a. a. Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance: Because of his personal godliness (2 Chronicles 17:1-4) and public godliness (2 Chronicles 17:7-10), God blessed Jehoshaphat and exalted him among neighboring nations. i. He said, "I am as you are, and my people as your people; we will join you in the war.". God intervened to help him. I saw the Lord sitting on his throne in heaven, with all his angels standing beside him. Obviously this was thanks to the help of Jehovah. 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. To honor his ally's request, Ahab had Micaiah brought to the court. 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. 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). c. How many times shall I make you swear that you tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD? 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. But we also know that only some good kings came from the Kingdom of Judah, Jehoshaphat being one of them. Unless you do, you and your fellow citizens will feel the force of the Lord's anger. Let's go over some of the things he did. 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. Ungodly partners can lead to spiritual compromise (see 1 Corinthians 15:33). He became one of the country's most successful rulers for one simple reason: He followed the commands of God. Jehoshaphat himself stepped before the congregated crowd and fervently implored Gd for help in this hour of distress, for the sake of His own glory and the salvation of His people. Jehoshaphat, the fourth king of Judah, followed after his father, King Asa, and David's footsteps. 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. Yet so it was. (Morgan), ii. 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. First of all, the king shows us that we all can make mistakes of judgment. Jehoshaphat stumbles as well. But any that are considered must be given close scrutiny without glossing over potential difficulties. With whom did Jehoshaphat ally himself with by marriage? If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him 1 John 2:15. B. Without God's help, we can do nothing worthwhile. Ahab was penitent and humbled himself and so the Lord waited to fulfill the prophecy until Ahab's son reigned in his place. Because this king had God's interests at heart, for the most part, his reign was prosperous. I mean here, serious, committed relationships with unbelievers dating, marriage, business whatever. But Ahab devises what he thinks is a clever plan to avoid the fate prophesied by Micaiah. Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. When Jehoshaphat led the people out to meet the invaders, he ordered men to sing, praising God for his holiness. 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). An Unholy Alliance. He was 35 years old when he sat as king and reigned for 25 years until his death at age 60. Believers and unbelievers have different values and commitments. 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. Jehoshaphat and Ahab cemented their relationship by arranging a marriage between Jehoshaphat's son, Jehoram, and Ahab and Jezebel's daughter, Athaliah. . Consistent dependence on God is the only way to succeed. He walked in God's ways - "The Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the earlier ways of his father David. Jehoshaphat in the Bible was the fourth king of Judah. He thought this would help protect him against Micaiahs prophecy of doom. . The name Jehoshaphat means means "Jehovah has judged," Yahweh judges, or Yahweh establishes the right.". These are but some of Jehoshaphat's achievements. Jehoshaphat made a disastrous treaty with AHAB (as in Ahab and Jezebel). Three years later, Aram had failed to return the cities that Ben-hadad promised and so Ahab decides to go and take them for himself. God wanted to bring judgment against Ahab, so He asked this group of the host of heaven for a volunteer to lead Ahab into battle. Ahab induced or enticed him to form a league with him to retake a disputed city in northern Israel Ramoth-gilead. Ahab asks Jehoshaphat of Judah to join with him in a pact to fight against . You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. He prioritized the worship of Yahweh, the true God of Israel. i. He used horns of iron to illustrate the thrust of two powerful forces, armies that would rout the Syrians. At this point in history, the nation of Israel had split into two separate countriesone called Israel containing ten tribes and one called Judah containing two trib es. 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. Ahab was a king of Israel, first mentioned in 1 Kings 16. He builds many forts and attempts to help the kingdom prosper in a financial sense. But the world will betray you (just as Ahab set up Jehoshaphat by disguising himself and making Jehoshaphat the target of the enemy, not caring if he died). But Jehoshaphat gave a shout, and the Lord God rescued him and turned the attack away from him. It just happened, says the man of the world. "Who Is Jehoshaphat in the Bible?" 18:1 Jehoshaphat was very wealthy and greatly respected. He allied with Ahab's son, Ahaziah, in a mercantile venture until God destroyed their fleet (20:35-37; 1 Kings 22:48, 49 ). Of course, there may be some business arrangements where such matters would never be at issue. Saying "no" at this point would look 32 The chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, so they stopped pursuing him. 16, 2022, learnreligions.com/jehoshaphat-king-of-judah-4114131. 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. 