Godless Influence of Ungodly Alliances

Transcript

GRS 2-102
03/09/2008
Godless Influence of Ungodly Alliances
2 Kings 3
Gil Rugh

We’re studying Israel’s history and we’ve come to 2 Kings chapter 3. I’ll be making reference to our list of the kings of Judah and Israel. If you didn’t get one or you’ve misplaced yours, they’re additional copies at the information desk in the south lobby. You can pick those up and stick them in the back of your bible so you have them handy. Second Kings and as the title, “Kings” would let you know we are studying the period in Israel’s history where they are ruled by kings. The kingdom has divided we had three kings over the United Kingdom, Saul, David and Solomon. Then under Solomon’s son, Rehoboam the kingdom divided. The northern ten tribes basically and Judah in the south along with Benjamin. Benjamin is on the boarder but Benjamin basically identified with the Southern Kingdom called Judah. The northern ten tribes referred to as Israel because they are the largest division, 10 of the 12 tribes and Judah being the dominant force in the south we call the Southern Kingdom Judah.

The first two chapters of 2 Kings brought to a conclusion the ministry of Elijah. We first met Elijah in 1 Kings chapter 17. He just appeared on the scene an established prophet and had a great ministry in Israel. In chapter two of 2 Kings, he was transported to heaven in a whirlwind. He did not have to go through the experience of death. Elijah along with Enoch the only two men to have such an opportunity to be given such a privilege. The book of Genesis tells us Enoch walked with God; and Enoch was not for God took him. Then Elijah transported to heaven. Before Elijah ended, his ministry God had told him to appoint Elisha as his successor and Elijah had done that and so with the departure of Elijah Elisha assumes the role of the leading prophet in Israel.

There are other prophets. The school of the prophets were in existence and those men did receive revelation but the leader among the prophets and the dominant prophet during this time is Elisha. His ministry is covered in chapter’s three to eight so even though we’re talking about the kings of Israel in chapters’ three to eight the prophetic influence in Israel during this time is Elisha. As we have noted it is interesting these two great prophets Elijah and Elisha both carry on their prophetic ministry in the north to the northern ten tribes, which are much more corrupted than the Southern Kingdom is and we’ll see Elisha’s ministry come to the fore again in our section in chapter three.

Chapter 3 unfolds a battle that Israel had with Moab and Israel is joined in this battle with the Southern Kingdom’s army. The Northern Kingdom and the Southern Kingdom will join together to do battle with the army of the Moabites. They are enemies of Israel. The Ammonites the Moabites and the Edomites are on the east side of the Dead Sea and the Jordan River. You come down that area the Ammonites, the Moabites and the Edomites and as you would expect with their proximity to Israel there is going to be conflict and that’s what chapter three is about, a conflict with the Moabites.

Following the death of Ahab that godless king of the Northern Kingdom, whose wife was Jezebel, following the death of Ahab; Jezebel is still living. We haven’t gotten to the time of her death yet. He is followed, Ahab by his son Ahaziah. Look on your chart of Israel’s kings. You see the eighth king was Ahab he’s followed by his son Ahaziah. Ahaziah reigned only two years. Remember he was injured in a fall at his palace and as a result of that fall, he dies. He sought counsel outside of Israel from the gods of the Philistines and so the prophet comes to tell him he will die of his injuries so he reigns only two years. He had no children so his younger brother Jehoram assumes the throne.

Ahaziah was the ninth king, Jehoram is the tenth king, and as I noted in our previous study you have to be careful because you have an overlap here. The king of the northern ten tribes and the king of the Southern Kingdom over Judah have the same name and their reigns coincide to a large extent. You’ll note the fifth king of Judah on your list on the green sheet is Jehoram and the tenth king in Israel is Jehoram and you’ll note both of their reigns cover a similar period of time both concluding in 841. You just have to be aware so you don’t get confused. We have two different kings they share the same name and we’ll see some of their interaction as we move through this section.

The opening verses of chapter three a summary of Jehoram’s reign. Now we’re talking about the northern king Jehoram. Now Jehoram the son of Ahab became king over Israel at Samaria . . . Samaria remember is the capital for the Northern Kingdom . . . in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah and reigned twelve years. He did evil in the sight of the LORD, though not like his father and his mother . . . Ahab and Jezebel were his parents . . . for he put away the sacred pillar of Baal, which his father had made. We won’t go back but in 1 Kings chapter 16 verse 32, you remember when Jezebel came to be the wife of Ahab she brought the worship of Baal in and Ahab built a temple and a pillar for the worship of Baal. Now here we’re told that even though this son of Ahab Jehoram was an evil king he was not a godly king he wasn’t as bad as his father and his mother and he did do away with the pillar of Baal and removed that as a focal point.

