tells Jehoshaphat to dress as a king. So Jehoshaphat fortified his borders and increased his troops (vv. Together they built a fleet of trading ships to go to Ophir to collect gold, but God disapproved and the ships were wrecked before they could set sail. Just as Jehoshaphat allied himself with a wicked king. His warnings are still the same today: How can two walk together unless they are agreed? Our website uses cookies to store user preferences. Men may secrete themselves so that other men may never find them; but when the hour of their judgment has come, God takes hold on some ordinary event and makes it the highway on which He comes to carry out His purpose. It will use peer pressure to make you stay in line. Click to enable/disable Google Analytics tracking. We see a prophet in rags and chains stand before two kings, ready to speak on behalf of the LORD. He allied with Ahab's son, Ahaziah, in a mercantile venture until God destroyed their fleet (20:35-37; 1 Kings 22:48, 49 ). The Lord has made these prophets of yours lie to you. battle. The Prophet Micaiah Warns Ahab (1 Kings 22.1-28)1 When King Jehoshaphat of Judah became rich and famous, he arranged a marriage between a member of his family and the family of King Ahab of Israel. Unlike today, many mothers in Ancient Israel decided to name their children Jehoshaphat. i. Obviously this was thanks to the help of Jehovah. 26 Tell them to throw him in prison and to put him on bread and water until I return safely., 27 If you return safely, Micaiah exclaimed, then the Lord has not spoken through me! And he added, Listen, everyone, to what I have said!. A Chronological Daily Bible Study regarding the Old Testament 7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Almost Claim. This makes sense given Jehoshaphats very name has judgment in the definition. He also devised a system for teaching God's laws to people. 2 A number of years later Jehoshaphat went to the city of Samaria to visit Ahab. i. To honor his ally's request, Ahab had Micaiah brought to the court. Ahab had wanted to restore back what materially belonged to them but spiritually he . Similarly, John tells us Do not love the world or the things in the world. Click on the different category headings to find out more. His heart was courageous in the ways of the Lord" - 2 Chronicles 17:3-6. (2022, May 16). I got my facts mixed up. Go and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand! Like Jehu told Jehoshaphat about his seeking an alliance with Ahab, he should not love those who hate the Lord. He was not satisfied with what God had given him, but was longing for something else among the nations around him. This he construed into personal hatred. But he himself has decreed that you will meet with disaster!, 23 Then the prophet Zedekiah went up to Micaiah, slapped his face, and asked, Since when did the Lord's spirit leave me and speak to you?. They had a great party with lots of food. Apparently this was a city that Ben-Hadad never returned to Israel and it was in a strategically important location. (see 2 Chronicles 19). We may not name our children after this king, but we can certainly look to his example and his trust in God during his reign. Ahaziah became sick, and rather than establishing a relationship with the true God and placing his trust in Him, he attempted to inquire of the pagan god Baal-Zebub whether he would live or die. LICENSEE shall reproduce the following trademark and trademark notice on the copyright page of each copy of the Licensed Products: Read the surrounding text of 2 Chronicles 18:1-19:11. Not even his vast army is a match for the joint forces of the invaders. Jehoshaphat in the Bible was the fourth king of Judah. Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. This reminds us, sadly, that we reap what we sow. The joint forces of the invaders are no match for God almighty. 1 Kings 16:15-20 describes how Ahab's father, Omri, was the Israelite army's commander, who rebelled against the . b. Romans 12:19-21, A true test of character: How you treat those weaker than you, Come to Jesus and find rest. These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our website and application for you in order to enhance your experience. We can be certain that every eye was on Zedekiah when he used the horns of iron to powerfully illustrate the point. Stay up to date with the latest Christian news! And the LORD said, Who will persuade Ahab king of Israel to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead? So one spoke in this manner, and another spoke in that manner. At age 35, Jehoshaphat succeeded his father, Asa, who was the first good king over Judah. This strange incident can only be understood against the background of other Old Testament passages, especially Deuteronomy 13:11 and Ezekiel 14:1-11. both these passages speak of people being enticed by false prophets, in each case as a result of a link with idolatry. (Selman), Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way did the spirit from the LORD go from me to speak to you? And Micaiah said, Indeed you shall see on that day when you go into an inner chamber to hide! Then the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the kings son; and say, Thus says the king: Put this fellow in prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and water of affliction until I return in peace. But Micaiah said, If you ever return in peace, the LORD has not spoken by me. And he said, Take heed, all you people!. Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him. The LORD said to him, In what way? So he said, I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And the Lord said, You shall persuade him and also prevail; go out and do so. Therefore look! But he also received a word of judgment: Jehu says, Because of this, wrath has gone out against you from the Lord 19:2. i. When we hear the name of Jehoshaphat some of us may be thinking of the Valley of Jehoshaphat mentioned in Joel 3:2 and Joel 3:12. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? . (see 2 Chronicles 19). This king did great things in the name of the Lord, and yet, we dont christen any children after this king from the kingdom of Judah. He assumed the throne after being anointed by a messenger of the prophet Elisha and carried out one of history's most violent coups. He made an alliance with marriage with Ahab, 18:2 plus after several years went down to visit Ahab in Samaria. Thankfully, Jehoshaphat repented and returned to his true love: God. In order to succeed, he solicited the help of King Jehoshaphat of Judah. More importantly, he undid the pagan rituals and monuments other kings who came before him had practiced and worshipped. He ruled for 25 years. Neighboring kings paid tribute to him because they feared his power. During most of Jehoshaphat's reign, Ahab was ruling Israel. These passages show that God can allow evil in His presence, though He can have no fellowship with evil and one day all evil will be removed from His presence (Revelation 20:14-15). All rights reserved. Who had not rather be a Micaiah in the jail than Ahab in the chariot? Click to enable/disable _gat_* - Google Analytics Cookie. He went out with Ahab in battle, and was rebuked by Jehu the son of Hanani. Yet he was willing to listen to the king of Judah when he advised that Ahab should listen to the prophet Micaiah. He was a weak man, the tool of a crafty, unscrupulous, and cruel woman: and some of the worst crimes that have ever been committed have been wrought by weak men, at the instigation of worse but stronger spirits than themselves. (Meyer), After some years he went down to visit Ahab in Samaria; and Ahab killed sheep and oxen in abundance for him and the people who were with him, and persuaded him to go up with him to Ramoth Gilead. He repented when he did wrong. He led the people to be faithful as well (like his father Asa). He blew a trumpet as they carried the ark of God toward the city. He was buried at age 60 in the City of David in Jerusalem. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. He worked to remove the "high places" of worship, did not participate in any Baal worship, and cut down the Asherahs, which were worshipped in various places. When Micaiah said this, his tone was probably mocking and sarcastic. 17 He was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. 9 He gave them the following instructions: You must perform your duties in reverence for the Lord, faithfully obeying him in everything you do. i. He allied with Ahab against Syria, nearly losing his life as a result (18:2ff.). . This chapter lists King Davids bodyguards, a variant form of the name Jehoshaphat within the mix. Go up, for God will deliver it into the kings hand: When Ahab gathered the prophets, they were not faithful prophets of the LORD. He tried to persuade Jehoshaphat to join him in attacking the city of Ramoth in Gilead. Perhaps he felt as many do today that he should not judge, or perhaps he felt that the end justified the . 11 Amariah the High Priest will have final authority in all religious cases, and Zebadiah son of Ishmael, governor of Judah, will have final authority in all civil cases. This strategy of the Syrian army made Ahabs counterstrategy of disguising himself in battle seem very wise. Thankfully, Jehoshaphat repented and returned to his true love: God. Chapter 22. 24 You will find out when you go into some back room to hide, Micaiah replied. i. Christian family to appeal after court dismisses school Pride parade complaint, British public don't want a secular coronation, poll finds, Relic of crucifixion cross to be used in King Charles' coronation, Challenged by the faith of those who suffer. 