He concluded with a foot disease instead of a bang on the throne. Ahab and his wife, Queen Jezebel, had well-deserved reputations for wickedness. He demanded that Micaiah tell nothing but the truth which Ahab believed and hoped was the message of the 400 other prophets. A Divine message reached the king and people through Jehaziel, a Levite, upon whom the spirit of Gd had descended. Therefore please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak encouragement. And Micaiah said, As the LORD lives, whatever my God says, that I will speak. Then he came to the king; and the king said to him, Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain? And he said, Go and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand! So the king said to him, How many times shall I make you swear that you tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?. He builds many forts and attempts to help the kingdom prosper in a financial sense. i. 19 The Lord asked, Who will deceive Ahab so that he will go and get killed at Ramoth? Some of the angels said one thing, and others said something else, 20 until a spirit stepped forward, approached the Lord, and said, I will deceive him. How? the Lord asked. In a long line of righteous and unrighteous kings that ruled in the northern and southern kingdoms, these men were both evil kings. [1] One of the "good" kings in the Bible, he was a descendant of David, and his mother's name was Azubah . He also had a lot of property. 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). Obviously this was thanks to the help of Jehovah. Week 39. But the Valley of Jehoshaphat does seem to be a judgment stomping ground for the enemies of Gods people. 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. . At age 35, Jehoshaphat succeeded his father, Asa, who was the first good king over Judah. It came about because Jehoshaphat allied himself to the king of Israel, Ahab, through marriage: his son and successor as king, Jehoram, married Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab. He was devoted to God in his heart and his actions. . Though disguised, Ahab is killed and Israel is defeated. 2 Chronicles 18 tells the story of an unlikely partnership: Jehoshaphat, the godly king of Judah, and Ahab, the wicked king of Israel, joined together to make war against Syria.Before going to battle, Jehoshaphat was intent on asking God's will. Jack Zavada is a writer who covers the Bible, theology, and other Christianity topics. God brought Judgement on Pharaoh by outright hardening his heart, so that God could multiply His miracles and signs throughout Egypt. He was willing to be judged by whether his prophecy came to pass or not. 1992 American Bible Society. Wicked men have the advantage of the way, godly men of the end. (Trapp). 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. But first, Jehoshaphat wanted to inquire of the Lord 18:4. 2 Chronicles 17:1. We may request cookies to be set on your device. When battle is joined, Ahab's plan seems to work. (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. 1 Kings 16:15-20 describes how Ahab's father, Omri, was the Israelite army's commander, who rebelled against the . Sat each on his throne, and they sat at a threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria: This illustrates the ancient custom of holding court and making decisions at the gates of the city. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say such things! Then the king of Israel called one of his officers and said, Bring Micaiah the son of Imla quickly!. 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. God's people needed three days to carry off the plunder. God straight up used that man for His own Glory. Jehoshaphat and Ahab. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site. What you have done has brought the Lord's anger on you. Nevertheless, King Jehoshaphat has one moral weakness, similar to his father who came before him. Today we begin looking at the story of Jehoshaphat. 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. Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance; and by marriage he allied himself with Ahab. because he never prophesied anything good about him, but always bad. 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. Ahab asks him if he would go with him to take the city of Ramoth in Gilead from Syria. i. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Perhaps some hesitation on his part? When choices come along, you may want to keep your commitment to God, but you have to act in a way that works for the unbeliever as well. King Ahab of Israel asked King Jehoshaphat of Judah to help him in this dispute against Syria. This show of friendship to Ahab was in reality hatred towards God (2 . Did I not tell you he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil? 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). Jehoshaphat prayed to God, and the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel, who prophesied that the battle was the Lord's. When his death became known the battle was over. A Chronological Daily Bible Study regarding the Old Testament 7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Almost Claim. Many died in battle, or as is the case with King Asa, due to a painful foot disease. He ruled for 25 years. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer. Similarly, John tells us Do not love the world or the things in the world. b. Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him: Finding himself as the only identifiable king in the battle, Jehoshaphat found himself quickly in danger. And so we can learn from him. Jehoshaphat did not carry a rebuke in his heart toward the wrong that was in Ahab, a man who had sold himself to do evil in the sight of God. