Over the last two days I have enjoyed reading about King Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 17-20. He was the 4th king following King Solomon in the divided kingdom of Israel around 870 BC. Over these four chapters the Bible describes him as a good king.
17:3 – “he walked in the earlier ways of his father David.”
17:3 – “He did not seek the Baals,”
17:4 – he “sought the God of his father and walked in his commandments,”
17:4 – He did not walk “according to the practices of Israel.”
17:6 – “His heart was courageous in the ways of the Lord.”
17:6 – “he took the high places and the Asherim out of Judah.”
By the time we get to chapter 20 we gladly read.
v32 He walked in the way of Asa his father and did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the Lord.
King Jehoshaphat did some extraordinary things over his 25 year reign. He appointed a teaching team in 2 Chronicles 17:7-9 to teach the people God’s Law. He fortified the cities and built a massive military machine as described in the remainder of chapter 17.
Chapter 18 shows us one of his poor decisions. He enters into an unnecessary alliance with wicked King Ahab of Israel, to recapture some land Israel had lost. The battle claims the life of Ahab, and nearly takes the life of Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat’s deliverance was due to his prayer to the Lord.
2 Chronicles 18:31–32 31 As soon as the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “It is the king of Israel.” So they turned to fight against him. And Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him; God drew them away from him. 32 For as soon as the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.
Chapter 19 starts with a rebuke from, Jehu, one of God’s prophets. The prophet tells the king that his alliance with Ahab was a poor decision, but your heart is still in the right place (v2-3). Then we read how King Jehoshaphat issues more reforms for his nation by establishing a new judiciary (v8-11).
By the time we get to chapter 20 there is a military threat from surrounding nations and we read about how Jehoshaphat “set his face to seek the Lord” (v3). In his prayer he acknowledges his weakness and says “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you” (12). I love that prayer! The Lord gives him counsel through Jahaziel, a priest, to “stand firm and hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord” (reminiscent of Exodus 14:13). The Lord provides a mighty victory without a single sword swung.
The little nation of Judah experiences a time of rest and peace from the surrounding nations, because the fear of God was on all the kingdoms. Unfortunately, after all of these success and reforms we then read the last three verses of chapter 20 and learn that Jehoshaphat has not learned. He makes another poor decision similar to the one with Ahab. This time he makes a trade alliance with the new king of Israel, Ahaziah. Things do not go well for this joint shipping trade venture, because God disapproves of his people being in joint effort with those who hate the Lord.
No one is immune from making poor decisions even when a heart is set on doing the Lord’s will. Today, seek the face of the Lord in all things, big and small, to minimize making poor decisions.