Nevertheless, he clung to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel sin; he did not depart from them. You’ll remember the sins of Jeroboam were that he established calf worship at Bethel in the south and at Dan in the north for the ten tribes. Those centers of false worship continue under Jehoram so he’s an evil king he’s just not as evil as his father was. Verse four, you get into the conflict and in verses four to seven—let me just read verse four. Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and used to pay the king of Israel 100,000 lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams. But . . . when Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. Interesting here Mesha king of Moab.

In 1868 in Palestine, they found what is known as the Moabite Stone and the Moabite Stone was a record written by Mesha the king of Moab, the very king we’re talking about here. You’ll see--you go to a bible encyclopedia or an atlas and they’ll have a picture of it. It’s a stone and it’s shaped like many of our old gravestones were. It’s not a gravestone but it has that shape and then he has recorded things on this stone and what he records is the battle, the events of the battle here that we have recorded in 2 Kings chapter 3. It’s an interesting correspondence to find an archeological evidence of great archeological interest. On that stone, he says part of the quote. “As for Omri king of Israel, he humbled Moab many years and his son . . . who would have been Ahab . . . followed him and he also said, I will humble Moab.”

If you look on your chart of the kings of Israel, Omri was the father of Ahab so Mesha is saying that Omri was a very effective and powerful military commander. Remember his ruler ship. He subjugated Moab and Ahab continued that so now with the death of Ahab as you might expect the Moabites think this is time to break loose and you see they were paying a heavy tribute a 100,000 lambs a year and the wool from a 100,000 rams. The king of Moab rebels against the king of Israel and King Jehoram went out of Samaria at that time and mustered all Israel. Then he went and sent word to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah so King Jehoram king of the northern ten tribes sends word to King Jehoshaphat king of Judah, saying, “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?” And Jehoshaphat said, “I will go up; I am as you are my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” In other words, my army will be one with your army.

It’s interesting Jehoshaphat will be an interesting character, we’re going to look more at him in a little bit. He previously had aligned himself with Jehoram’s father Ahab to go into battle. Just turn back a couple pages to chapter 22 of 1 Kings, verse three. The king of Israel said to his servants, “Do you know Ramoth-gilead belongs to us, we are doing nothing to take it out of the hand of the king of Aram?” He said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to battle at Ramoth-gilead?” Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “I am as you are my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” So the same king of arrangement Jehoshaphat made with Ahab when he was king he now enters into with Ahab’s son Jehoram.

This was a natural alliance for several reasons. Number one Jehoshaphat was joined to the family of Ahab by marriage. Jehoshaphat’s son was married to Jehoram’s sister so Jehoram the king of Israel has a sister Athaliah. Athaliah was married to Jehoshaphat’s son so you have a political alliance here by marriage. Jehoshaphat had given his son to marry Jehoram’s sister so you have a connection here that would tie them together. We’ll see more of that in a little bit. Secondly, Jehoshaphat had entered into an agreement of peace with Israel back in chapter 22 verse 44. We were told that Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel so that alliance continues on.

Thirdly, as you might expect Jehoshaphat would benefit from the defeat of Moab. Again, we’ll see something of a conflict that arose between Judah and Moab. Earlier Moab had invaded Judah and caught them by surprise so a strong Moab was a threat to Israel I mean their border. You have the Dead Sea, if you will, separating basically Moab from Judah so a strong Moab is a constant threat to Israel. They have tried to assert their power and influence in Israel already so it just makes good military sense if you will.

Verse 8 tells you now the armies joined-together and they are going to come down, around and into the region of Moab but they’re going to have trouble. What happens is since Moab is on the eastern side of the Dead Sea they’re going to come down around the southern end of the Dead Sea and up into Moab with their armies. So verse eight, He said, “Which way shall we go up?” And he answered, “The way of the wilderness of Edom” because now you come down around the bottom of the Dead Sea and it brings you into the territory of the Edomites, Edom. So they’ll come through that and up into Moab.