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. Click on the different category headings to find out more. 2. We need 2 cookies to store this setting. 10 Things You Need to Know about the Number 666, 10 Books of the Bible You Should Read Again and Again, 10 Most Encouraging Bible Verses That Will Uplift Your Heart and Soul, 5 Things That Hurt Relationships with Grandkids, 30 Morning Prayers to Start Each Day with God, How to Have Joy in Your Golden Years Despite These 10 Life Losses, 4 Things You Should Know about Big George Foreman, 8 Ways You Are Belittling Your Husband and What God Says about It, Maybe Money Can Buy Happiness, but Not Joy. It was an opportunity to walk away, but he did not take it. 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. 1 Kings 16:29-33 tells us just how bad Ahab was. To solidify devotion to God, Jehoshaphat sent prophets, priests, and Levites throughout the country to teach people God's laws. Though God will sometimes intervene for the sake of a righteous person in such circumstances (compare 2 Kings 3:14), we shouldn't count on itparticularly when we know better. God's hand was on Jehoshaphat and He blessed the kingdom of Judah under his reign. 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. Jehoshaphat goes forward with the plan. The way people who live righteously think is as different from those who disregard God's laws as day is from night (compare 2 Corinthians 6:14-18). b. Thankfully, Jehoshaphat repented and returned to his true love: God. King Jehoshaphat led a mostly prosperous life. Putting anything ahead of God is idolatry. b. i. He was rescued on the battlefield and was allowed to continue as king. He repented when he did wrong. We need to learn this. Jehoshaphat solidified peace between Israel and Judah. 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? But he also received a word of judgment: Jehu says, Because of this, wrath has gone out against you from the Lord 19:2. But how did he die, if God protected him in the war in which Ahab drew him into? Yet it should be noted, as mentioned previously in the Bible Reading Program, that this was a common oversight attributed to most of Judah's righteous kings, and is perhaps equally if not more due to a lack of wholeheartedness in obeying God on the part of the nation. 4-5 - Jehoshaphat agrees to go, BUT he has a request first. Otherwise you will be prompted again when opening a new browser window or new a tab. To honor Jehoshaphat and those with him, Ahab had a large number of sheep and cattle slaughtered for a feast. Many commentators believe these prophets were pagan prophets, perhaps representatives of Asherah or other pagan gods or goddesses. Using traveling teachers, he educated the people on God's laws. Unlike today, many mothers in Ancient Israel decided to name their children Jehoshaphat. Saying "no" at this point would look Jehoshaphat's Compromise 2-Chr. Jehoshaphat established for his kingdom a very strong fighting force, reaching astounding numbers of fighting men. b. Micaiah was brought out from prison (1 Kings 22:26 indicates that he came from prison). To pry into the future King Ahab religiously consulted his false prophets, about four hundred of them. Although Jehoshaphat didn't die from the friendship, he made a massive mistake by trusting the . 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!. Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. First of all, the king shows us that we all can make mistakes of judgment. 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. Jehoshaphat in the Bible was the fourth king of Judah. ii. Micaiah who always prophesies bad things about Ahab. Yet they clearly prophesied in the name of the LORD. Pingback: Joining Forces with Ahab - CRIES from among US! . A bold and faithful follower of Yahweh, Jehoshaphat consulted God's prophets before making decisions and credited God for every victory. Go up, for God will deliver it into the kings hand: When Ahab gathered the prophets, they were not faithful prophets of the LORD. But wait, it gets worse. I mean here, serious, committed relationships with unbelievers dating, marriage, business whatever. 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. We will see what we can learn from this. What he didnt consider was that though Micaiah prophesied evil towards Ahab, he prophesied truth. Jehoshaphat's son Jehoram married Athaliah, daughter of king Ahab of Israel. Joel 3:2: I will gatherall nationsand bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. i. i. We also should not go about longing for what the world has. It was certainly persuasive to have 400 prophets speak in agreement on one issue. He used horns of iron to illustrate the thrust of two powerful forces, armies that would rout the Syrians. Romans 12:19-21, A true test of character: How you treat those weaker than you, Come to Jesus and find rest. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him 1 John 2:15. This article is part of our People from the Bible Series featuring the most well-known historical names and figures from Scripture. Thats old? Indeed, in ancient times, life expectancies didnt really exceed much beyond the age of 50. That brought further stability to his kingdom. 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. "Who Is Jehoshaphat in the Bible?" Source: 1 Kings 22:1-40; 2 Chronicles 18:1 - 19:3 Jehoshaphat's Later Reforms . 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. Not only was he faithful he was a reformer. 