17:10-13 ). He has Jehoshaphat dress like the king, while Ahab disguised himself. Luke 16:10, Follow Christian teaching on WordPress.com, v. 6 he took away the high places and Asherim, vs. 7-9 he began a program that taught the people the Law of God, 17:10-11 The nations feared him so there was no war, but rather they gave him tribute. He was devoted to God in his heart and his actions. We should not love the world. We should not make partnerships with the world. The ruse fails, in the end. Jehoshaphat established for his kingdom a very strong fighting force, reaching astounding numbers of fighting men. He not only considered it . "Evil communications corrupt good manners."*. Pingback: Joining Forces with Ahab - CRIES from among US! William Higgins. Learn Religions. Jesus stays behind in the temple. 8 So King Ahab called in a court official and told him to go and get Micaiah at once. Though Jehoshaphat had already committed himself to the enterprise (2 Chronicles 18:3), and though he went on to disregard the guidance that was given him (2 Chronicles 18:28), he still retained the religion of Yahweh to the extent that he insisted on seeking the counsel of the Lord. (Payne). Jehoshaphat, though a brilliant king, fell down in all three, not only allying himself with Ahab, but also with his two sons. The prayer was answered. Jehoshaphat was an ancient king, but he is not so different than us, for we do similar things in our lives. a. Mark 12:1-12, Be faithful in the little things. To honor Jehoshaphat and those with him, Ahab had a large number of sheep and cattle slaughtered for a feast. The rest of chapter 19 he went back to reforming Judah. And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "I will disguise myself and go into battle; but you put on your robes.". By marriage he allied himself with Ahab: This manner of linking kingdoms by the bond of marriage was common in the ancient world, yet it was an unwise policy for Jehoshaphat. He also had a lot of property. i. It may be that Jehoshaphat had a fatalistic attitude towards the will of God, figuring that if it all was Gods will then there was nothing he or anyone else could do about it. Many commentators believe these prophets were pagan prophets, perhaps representatives of Asherah or other pagan gods or goddesses. Although Jehoshaphat didnt die from the friendship, he made a massive mistake by trusting the wrong person. Recognized as perhaps the best king that the southern kingdom of Judah ever had, King Jehoshaphat did right in the sight of God with his intense desire to pursue God in his leadership. This was a city which Ben-hadad Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. 7 Honor the Lord and act carefully, because the Lord our God does not tolerate fraud or partiality or the taking of bribes., 8 In Jerusalem Jehoshaphat appointed Levites, priests, and some of the leading citizens as judges in cases involving a violation of the Law of the Lord or legal disputes between inhabitants of the city. [1] One of the "good" kings in the Bible, he was a descendant of David, and his mother's name was Azubah . It was certainly persuasive to have 400 prophets speak in agreement on one issue. And the LORD said, These have no master. But Jehoshaphat also made some bad decisions. 2 A few years later he went to Samaria to visit Ahab, who prepared a great banquet for him and his officials. Asa also did what was right in God's eyes and led Judah in a series of religious reforms. c. How many times shall I make you swear that you tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD? We will be with you in the war 2 Chronicles 18:3. That is, he gave his son in marriage to Ahabs daughter. A more apparent weakness of Jehoshaphat can be seen in the compromising nature of his allying himself with evil rulers, a fault that became evident again near the end of his life when he allied himself with Israel's wicked King Ahaziah, son of Ahab (1 Kings 22:51-53). Ahab was penitent and humbled himself and so the Lord waited to fulfill the prophecy until Ahab's son reigned in his place. Ahab was killed by an enemy arrow. No-one did more to educate the people of God than this man and that's why he's often known as Judah's great teacher, or Judah's teacher-king. 17:10). (1 Chronicles 17: 1-6, 10) However, although he could have relied totally on God to protect him, Jehoshaphat allied himself with the evil king of Israel, Ahab. He attempted to have Elijah arrested (2 Kings 1:9). This might have daunted the good prophet, but that he had lately seen the Lord sitting upon His throne with all the host of heaven standing by Him, and hence he so boldly looked in the face these two kings in their majesty; for he beheld them as so many mice. (Trapp). You will