2 Chronicles 17-18:7.
THE first thing we read of Jehoshaphat, the son of Asa, when he came to the throne, is that he strengthened himself against Israel, and the Lord was with him. It is nice to see that he realized his father had failed in turning to the Syrians, for it says, "he walked in the first ways of his father David." He discerned that it was David's first ways that he was to follow, for when David became powerful he did not seek the Lord as he had done earlier. Jehoshaphat, in the freshness of his zeal for the Lord, sent the Levites and the priests around in the cities of Judah who taught the law of the Lord to the people. Accordingly the Lord blessed him and made him to prosper. "Them that honor Me I will honor," is the word of the Lord who is "the same yesterday, and today, and forever." (1 Sam. 2:3030Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the Lord saith, Be it far from me; for them that honor me I will honor, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. (1 Samuel 2:30); Heb. 13:88Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. (Hebrews 13:8).) It tells us that "the fear of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat," and he "waxed great exceedingly."
Alas, how sad it is to read that when Jehoshaphat had gotten riches and honor in abundance, he joined affinity with the wicked Ahab, king of Israel. Ahab was glad to have the friendship of the king of Judah for he knew Jehoshaphat was rich and powerful. Though he had no heart whatever for the Lord himself, still he saw that the Lord was with Jehoshaphat, and selfish man that he was, he felt that he stood to gain by this friendship. How often this is so: heartless and selfish, the world will use the Christian, his ability, his energies, his means, for its own ends, while it rejects Christ to whom he owes everything. A man of the world often is glad to have a man of God join him and will flatter him, as
Ahab did Jehoshaphat by making him a feast in his honor; but this always ends in the man of God coming down to the level of the other and saying, like Jehoshaphat, "I am as thou art." How we need to be on our guard against joining with the world, even in its best appearances, while ever seeking to present Christ our Saviour as the sinner's only hope.
But one wrong step leads to another;
1 Jehoshaphat is persuaded by Ahab to i go to war with him, to try to regain Ramoth-gilead which was in the hands of the Syrians. Ahab presented the fair argument that Ramoth-gilead belonged to the land of Israel and to retake it from the Syrians was a worthy cause. Jehoshaphat replied, "my people as thy people; and we will be with thee in the war." Still the king of Judah was uneasy and requested of Ahab that he first inquire of the Lord. To accommodate him Ahab called together four hundred prophets, all of whom said, "Go up; for God will deliver it into the king's hand." But Jehoshaphat was still un'satisfied, feeling no doubt how out of place he was among all these prophets who knew not the Lord. So he asked, "Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might inquire of him?" Ahab replied that there was still another prophet, Micaiah, but he hated him because he never prophesied anything but evil against him. However, to please Jehoshaphat he would call him. How sad that Jehoshaphat should stoop so low as to acknowledge the false prophets in order to gratify Ahab! We may think to commend truth to worldly people by an effort to conform to their ways, but in reality we expose it to secret contempt and scorn.
Messages of the Love of God 8/3/1958