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. Micaiah who always prophesies bad things about Ahab. 29 Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, As we go into battle, I will disguise myself, but you wear your royal garments. So the king of Israel went into battle in disguise. Ahab proceeds to imprison Micaiah. The world will not be a true partner to you. 16 In the fifth year of Joram son of Ahab king of Israel, when Jehoshaphat was king of Judah, Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat began his reign as king of Judah. The name Jehoshaphat means means "Jehovah has judged," Yahweh judges, or Yahweh establishes the right.". Jehoshaphat, though a brilliant king, fell down in all three, not only allying himself with Ahab, but also with his two sons. The partnership between godly Jehoshaphat and wicked Ahab was repulsive to God. Jesus stays behind in the temple. Wicked men have the advantage of the way, godly men of the end. (Trapp). Perhaps he was either not very smart or he had very great faith. The prophets' counsel did not sit well with Jehoshaphat, who then asked for another opinion. Though disguised, Ahab is killed and Israel is defeated. We need to learn this. Yet on the other hand very few men did more than Jehoshaphat to bring the nation to the brink of ruin. Finally, Jehoshaphat shows us that God can start new parts of his plan for our lives at any time. 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. Putting anything ahead of God is idolatry. Click on the different category headings to find out more. Jehoshaphat responded as if the kings were of one mind and heritage. i. But if you do your duty, you will not be guilty. 25 Then King Ahab ordered one of his officers, Arrest Micaiah and take him to Amon, the governor of the city, and to Prince Joash. He ruled for 25 years. However, because this was an aberration from Jehoshaphat's usual stance of faith and obedience, the LORD did not punish Jehoshaphat. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. and it begins well in chapter 17. This was a city which Ben-hadad We have compiled these articles to help you study those whom God chose to set before us as examples in His Word. (see 2 Chronicles 17). 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. Zavada, Jack. Only by divine intervention was one saved 2 Chronicles 22:10-12. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. These are all tokens of Gods blessing in this context. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Learn Religions, May. "Please, inquire of the LORD today.". Secondly, Jehoshaphat teaches us the importance of breaking the familial cycle of mistakes. Ahab is basically threatening God here with consequences. The phrase bread of affliction and water of affliction may be translated bread and water of scant measure. (Dilday), c. If you ever return in peace, the LORD has not spoken by me: The prophet Micaiah made one final and ultimate appeal. Ahaziah's parents brought Baal worship into the land and turned God's . Zavada, Jack. Jehoshaphat also established a strong justice system. Asa, his father, followed in the footsteps of God until the end of his reign. (NIV), 2 Chronicles 20:32-33He walked in the ways of his father Asa and did not stray from them; he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD. The alliance is - in my opinion - an example of Jehoshapat trying t. q. So Jehoshaphat fortified his borders and increased his troops (vv. i. Hatred of the messenger of God is clear evidence of willful wickedness. (Morgan), Then Micaiah said, Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing on His right hand and His left. Jehoshaphat stumbles as well. Jehoram did evil in God's sight, but not to the extent that his father Ahab had, as he did put away his father's sacred pillar of Baal (verses 2-3). He builds many forts and attempts to help the kingdom prosper in a financial sense. This was in fulfillment of what Isaac foretold many centuries before (Genesis 27:39,40). And the LORD said, These have no master. Jehoshaphat solidified peace between Israel and Judah. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. He is the author "Hope for Hurting Singles: A Christian Guide to Overcoming Life's Challenges.". So Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Will you go with me against Ramoth Gilead? And he answered him, I am as you are, and my people as your people; we will be with you in the war.. (see 2 Chronicles 19). Today we begin looking at the story of Jehoshaphat. Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. This suggests that Jehoshaphat was a strong and effective leader, who worked hard to consolidate his power and improve Judah's position. If you do not want that we track your visit to our site you can disable tracking in your browser here: We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. Jehoshaphat, the fourth king of Judah, followed after his father, King Asa, and David's footsteps. Who Was Isaiah & Why Was He Important? Please see our Privacy Policy for cookie usage details. . How many times do I have to tell you that?, 16 Micaiah answered, I can see the army of Israel scattered over the hills like sheep without a shepherd. Using traveling teachers, he educated the people on God's laws. Ahab tells Jehoshaphat his plan. A. He campaigned against idolatry and the renewed worship of the One True God. In his disobedience, Jeroboam (the first king of the kingdom of the northern tribes) said, I will worship the LORD, but do it my way. Ahab said, I want to forget about the LORD completely and worship Baal., ii. 3 He asked, Will you go with me to attack Ramoth?, Jehoshaphat replied, I am ready when you are, and so is my army. Despite his misgivings(?) (He) sought the God of his father and walked in his commandments. Did I not tell you he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil? Despite his earlier experience with Ahab, Jehoshaphat entered into another alliance with Israel, through Ahab's son, evil King Ahaziah. He used horns of iron to illustrate the thrust of two powerful forces, armies that would rout the Syrians. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site. 1 Thessalonians, Dangerous Partnerships: The story of Jehoshaphat & Ahab. Nevertheless, King Jehoshaphat has one moral weakness, similar to his father who came before him. 2 A prophet, Jehu son of Hanani, went to meet the king and said to him, Do you think it is right to help those who are wicked and to take the side of those who hate the Lord? In order to succeed, he solicited the help of King Jehoshaphat of Judah. 7-27) should have alerted Jehoshaphat to the true character of the man he had befriended. The joint forces of the invaders are no match for God almighty. After King Ahaziah's death (1:18), his brother Jehoram (called Joram in 8:25), another son of evil King Ahab, became king over Israel since Ahaziah himself had no son (1:17; 3:1). . He sometimes followed the world's ways, such as making alliances with questionable neighbors. 