Today, I am reading and commenting on  2 Chronicles 19-22.

When Jehoshaphat returned from his ill-fated alliance with Ahab (the one which led to Ahab’s death), he was confronted by a prophet.  The prophet condemned him for allying with Ahab, but also praised him for removing the Asherah poles from Judah.  Jehoshaphat then appointed judges throughout his kingdom and encouraged them to judge honestly and without bias.  He reminded them that they should serve faithfully and with fear of God.  Further when an army of Moabites and Ammonites was raised to wage war against Judah, Jehoshaphat called on the people to fast.  They gathered in Jerusalem and called upon the Lord. Another prophet prophesied that the army of Judah should go forth to face the invading army, but that they would not need to fight them.  So, the army of Judah set up from Jerusalem singing and praising God.  When they came to a place where they could oversee where the invading army would be staged for the invasion, they saw that the Moabites and Ammonites had turned on each other, wiping out the invading army.  Yet despite these good things, Jehoshaphat once more allied with an evil king of Israel, Ahab’s son.  The result of Jehoshaphat’s alliances with the wicked kings of Israel was that almost all of his descendants were killed by his son and later by his son’s widow.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on  2 Chronicles 19-22.

Whenever I read a passage like today’s about Jehoshaphat I am torn between writing about how we should be inspired to imitate his faithfulness to God and about how he fell short and brought disaster upon his sons and grandsons by allying with idol worshipers.  Today’s passage begins with the seer Jehu calling out Jehoshaphat for his alliance with Ahab and his family.  Then later in the passage, Eliezer prophesied against Jehoshaphat for allying with Ahab’s son Ahaziah to build a trade fleet.  In particular, Ahaziah prophesied that Jehoshaphat’s trade fleet would be destroyed because of that alliance.  To follow up on this, Jehoshaphat’s eldest son, Jehoram, who had married a member of Ahab’s family, killed the rest of Jehoshaphat’s son, his brothers, when he succeeded his father.

In between the two prophets I mentioned in the previous paragraph Jehoshaphat does things which should inspire us to emulate his love for God.  First, he appoints judges over the land whom he instructs to give their judgements, not for mortals, but for God.  Further, in every case they were to warn the people not to sin against the Lord.  Later, when an enemy army marched against Jerusalem, Jehoshaphat called the people to an assembly to call on God for deliverance.  In response God sent a prophet who told them, “Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged.”  Further, the prophet told them to go out to face the enemy because God would be with them.  Jehoshaphat ordered the people, an order which they gladly followed, to march out singing praises to God.  Let us follow their example and go out to face our enemies singing praise to God because of our confidence that He will deliver us.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on  2 Chronicles 19-22.

In yesterday’s passage we were told that Jehoshaphat sent people throughout his land to teach people from the Book of the Law.  Then in today’s passage, the writer tells us that he set up judges throughout the land and instructed them to judge fairly and impartially before God.  As a result of the way in which Jehoshaphat, and his father before him, ruled, when Judah was attacked by an army larger than their army could face, the people responded to Jehoshaphat’s call to prayer by turning to God.  Then, in response to the word of God given to them by a prophet, the men of Judah marched forth praising God to face the invaders.  And, as prophesied, the invaders turned on each other and completely destroyed themselves before they ever faced the army of Judah.  Yet for all of the good which Jehoshaphat did during his reign, his alliance with King Ahaz of Israel by marrying his son to Ahab’s daughter led to the death of all of his sons and grandsons, with only his great grandson surviving to eventually take the throne.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 2 Chronicles 19-22.

The beginning of today’s passage really gives us an insight into the downfall of many a man, or woman, of God.  Jehu the prophet condemned Jehoshaphat for his friendship and support of King Ahab.  Yet, Jehu also praised Jehoshaphat for his commitment to seeking God.  In the description of Jehoshaphat’s reign we can see how many otherwise good leaders sow the crop of disaster for the organization they lead while leading it to new heights.  Jehoshaphat went out among the people over whom he ruled so that he understood their needs and desires.  He instructed the judges he appointed to judge so as to please God, not people.  When faced with armies attacking in overwhelming numbers, he turned to God.  He led the people to have faith in God and not fear those coming to destroy them.  As a result of their faith in God, the army of Judah was unified and confident.  Their enemies on the other hand fell to division and bickering.  If we follow this example and unify in pursuit of God’s will, we will succeed.  But, if we instead selfishly pursue our own interests we will fail.

There is another lesson to be learned here as well.  Because of Jehoshaphat’s alliance with King Ahab, his heir, Jehoram, killed all of his brothers, Jehoshaphat’s other sons.  Then, after the death of Jehoram and his son, Jehoram’s widow, Athaliah, attempted to kill all of the rest of Jehoshaphat’s male descendants.  It was only through the actions of Jehoram’s granddaughter (who was possibly Athaliah’s daughter) that Joash was saved.  It seems likely, considering the history of Ahab’s family, that it was Athaliah who convinced Jehoram to kill his brothers.