They made a circuit of seven days’ journey . . . but there’s a problem . . . and there was no water for the army or for the cattle that followed them. Now you’ve got the armies of Israel the armies of Judah and all that they have to bring. They have to bring their provisions the cattle and everything for the armies, they get down here, and there’s no water. You spend seven days you can see you can quickly have a crisis of water for this large contingent of soldiers and animals accompanying them. Then the king of Israel said, “Alas! For the LORD has called these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab.” The king of Israel, Jehoram says you know we’re allied here we have the king of Israel the king of Judah and the king of Edom has joined in this since they come through his territory and he has reason to want to subjugate Moab as well. The LORD’S brought us out here to destroy us. We’ll die of thirst in the desert.

Verse 11 Jehoshaphat and Jehoshaphat is a godly king that’s the testimony of scripture regarding him; he’s a godly king. We’re going to look at him in 2 Chronicles in a little bit. Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not a prophet of the LORD here that we may inquire of the LORD by him?” One of the king of Israel’s servants answered and said, “Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who used to pour water on the hands of Elijah” so there is a prophet they can inquire of; Jehoshaphat wants a prophet of the Lord. The Northern kingdom had many prophets. Now remember we’re in the southern--we’re down south now. We’ve left the Northern Kingdom, we’ve come down along the Dead Sea through Judah around Edom and coming up into Moab and they know Elisha is here. Elisha may be traveling with the armies of Israel. We’re not told. It’s the Northern Kingdom, who is aware of where Elisha is. He can say that Elisha is here, the king’s servant, so he may have been traveling with the armies of Israel during this time, we’re not told. Elisha’s here. He was the servant of Elijah when he poured water on the hands of Elijah. He served as Elijah’s servant until Elijah was taken to heaven.

You know this same thing happened when Jehoshaphat went to war with Ahab earlier. Back up to 1 Kings 22 again. Remember he has said in verse four the same thing he told Jehoram. We read in chapter 22 of 1 Kings verse 4, Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel who was Ahab at that time. “I am as you are my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” He makes his commitment then he says please before we go let’s inquire of the LORD and he wants a prophet of the LORD to give a word not the prophets of Baal or the prophets of Bethel associated with the calf worship. Verse eight Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, there’s one man here who is a prophet of the LORD but I can’t stand him. He always says bad things about me so they send for Micaiah the prophet. Micaiah came and gave his prophecy and it was a prophecy of destruction. The armies of Israel were going to be defeated and Ahab was going to die in battle but Jehoshaphat follows the same pattern. He’s a godly man. He knows he needs a word from the LORD but he has a tendency to get ahead of himself and enter into improper ungodly relationships and that’s what he is doing here.

Come back to 2 Kings chapter three verse 13. Elisha is brought before the kings and Elisha said to the king of Israel, “What do I have to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father and to the prophets of your mother.” I mean you have to admire the courage of the prophets. Elisha has no respect for Jehoram the godless king of Israel and Elisha says why are you calling for me? You have your own prophets. You have the prophets of your father and your mother. Go to them if you want a word. The king of Israel said to him verse 13, “No for the LORD has called these three kings together to give them into the hand of Moab.” Jehoram is convinced God has brought the armies out here to destroy them. You know Jehoram may be well aware he may have been present with his father when his father went to war earlier with Jehoshaphat as an ally when Elijah came and addressed his father and the message there was what, judgment and destruction and it was there that Ahab would die. So he says I know the LORD’S brought these armies together to destroy them. So verse 14, Elisha said, “As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look at you nor see you.”

I mean he is talking to the king of Israel. These were not nice men. You know a man speaks the word and on the human level he could have, Elisha executed on the spot for talking like this. Remember Elisha lives in Samaria the capital of the Northern Kingdom. That’s where he has taken up residence. He basically tells Jehoram I have no respect for you. I wouldn’t even look at you. I wouldn’t even appear before you but I do have respect for Jehoshaphat and because he is present, I am going to give you a word from the LORD.

So bring me the musician and the musician comes and plays. We’re not told why he wanted the music perhaps to create a quiet setting where his mind could be open to what the Spirit of the Lord would say to him. The musician plays and the LORD came upon him. So verse 16 he said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Make this valley full of trenches.’ “For thus says the LORD, ‘You shall not see wind nor shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, so that you shall drink, you and your cattle and your beasts. “This is but a slight thing in the sight of the LORD; He shall also give the Moabites into your hand. ‘Then you shall strike every fortified city, every choice city, fell every good tree and stop all springs of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones.’” The message from the LORD you’re going to have water and I’m going to provide it supernaturally. You’re not going to have a rainstorm you’re not going to have the wind--blows up the rain or whatever. Water is just going to appear in the streams and rivers and furthermore I am going to give the Moabites into your hand and you totally defeat them and you destroy the land.

