This strange alliance of three kings, the king of Judah, the king of Israel, and the king of Edom was surely not of God. Yet even today the cry is “Associate yourselves” (Isaiah 8:99Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces. (Isaiah 8:9)), and sad to say we find even Christians linking up with these alliances having little or no exercise about it. Jehoshaphat the king of Judah was a true man of faith, Jehoram the king of Israel was an ungodly man, and the king of Edom had a hatred for the people of God altogether. What a confederacy! Yet confident in their own might and wisdom these three kings started out to fight against the king of Moab. But the Lord was not pleased with this unequal yoke. He blew upon their plans, and after seven days’ march He brought them to a place where they had no water to drink, and they were about to perish. Jehoshaphat then thought of how he had forgotten the Lord and so in their extremity he suggested they should seek out a prophet. The king of Israel suggested they ask Elisha what they should do, and Jehoshaphat was very pleased with this for he knew that Elisha spoke the word of the Lord. But when the king of Israel turned to Elisha to ask him about it, Elisha said to him, “What have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay: for the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab. And Elisha said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee.” vv. 13, 14. What a rebuke this ought to have been to poor Jehoshaphat!
How it saddens our hearts today to find true children of God linked together with modernists, and men of the world, as though they could have a common interest and purpose. The Word of God is plain and simple for those who would walk in obedience to it. “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness... Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing.” 2 Corinthians 6:14-1814Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. (2 Corinthians 6:14‑18).
Nevertheless, as we have remarked before, Elisha’s testimony was one of grace, and so he did not refuse to help these men. Although the Lord was displeased with this unholy alliance, yet grace is undeserved favor. It is, however, interesting to notice here that Elisha called for a minstrel, and when he played, he said, “Thus saith the LORD, Make this valley full of ditches. He then told how the Lord would fill the ditches with water in a miraculous way. He also went on to tell the three kings that the Lord would deliver the Moabites into their hands and that they were to devastate their land. In the morning the water came, as the Lord had said, and filled all the ditches they had made, so they, their armies, and their cattle had plenty to drink. How wonderful this gracious provision, of God! How good He is to those who call upon Him.
Elisha felt unhappy over this alliance and the word of the Lord did not come in the usual way. There was a hindrance, yet God’s grace was greater than the hindrance. Perhaps we can see in Elisha’s calling for a minstrel that God often works in an unusual way in these days of weakness and strange alliances.
ML 11/18/1956