1) Jehoshaphat the faithful. Unsurprisingly, Ahab still goes into battle. And now what joy could Ahabs black soul, ready to depart, have of his ivory house? b. I will disguise myself and go into battle; but you put on your robes: Going into the battle, Ahab did not want to be identified as a king and therefore be a special target. Jehoshaphat gave his son in marriage to Ahab's daughter. Ahab determined that he should take the city of Ramoth-Gilead back from the Syrians. For all the good that Jehoshaphat did, one sore thumb that stands out is his alliances with the house of Ahab in Israel. God did it, says the man of faith. (Morgan), iii. We can learn a great deal from this Old Testament king who we sadly do not learn enough about in Sunday school classes or in sermons. The Lord substantially blessed Jehoshaphat and Judah during Jehoshaphat's reign. Why did Ahab hate Micaiah? The wisest strategy for the protection of his kingdom was obedience instead of compromise with the ungodly King Ahab of Israel and his wife, Queen Jezebel. Week 39. This is a stark change in policy from 17:1, where Jehoshaphat had strengthened himself against Israel. 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). King Jehoshaphat comes to Samaria to visit with Ahab. Soon after this, Moab, Ammon and Edom declared war against Jehoshaphat. The Lord has made these prophets of yours lie to you. This city "was strategic in controlling the eastern caravan route" (Layman's Bible Book Commentary, Volume 6). r. Vs. 29-40 describes the battle. Let each return to his house in peace. And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell you he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?. Ahaziah of Israel was king from 853852 BC. Now when Jehoshaphat learned a great army has come against him ( 2 Chronicles 20:1-2 ), he immediately realized three things. THEN he made another disastrous treaty with wicked King Ahaziah which resulted in all their ships wrecked. A victorious military leader, He was honored and made wealthy from tribute. Nederlandstalige Bijbelstudies door Stan Marinussen, Copyright - Enduring Word       |      . How? God, however, made it very clear that He was with Elijah, and that He would protect him from the king's evil devices (2:10-15). 8 So King Ahab called in a court official and told him to go and get Micaiah at once. The joint forces of the invaders are no match for God almighty. 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. But what about King Jehoshaphat? We should not make partnerships with the world. Even then, King Ahaziah did not humble himself and repent, as his father Ahab had done at least temporarily (1 Kings 21:17-29). Ahab had a very nonchalant attitude towards his sin and the sins of others. "Evil communications corrupt good manners."*. 17 He was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. That is, he gave his son in marriage to Ahabs daughter. To honor Jehoshaphat and those with him, Ahab had a large number of sheep and cattle slaughtered for a feast. Generally speaking, Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, walked in the way of God. He appointed judges that would hear cases among the people. B. (He) sought the God of his father and walked in his commandments. 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. To honor his ally's request, Ahab had Micaiah brought to the court. Yet he was willing to listen to the king of Judah when he advised that Ahab should listen to the prophet Micaiah. He allied with Ahab's house by marrying his son (Jehoram) to Ahab's daughter (Athaliah) (18:1). Please click here to learn how. Jehoshaphat was 35 years old when he began his reign and was king for 25 years. (Amos 3:3.) a. 10 One of them, Zedekiah son of Chenaanah, made iron horns and said to Ahab, This is what the Lord says, With these you will fight the Syrians and totally defeat them. 11 All the other prophets said the same thing. 2 Kings 18:6He held fast to the LORD and did not cease to follow him; he kept the commands the LORD had given Moses. His heart was courageous in the ways of the Lord 2 Chronicles 17:3-6. Fight with no one small or great, but only with the king of Israel: Ahabs previous mercy to Ben-Hadad (1 Kings 20:31-34) did not win any lasting favor with the rulers of Syria. Click to enable/disable Google Analytics tracking. How to Have Joy in Your Golden Years Despite These 10 Life 4 Things You May Not Know About Abraham in the Bible, 20 Facts You May Not Know About Moses from the Bible, California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. But the one we want to focus on today reigns a little after the time of Solomon and David, long after the kingdom splits into two. By proceeding, you consent to our cookie usage. He also devised a system for teaching God's laws to people. And finally, Jehoshaphat slinks back to Jerusalem, humiliated by his bad decision. Unsurprisingly, Ahab throws Micaiah in prison on bread and water rations. (NIV). God will give you victory., 6 But Jehoshaphat asked, Isn't there another prophet through whom we can consult the Lord?, 7 Ahab answered, There is one more, Micaiah son of Imlah. The prayer was answered. The Lord will give you victory., 12 Meanwhile, the official who had gone to get Micaiah said to him, All the other prophets have prophesied success for the king, and you had better do the same., 13 But Micaiah answered, By the living Lord I will say what my God tells me to!, 14 When he appeared before King Ahab, the king asked him, Micaiah, should King Jehoshaphat and I go and attack Ramoth, or not?, Attack! Micaiah answered. Perhaps he felt as many do today that he should not judge, or perhaps he felt that the end justified the . It just happened, says the man of the world. This was a dramatic scene. Ahab, whose wife was the infamous Jezebel, was possibly the most wicked king who ever ruled over Israel. He walked in God's ways - "The Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the earlier ways of his father David. 