remember him from the stories of Elijah. But he did not do all that he should have, as he did not remove all the high places from Judah (2 Chronicles 20:33). First, Jehoshaphat allied himself with Ahab by taking Ahab's daughter . He said, "I am as you are, and my people as your people; we will join you in the war.". Then he said, I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. Why did Ahab hate Micaiah? To pry into the future King Ahab religiously consulted his false prophets, about four hundred of them. . He drove out the male cult prostitutes and destroyed the Asherah poles where the people had worshiped false gods. Ahab goes to war against Aram despite Micaiah's prediction. i. We will join you. 4 Then he added, But first let's consult the Lord., 5 So Ahab called in the prophets, about four hundred of them, and asked them, Should I go and attack Ramoth, or not?, Attack it, they answered. And persuaded him to go up with him to Ramoth Gilead: Previously, the king of Syria promised to return certain cities to Israel (1 Kings 20:34) in exchange for leniency after defeat in battle. Only through the intervention of God did Jehoshaphat escape. 3 He asked, Will you go with me to attack Ramoth?, Jehoshaphat replied, I am ready when you are, and so is my army. Acts 6:1-6, Four things to remember in times of trial. Well quote each of the verses below. First we see a picture of . Complete the following verse found in 2 Chronicles 18:1 - . 5 He appointed judges in each of the fortified cities of Judah 6 and instructed them: Be careful in pronouncing judgment; you are not acting on human authority, but on the authority of the Lord, and he is with you when you pass sentence. Jehoshaphat prayed to God, and the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel, who prophesied that the battle was the Lord's. By proceeding, you consent to our cookie usage. 2. Jehoshaphat failed to foresee the long-term consequences of his bad decisions. 7-27) should have alerted Jehoshaphat to the true character of the man he had befriended. If there's one mistake Jehoshaphat made, it's the time he decided to ally himself with King Ahab of Israel, the devious Jezebel's husband. One of these rulers, King Jehoshaphat, is a great example to learn from. Ahaziah's parents brought Baal worship into the land and turned God's . a. 4-5 - Jehoshaphat agrees to go, BUT he has a request first. We are first introduced to him in 1 Kings 15:24 but are told nothing more than that he succeeded Asa. His love for God greatly benefited the kingdom of Judah. Also Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, Please inquire for the word of the LORD today. Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, four hundred men, and said to them, Shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain? So they said, Go up, for God will deliver it into the kings hand. But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not still a prophet of the LORD here, that we may inquire of Him? So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, There is still one man by whom we may inquire of the LORD; but I hate him, because he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil. But just in case, he disguises himself and also encourages Jehoshaphat to wear his royal attire, thus making him the target of the enemy. a. (see 2 Chronicles 19). God brought Judgement on Ahab; he would not listen to Elijah and was bent on his evil ways. He was willing to be judged by whether his prophecy came to pass or not. Matthew 11:28-30, The church struggles with prejudice. If there's one mistake Jehoshaphat made, it's the time he decided to ally himself with King Ahab of Israel, the devious Jezebel's husband. Later, 1 Kings 22:42 tells us that he was 35 years old when he began his reign and that he reigned 25 years (from 873 to 848 BC). (29) Jehoshaphat and Ahab go into battle. We know of many good kings of Israel because we name our children after them: David, Josiah, Jedidiah (Solomon). And now what joy could Ahabs black soul, ready to depart, have of his ivory house? Ahab asked Micaiah whether they should go up to Ramoth God intervened to help him. They prophesied favorably, saying: "Go up, and Jehovah will give it into the king's hand." First, Jehoshaphat just went and visited Ahab. Click to enable/disable _gid - Google Analytics Cookie. Jehoshaphat himself stepped before the congregated crowd and fervently implored Gd for help in this hour of distress, for the sake of His own glory and the salvation of His people. He became one of the country's most successful rulers for one simple reason: He followed the commands of God. This brings us to our focus today: King Ahab, the king of the northern kingdom of Israel was a very wicked man, who opposed Yahweh.
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