Oct 21, 2024
Scripture Reading: 2 Chronicles 16:13 - 17:6
Jehoshaphat was the 4th king in the kingdom of Judah. The summary description of his life is given as follows: "The LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the earlier ways of his father David. He did not seek the Baals, but sought the God of his father and walked in his commandments, and not according to the practices of Israel . . . His heart was courageous in the ways of the LORD" (2 Chr 17:3,4,6).
Although he was one of the better kings of Judah and served God, for the most part, there are incidents in his life in which he was guilty of serious compromise … serious enough that two different prophets confronted him about his actions, declaring to him both God's displeasure and judgment.
Jehoshaphat attempted to bring spiritual vitality to the people of Judah by dispatching teachers of the Mosaic law and judges to bring justice (2 Chr 17:7-9; 19:5-11). Under Jehoshaphat's rule the people of Judah experienced prosperity and peace (2 Chr 17:10-19).
Jehoshaphat's weakness was his willingness to align himself with two wicked kings of the northern kingdom of Israel … Ahab and his son Azariah. He did this through the marriage of his son, Jehoram, to Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab (2 Chr 18:1; 21:1,6), military alliance (2 Chr 18:3), and a cooperative ship-building venture (2 Chr 20:35-37). Because of this compromise, God's judgment fell on Jehoshaphat (2 Chr 19:2; 20:37).
The life of Jehoshaphat is a clarion call to us for wholehearted allegiance to God … beckoning us to resist compromise regarding things we ought not compromise.