Well quote each of the verses below. Learn Religions, May. 32 The chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, so they stopped pursuing him. He walked in Gods ways The Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the earlier ways of his father David. Thankfully, Jehoshaphat repented and returned to his true love: God. Without God's help, we can do nothing worthwhile. The world will draw you in: And, when you waver, it will pressure you to conform (like Ahab bringing out 400 prophets to 1). His story is told in 1 Kings 22 and 2 Chronicles 17-20. 2 A number of years later Jehoshaphat went to the city of Samaria to visit Ahab. So he said to the driver of his chariot, Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am wounded. The battle increased that day, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot facing the Syrians until evening; and about the time of sunset he died. We can assume, from the lack of gory details, that he ended his life in peace and passed away from natural causes. He has Jehoshaphat dress like the king, while Ahab disguised himself. He attempted to have Elijah arrested (2 Kings 1:9). 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. Nevertheless, King Jehoshaphat has one moral weakness, similar to his father who came before him. According to tradition, Jehoshaphat was buried in a magnificent manner to mimic the actions of King David. He set up a group of priests and qualified people to go around, teaching the people from God's laws (see 2 Chronicles 17:7-9). Hope Bolingeris an acquisitions editor at End Game Press, and the author 21+ books. b. Asa also did what was right in God's eyes and led Judah in a series of religious reforms. The King of Syria had instructed his men that the We are first introduced to him in 1 Kings 15:24 but are told nothing more than that he succeeded Asa. The Levites have the responsibility of seeing that the decisions of the courts are carried out. Some people forget that Satan and his fellow fallen angels have access to heaven (Job 1:6, Revelation 12:10). Who had not rather be a Micaiah in the jail than Ahab in the chariot? 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). Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. He used horns of iron to illustrate the thrust of two powerful forces, armies that would rout the Syrians. 30 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, " I will disguise myself and go into . All rights reserved. He made a marriage alliance with Ahab 18:1. King Ahab of Israel asked King Jehoshaphat of Judah to help him in this dispute against Syria. These were prophets happy to please their kings, and to tell them what they wanted to hear. Unsurprisingly, Ahab throws Micaiah in prison on bread and water rations. Week 39. A victorious military leader, He was honored and made wealthy from tribute. 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). Here is the Bible's explanation: "for the daughter of Ahab was his wife" (2 Kings 8:18). This is a stark change in policy from 17:1, where Jehoshaphat had strengthened himself against Israel. After that, they began to align with Ahab uncritically. This is what the LORD says to you: Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. i. God's hand was on Jehoshaphat and He blessed the kingdom of Judah under his reign. 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!. Romans 12:19-21, A true test of character: How you treat those weaker than you, Come to Jesus and find rest. Please inquire for the word of the LORD today: Considering the generally adversarial relationship between Ahab and the prophets of Yahweh, this was a bold request of Jehoshaphat to ask of Ahab. God intervened to help him. 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. But Jehoshaphat want to know if there is another prophet. Jehoshaphat also pursued alliances with the kingdom of Israel in the North. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. Click to enable/disable _gid - Google Analytics Cookie. It is less easy to understand why King Jehoshaphat of Judah went to this battle with Ahab. 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. Apparently Micaiah seems to assume among his hearers a working knowledge of the Book of Job. (Payne), ii. But the Valley of Jehoshaphat does seem to be a judgment stomping ground for the enemies of Gods people. Matthew 11:28-30, The church struggles with prejudice. "Who Is Jehoshaphat in the Bible?" Jehoshaphat came onto the scene after this. Joining Forces with Ahab - CRIES from among US! Jehoshaphat was the fourth king of the southern kingdom of Judah, the son of Asa, of the line of David. 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!. 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. i. 18:1 Jehoshaphat was very loaded and greatly respected. 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. 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. This was in fulfillment of what Isaac foretold many centuries before (Genesis 27:39,40). Micaiah assured him that he would simply repeat what God said to him. 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. Ahab entered into a military alliance with Jehoshaphat for the purpose of recovering the ancient Israelite city of Ramoth-gilead from the Syrians (22:1-4). And the LORD said, These have no master. 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. Last week I said Jehoshaphat was Ahab's son-in-law, that is wrong. 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. For the battle is not yours, but Gods." The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them: You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page. He certainly did not walk in Gods ways. And now what joy could Ahabs black soul, ready to depart, have of his ivory house? 