I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading. I had been using One Year Bible Online, but it was time for a change.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 2 Kings 8-9.

    We were told in earlier passages that Jehoshaphat was a king who did what was pleasing in God’s sight. However, he allied himself with the family of King Ahab of Israel, who was a wicked king. Jehoshaphat even married one of his sons to a daughter of Ahab’s family (the Biblical accounts are unclear as to whether she was Ahab’s sister, or his daughter). As a result, Jehoshaphat’s son and grandson chose to follow the example of Ahab’s family. They did evil in God’s sight. Jehoshaphat’s grandson was killed in the rebellion which overthrew Ahab’s son and destroyed all of Ahab’s family. As I said at the beginning, Jehoshaphat did what was pleasing in God’s sight, but he chose to ally with and befriend King Ahab. As a result his son and grandson did not follow his example, rather they followed the example of his friend and ally. This shows us that we need to choose our friends carefully. What influence will our choice of friends have on those who watch us? I may not have children, but if I hang out with heavy drinkers, will that lead my friends who are recovering alcoholics to fall back into drinking? (I am not sure I currently have any friends who are recovering alcoholics, but there are other ways this could apply).