They didn’t have a view of being green like is so popular today and so what they do they cut down all the trees. You’re going to make the land barren and then all the soldiers would go and carry stones and rocks and throw it all over the land that could be farmed because you know you’re just ruining the land. So there’s plenty of rocks available so now to have thousands of soldiers carrying rocks in from all over and just spreading them all over the land. Once they’re defeated, they just reducing the area to poverty. The potential starvation, you’re totally subjecting them— is what God is saying He’s going to do for them. It happened in the morning . . . verse 20 . . . about the time of offering the sacrifice, that behold, water came by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water. So all of a sudden, the rivers just start running and the streams start running. There’s amble water everywhere so the soldiers can drink, the animals can drink. They’re all refreshed now they’re ready.

Now, all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them. And all who were able to put on armor and older were summoned and stood on the border. They rose early in the morning, the sun shone on the water, and the Moabites saw the water opposite them, as red as blood; and their thought is there’s been a great slaughter. You know what happened. The kings, those three kings whose armies came together—you know they didn’t have enough in common they’ve turned against each other and slaughtered each other. “This is blood; . . . it looks like blood to them as they look . . . Now therefore, Moab to the spoil!” Verse 23. Let’s go down there and gather up all the booty but when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites arose and struck the Moabites, so they fled before them; and they went forward into the land, slaughtering the Moabites.

I mean the Moabites are totally caught off guard they’re running down here to gather spoils. They’re not thinking of being ready for a battle. They thought the battle was over. They arrive, you have the armies of Israel and the allies all ready for them and they just start slaughtering the Moabites. Now you have chaos. You have confusion. You have the armies of the Moabites on the run and they are being slaughtered. Thus, they destroyed . . . verse 25 . . . the cities; each one threw a stone on every piece of good land and filled it. They stopped all the springs of water . . . and filled it up with rocks and sand and so on so there’ no springs to get drinking water. They cut down all the good trees, until in Kir-hareseth only they left its stones; however, the slingers went about it and struck it. When the king of Moab saw the battle was too fierce for him, he took with him 700 men who drew swords, to break through to the king of Edom; but they could not.

You see what happens here. He takes now a contingent of his best soldiers, 700 who are going to break through the lines of the enemy so he can escape but they couldn’t. Then he took his oldest son who was to reign in his place, and offered him as a burnt offering on the wall. He goes up onto the wall of the city and he makes a mini altar with a fire. He takes his oldest son who should have been his heir, become the next king and he offers him as a burnt sacrifice to the god of the Moabites. We’re told, there came great wrath against Israel, and they departed from him and returned to their own land. Now sometimes we read this and think it was the wrath of God, the God of Israel against Israel but Israel didn’t do anything here. I don’t think this is God’s wrath against Israel. I think what happens here this evidently motivates the Moabites and they are stirred up in wrath and anger. In light of this activity, they believe that their god will respond. Israel may be somewhat sickened by it but at any rate they retreat and return to their own land. Moab has been defeated they’ve been crushed. This activity may have stirred up the Moabites but there’s no reason. They’re ready to go home; so they return home the battle’s over.

The book of Deuteronomy chapter 12 verse 31; chapter 18 verse 10 forbids human sacrifice but Israel’s not offering this so there’s nothing here to bring God’s wrath on Israel. This is what the pagan king of the Moabites did so I don’t think the wrath here is necessarily from God against Israel but maybe just the wrath of the Moabites and the stirring of them up that causes Israel to decide—we’ve done enough. If it’s going to become this kind of battle, we have won. We’ve ruined the land we’ve crushed the army. They return home.

I want to turn with you for the rest of our time over to 2 Chronicles. I want to follow a little bit this man
Jehoshaphat. Remember the book of Kings concentrates on the kings of Israel, the Northern Kingdom. Chronicles covers the same basic ground but it focuses on the kings of the Southern Kingdom, Judah. If you want to find out more about the kings of the Southern Kingdom we go to the book of 2 Chronicles and we’ll pick up with chapter 17 because chapters 17 to 20 of 2 Chronicles talk about Jehoshaphat and he plays a key role in 2 Kings chapter 3. He’s been a key individual during the time when Ahab reigned. When Ahaziah would have reigned for his two years and then now when Jehoram is reigning. He has a family connection because his son is married into the family of Ahab. Jehoram’s sister is married remember to his son.