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. (He) sought the God of his father and walked in his commandments. Ahab had a very nonchalant attitude towards his sin and the sins of others. The Bible doesnt really say, but we can assume he died of old age. But Jehoshaphat also made some bad decisions. 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. q. 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. The man on the left is generally considered to be Jehoshaphat. Who Was Isaiah & Why Was He Important? Let's go over some of the things he did. He led the people to be faithful as well (like his father Asa). Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer. The Hebrew that underlies the phrase rendered a spirit (came forward) reads literally, the (well-known) spirit, i.e., Satan the tempter (as in Job 1:6-12). But what about King Jehoshaphat? Zavada, Jack. Ahab did so because he hated God and his ways. He made an alliance by marriage with Ahab, 18:2 and after several years went down to visit Ahab in Samaria. Jehoshaphat and Ahab cemented their relationship by arranging a marriage between Jehoshaphat's son, Jehoram, and Ahab and Jezebel's daughter, Athaliah. It forced him to comprise his faithfulness to God being away from his job of leading Judah, helping the wicked; participating in the persecution of a true prophet Micaiah. Ahaziah of Israel was king from 853852 BC. Ahab's treatment of Micaiah (vv. Jehoshaphat's Compromise 2-Chr. 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). He went out with Ahab in battle, and was rebuked by Jehu the son of Hanani. . You shouldn't say that! Jehoshaphat replied. Jehoshaphat was a powerful, prosperous king ( 2 Chr. The Lord has made these prophets of yours lie to you. 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. Thus doth the unthankful infidel repay the mercy of his late victorbut God had a holy hand in it. (Trapp). Week 39. He accomplishes a great deal in the last 25 years of his life, ushering Israel into a time of prosperity and military fortitude. 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 seeks after Gods own heart throughout his reign. 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.. . 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). . Changes will take effect once you reload the page. Ahab was penitent and humbled himself and so the Lord waited to fulfill the prophecy until Ahab's son reigned in his place. A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament 7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application. 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? But Jehoshaphat gave a shout, and the Lord God rescued him and turned the attack away from him. Many commentators believe these prophets were pagan prophets, perhaps representatives of Asherah or other pagan gods or goddesses. First, Jehoshaphat just went and visited Ahab. What he didnt consider was that though Micaiah prophesied evil towards Ahab, he prophesied truth. 1. The Lord will give you victory., 15 But Ahab replied, When you speak to me in the name of the Lord, tell the truth! i. Jehoshaphat made a bad alliance with King Ahab, one of the most wicked kings in Israel's history. 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. 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. 3 But even so, there is some good in you. 12, 14-19). But I hate him because he never prophesies anything good for me; it's always something bad.. When battle is joined, Ahab's plan seems to work. These partnerships pressure us to sacrifice our faithfulness to God. That is, he gave his son in marriage to Ahabs daughter. I'm wounded! he cried out to his chariot driver. 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. Wait a minute! 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. He was 35 years old when he sat as king and reigned for 25 years until his death at age 60. Sunday (2 Chronicles 18-23) Jehosophat Allies because Ahab. Handling problems in Christian relationships, Letters to the Seven Churches in Revelation, Paul to the Thessalonians. And so we can learn from him. This was a dramatic scene. 18 He followed the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for he married a . Go and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand! (see 2 Chronicles 19). God looked with favor on Jehoshaphat, strengthening his kingdom and making him wealthy. God's people needed three days to carry off the plunder. But how did he die, if God protected him in the war in which Ahab drew him into? Such arranged dynastic marriages were quite common in those days. 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. Jesus stays behind in the temple. Considering Jehoshaphat lived for a long time, according to the standards of his day, this meant that God really wanted him to rule for a long period of time. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain. 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. After all, bad company corrupts good morals (1 Corinthians 15:33). Since Ahab wanted to be deceived, God would give him what he wanted, using a willing fallen angel who worked through willing unfaithful prophets. 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). 24 You will find out when you go into some back room to hide, Micaiah replied. 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. When Jehoshaphat took office, about 873 BC, he immediately began to abolish the idol worship that had consumed the land. "Evil communications corrupt good manners."*. He builds many forts and attempts to help the kingdom prosper in a financial sense. . When Jehoshaphat led the people out to meet the invaders, he ordered men to sing, praising God for his holiness.

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