21 The spirit replied, I will go and make all of Ahab's prophets tell lies. The Lord said, Go and deceive him. Ahab was greatly influenced towards wickedness by his Phoenician wife Jezebel. Vs. 28 - Micaiah does not back down. First, Jehoshaphat allied himself with Ahab by taking Ahab's daughter . Ahab will dress like a common soldier and Jehoshaphat will wear the robes of a king into battle so that Ahab won't be attacked. 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. Elijah Denounces Ahaziah. Sunday (2 Chronicles 18-23) Jehoshaphat Allies with Ahab. 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. The LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these prophets of yours, and the LORD has declared disaster against you.. This he construed into personal hatred. But if you do your duty, you will not be guilty. Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, Now listen, the words of the prophets with one accord encourage the king. 2 A number of years later Jehoshaphat went to the city of Samaria to visit Ahab. 32 The chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, so they stopped pursuing him. But we also know that only some good kings came from the Kingdom of Judah, Jehoshaphat being one of them. You can check these in your browser security settings. b. So Ahab brings out . Jehoshaphat made a bad alliance with King Ahab, one of the most wicked kings in Israel's history. (He) sought the God of his father and walked in his commandments. There was nothing righteous about Ahab. Of course, there may be some business arrangements where such matters would never be at issue. But their joint ventures would not prosper, since God does not generally bless such dealings (compare 2 Chronicles 20:35-37). This is what he should have been doing all along, instead of going to be with Ahab. In the eighteenth year of his reign Jehosaphat visited Ahab in Samaria, and nearly lost his life accompanying his ally to the siege of Ramoth-Gilead. 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. It is best to regard these not as pagan prophets, but unfaithful prophets to the true God. 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. Not only that, but Ahab decides that he can get around all of this by dressing Jehoshaphat up in his robes and putting him at the front and disguising himself as a soldier. You will succeed., 22 And Micaiah concluded: This is what has happened. You compromise your faithfulness to God, but you will get nothing from it. . He campaigned against idolatry and the renewed worship of the One True God. Thankfully, Jehoshaphat repented and returned to his true love: God. i. Ramoth Gilead belonged to Israel by the word of God but Ahab was out of the will of God. He assumed the throne after being anointed by a messenger of the prophet Elisha and carried out one of history's most violent coups. 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). In order to succeed, he solicited the help of King Jehoshaphat of Judah. Complete the following verse found in 2 Chronicles 18:1 - . 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. The people's hearts were turned from the false worship of Baal that was present in the land during his time in power. This strategy of the Syrian army made Ahabs counterstrategy of disguising himself in battle seem very wise. 1 Kings 21:25 There was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the LORD, urged on by Jezebel his wife. When Jehoshaphat arrived in Samaria, Ahab asked Jehoshaphat to join with him in battle against Ramoth Gilead. Jehoshaphat then asked if there was not a prophet of the Lord to . One of these rulers, King Jehoshaphat, is a great example to learn from. The world will not be a true partner to you. There is a well-intentioned but mistaken teaching that God can allow no evil in His presence, meaning that Satan and other fallen angels could not be in His presence. You can also change some of your preferences. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain. All rights reserved. During most of Jehoshaphat's reign, Ahab was ruling Israel. Despite the riches, fame, and military might that he possessed, Jehoshaphat had a humble heart that kept inquiring of the Lord for any detail of his life and that's what makes him a really great king (see 2 Chronicles 17:3-6). a. He attempts to make peace with the northern kingdom of Israel but ends up getting tangled in some bad friendships along the way. We will look at this briefly to set the stage. Jehoshaphat (also spelled Jehoshaphat or Yehoshafat) ( , " Yahweh is judge," Hebrew: Yhoafat) was the son and successor of Asa and king of Judah. After Jehus rebuke, Jehoshaphat got back on track. b. You have removed all the symbols of the goddess Asherah which people worshiped, and you have tried to follow God's will., 4 Even though King Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem, he traveled regularly among the people, from Beersheba in the south to the edge of the hill country of Ephraim in the north, in order to call the people back to the Lord, the God of their ancestors. Now a certain man drew a bow at random, and struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. He had a total of more than 1.1 million fighting men in his core force, in addition to those he had placed in different areas (see 2 Chronicles 17:14-19). What accord has Christ with Belial? a. I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: Micaiah was challenged to tell the truth, and now he changed his tone from mocking to serious. With whom did Jehoshaphat ally himself with by marriage? King Jehoshaphat, son of Asa, reigned for 25 years once he took the throne at the age of 35. Only by divine intervention was one saved 2 Chronicles 22:10-12. I. Ahab's proposal (18:1-3) As Jehoshaphat celebrated a feast with the most ungodly king Israel would know, Ahab hits him with a request. 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?. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests.
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