16, 2022, learnreligions.com/jehoshaphat-king-of-judah-4114131. a. Sin never pays! He concluded with a foot disease instead of a bang on the throne. 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. What he didnt consider was that though Micaiah prophesied evil towards Ahab, he prophesied truth. This is what he should have been doing all along, instead of going to be with Ahab. 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. There was nothing righteous about Ahab. Handling problems in Christian relationships, Letters to the Seven Churches in Revelation, Paul to the Thessalonians. Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of the chariots who were with him, saying, Fight with no one small or great, but only with the king of Israel. So it was, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel! Therefore they surrounded him to attack; but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him, and God diverted them from him. 3 But even so, there is some good in you. Then Ahab persuades Jehoshaphat to go into battle dressed in his royal robes, whilst Ahab disguises himself so he cannot be recognised in battle (vv. He required these judges to be just, impartial, and take no bribes, for they "do not judge according to man but the Lord" (see 2 Chronicles 19:4-10). 1 a After the death of Ahab, Moab b rebelled against Israel. c. Now a certain man drew a bow at random, and struck the king of Israel: This seemed to be pure chance. More importantly, he undid the pagan rituals and monuments other kings who came before him had practiced and worshipped. I saw the Lord sitting on his throne in heaven, with all his angels standing beside him. After Jehus rebuke, Jehoshaphat got back on track. We will look at this briefly to set the stage. But any that are considered must be given close scrutiny without glossing over potential difficulties. i. 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. Jehoshaphat failed to foresee the long-term consequences of his bad decisions. 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. (see 2 Chronicles 17:10-12). Ahab had a very nonchalant attitude towards his sin and the sins of others. Jehoshaphat immediately agreed to go, but asked that they first inquire of the Lord. We may request cookies to be set on your device. Jehoram did evil in God's sight, but not to the extent that his father Ahab had, as he did put away his father's sacred pillar of Baal (verses 2-3). Asa also did what was right in God's eyes and led Judah in a series of religious reforms. . Many commentators believe these prophets were pagan prophets, perhaps representatives of Asherah or other pagan gods or goddesses. May we learn from Jehoshaphat, so that we will not make the same mistakes. (NIV), 2 Chronicles 20:15He said: Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! Now Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made horns of iron for himself; and he said, Thus says the LORD: With these you shall gore the Syrians until they are destroyed. And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth Gilead and prosper, for the LORD will deliver it into the kings hand.. This is significant if we compare this with how many other Israelite kings passed away. Jehoshaphats life was half over by the time he took the throne, but that didnt stop God from moving in his life. . 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). The woman he married his son to King Ahabs daughter later, after Jehoshaphat died, killed off the line of David. Even then, King Ahaziah did not humble himself and repent, as his father Ahab had done at least temporarily (1 Kings 21:17-29). 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). Sunday (2 Chronicles 18-23) Jehosophat Allies because Ahab. Scholars have variously dated his reign to around 873-849 B.C.E. At the beginning of his reign, Jehoshaphat "strengthened himself against Israel (2 Chronicles 17:1). b. 2 A few years later he went to Samaria to visit Ahab, who prepared a great banquet for him and his officials. The result of all this is that Jehoshaphat proclaims I am as you are, my people as your people. This is the same word that I Chronicles 21:1 says about Satan enticing David to sin by means of the census. But Jehoshaphat also made some bad decisions. Jeremiah 27-28), based on this occasion on the horns as a symbol of strength. (Selman). "Evil communications corrupt good manners."*. a. i. Who Is Jehoshaphat in the Bible? I'm wounded! he cried out to his chariot driver. We should not love the world. A Divine message reached the king and people through Jehaziel, a Levite, upon whom the spirit of Gd had descended. These partnerships pressure us to sacrifice our faithfulness to God. The Bible presents to us various rulers and persons of authority, and all of them serve as examples of what Godly and ungodly leadership produces. At age 35,Jehoshaphat succeeded his father, Asa, who was the first good king over Judah. May their lives and walks with God strengthen your faith and encourage your soul. He attempted to have Elijah arrested (2 Kings 1:9). Thankfully, Jehoshaphat repented and returned to his true love: God. Jehoshaphat still wanted to hear from a prophet of Yahweh, the LORD (Is there not still a prophet of the LORD here, that we may inquire of Him?). We can be certain that every eye was on Zedekiah when he used the horns of iron to powerfully illustrate the point. In this article, well explore the life of Jehoshaphat (the good and the bad), well lightly touch on a place known as the valley of Jehoshaphat, and discuss what lessons we can learn from the fourth monarch from the kingdom of Judah. They had a great party with lots of food. A victorious military leader, He was honored and made wealthy from tribute. 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). Theologians have squabbled over this issue for centuries, and since the passage in Joel is prophetic in nature, we cant definitely say we know what it means. King Jehoshaphat, son of Asa, reigned for 25 years once he took the throne at the age of 35. Thats old? Indeed, in ancient times, life expectancies didnt really exceed much beyond the age of 50. They go to battle, but Ahab tries to be deceitful. Hope Bolingeris an acquisitions editor at End Game Press, and the author 21+ books. This made some sense because Ramoth Gilead was only 40 miles from Jerusalem. The man on the left is generally considered to be Jehoshaphat. 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. One of these rulers, King Jehoshaphat, is a great example to learn from. a. I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing: King Ahab and others at the court found it hard to explain how one prophet could be right and 400 prophets could be wrong. Ahab goes to war against Aram despite Micaiah's prediction. He is Micaiah the son of Imla. We will focus on 2 Chronicles 18. . He walked in Gods ways The Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the earlier ways of his father David. 1 Chronicles 15:24 Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah and Eliezer the priests were to blow trumpets before the ark of God.