7-27) should have alerted Jehoshaphat to the true character of the man he had befriended. But their joint ventures would not prosper, since God does not generally bless such dealings (compare 2 Chronicles 20:35-37). To honor Jehoshaphat and those with him, Ahab had a large number of sheep and cattle slaughtered for a feast. These were prophets happy to please their kings, and to tell them what they wanted to hear. 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). First, Jehoshaphat allied himself with Ahab by taking Ahab's daughter . 1) Jehoshaphat the faithful. Michelangelo's 'Asa-Jehoshaphat-Joram.' He was rescued on the battlefield and was allowed to continue as king. He repented when he did wrong. Yet on the other hand very few men did more than Jehoshaphat to bring the nation to the brink of ruin. The result of all this is that Jehoshaphat proclaims I am as you are, my people as your people. 1992 American Bible Society. Although Asa didnt worship the idols placed throughout Judah, he didnt do a whole lot to tear them down. 17-20 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO. (see 2 Chronicles 19). This suggests that Jehoshaphat was a strong and effective leader, who worked hard to consolidate his power and improve Judah's position. You can also change some of your preferences. And then we have one of the most interesting stories in the Bible, which we cant get into in detail, but with regard to our focus . He certainly did not walk in Gods ways. Jehoshaphat (also spelled Jehoshaphat or Yehoshafat) ( , " Yahweh is judge," Hebrew: Yhoafat) was the son and successor of Asa and king of Judah. You can check these in your browser security settings. Ahab, the king of the northern kingdom of Israel, was an evil king who, through the influence of his wife Jezebel, spread pagan practices and Baal worship. For so it was, when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him. 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. Sitting in Ahab's palace, with a feast in front of him, surrounded by Ahab and related through marriage put him in a real awkward position. Complete the following verse found in 2 Chronicles 18:1 - . 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). Jehoshaphat strengthened Judah militarily by building an army and many forts. It appears that the Israelites and Jews maintained the fight the whole of the day; but when at evening the king died, and this was known, there was a proclamation made, probably with the consent of both Syrians and Israelites, that the war was over. (Clarke), (c) 2021 TheEnduring WordBible Commentary by David Guzik ewm@enduringword.com. Stay up to date with the latest Christian news! In order to succeed, he solicited the help of King Jehoshaphat of Judah. This was a city which Ben-hadad Jehu says, Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? 19:2. 18 He followed the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for he married a . The Bible doesnt really say, but we can assume he died of old age. 28-29). Jehoshaphat may have needed a lesson on how to make smart political alliances. Jehoshaphat, though a brilliant king, fell down in all three, not only allying himself with Ahab, but also with his two sons. 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?. 8 So King Ahab called in a court official and told him to go and get Micaiah at once. 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. Ahab tells Jehoshaphat his plan. King Ahab of Israel asked King Jehoshaphat of Judah to help him in this dispute against Syria. This article is part of our People from the Bible Series featuring the most well-known historical names and figures from Scripture. 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. Even then, King Ahaziah did not humble himself and repent, as his father Ahab had done at least temporarily (1 Kings 21:17-29). At the beginning of his reign, Jehoshaphat "strengthened himself against Israel (2 Chronicles 17:1). Mindful of the fact that Judah was bordered by Moab, Ammon, and Israelall hostilehe knew he needed a strong and well-positioned military. d. I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets: Apparently, one of the fallen angels volunteered for this task. Lets explore some of these verses. a. You will remember him from the stories of Elijah. . Ahab wanted Micaiah imprisoned and deprived (feed him with bread of affliction and water of affliction). Otherwise you will be prompted again when opening a new browser window or new a tab. 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? Ahab asks him if he would go with him to take the city of Ramoth in Gilead from Syria. r. Vs. 29-40 describes the battle. Turn around and pull out of the battle! 34 While the battle raged on, King Ahab remained propped up in his chariot, facing the Syrians. 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. Answer. He led the people to be faithful as well (like his father Asa). The world will draw you in: And, when you waver, it will pressure you to conform (like Ahab bringing out 400 prophets to 1). King Jehoshaphat led a mostly prosperous life. We have different frameworks and directions to our lives. (He) sought the God of his father and walked in his commandments. That brought further stability to his kingdom. and it begins well in chapter 17. c. Now a certain man drew a bow at random, and struck the king of Israel: This seemed to be pure chance. (He) sought the God of his father and walked in his commandments. An enormous army of Moabites, Ammonites, and Meunites gathered at En Gedi, near the Dead Sea. In fact, Jehoshaphat was so blessed that aside from different nations or groups bringing tribute to him, he built citadels and storehouses in Judah, signifying much abundance. Hope Bolingeris an acquisitions editor at End Game Press, and the author 21+ books.