He’s a man who seeks the LORD both when he went to war with Ahab--first he wanted a message from a true prophet of God. When he went to war with Jehoram, he wanted a message from a true prophet of God. Jehoshaphat was the son of Asa. If you look on the kings of Judah Asa was a godly king. He had a long reign over Judah. Asa was a godly king and his son is also a godly king. Look at verse three of chapter 17 of 2 Chronicles. The chapter opened up Jehoshaphat his son became king in his place, in the place of Asa his father. Verse 3, The LORD was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the example of his father David’s earlier days and did not seek the Baals, but sought the God of his father, followed His commandments, did not act as Israel did. So the LORD established the kingdom in his control, all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat he had great riches and honor. He took great pride in the ways of the LORD and again removed the high places and the Asherim from Judah. So these places of false worship. He delights to honor the LORD.

He is a godly king however; he does some strange things as a godly man. He enters into some alliances that ought not to be entered into by a godly king. Down to chapter 18. Now Jehoshaphat had great riches and honor and he allied himself by marriage with Ahab. By what? By having his son marry Ahab’s daughter Athaliah. Now he’s got great riches and honor. The LORD has blessed him; the LORD has given him a secure kingdom. Why in the world does he have to get into this kind of alliance and relationship? It’s going to have devastating consequences for Judah. He has his son marry Athaliah. Now we talked about Jehoram.

Go to 2 Chronicles chapter 21 and see what is happening in this whole alliance; verse five. Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. He walked in the way of the kings of Israel . . . now he’s reigning in Jerusalem. This Jehoram is going to reign over Judah. He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab did . . . why . . . (for Ahab’s daughter was his wife), and he did evil in the sight of the LORD. Now you see by this marriage that Jehoshaphat has arranged for his son with a daughter of Ahab—he has brought the godless influence of the family of Ahab and Jezebel into the Southern Kingdom. Jehoshaphat is basically a godly man but his ungodly alliances that he enters into has a totally devastating effect on his family and his son is corrupted by these relationships. He walked verse six in the way of the kings of Israel just as the house of Ahab did (for Ahab’s daughter was his wife). That will not excuse him for his guilt but it does show the devastating consequences of this influence in his life.

The child born to Jehoram and Athaliah will be corrupted by this influence as well. Look in chapter 22 verse two. Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. Ahaziah succeeded his father so if you’re on the kings of Judah you had Jehoram who succeeded Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat is the fourth king, Jehoram is the fifth king, and Ahaziah is the sixth king. Ahaziah . . . verse two . . . was twenty-two years old when he became king, he reigned one year in Jerusalem and his mother’s name was Athaliah the granddaughter of Omri. Omri, this is the start of that family dynasty. Omri who was the father of Ahab, the father of Ahaziah, the father-- and they have also the father of Jehoram and so now we’ve got this godless influence. His mother’s name was Athaliah. He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab for his mother was his counselor to do wickedly. I mean just like Jezebel had such a devastating influence in the Northern Kingdom. Now you have this wife of the king and then mother of the next king who exercises just as devastating influence. He did evil in the sight of the LORD like the house of Ahab for they were his counselors after the death of his father to his destruction.

Did Jehoshaphat think you know I entered this alliance it’s going to be the destruction of my son, it’s going to be the destruction of my grandson, it’s going to bring devastating consequences on my kingdom and we’re not done because you know what happens next? There’s one woman who will ascend the throne out of the forty kings, twenty over Israel twenty over Judah. Out of those forty kings, the rulers, there will be one woman and if you have your kings of Judah, we have to have one king who is a queen; number seven, Athaliah. Look down in verse 10 of chapter 22. Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she rose and destroyed all the royal offspring of the house of Judah. This literally the grandmother from hell. The king’s [Jehoshaphat’s] daughter took Joash the son of Ahaziah from among the king’s sons being put to death and placed him and his nurse in the bedroom. They hide one surviving heir of the king and so Athaliah didn’t put him to death. He was hidden. Athaliah reigned over the land for six years.

I mean all this--what happened? Jehoshaphat who is prospered by God given victory over his enemies, given wealth and riches chooses to enter into a marriage alliance with the king of the Northern Kingdom and he just opens the door for a sewer of degrading influence into his own family and it just doesn’t go away once it’s there. It corrupts his son, corrupts his grandson, leads to a godless woman Athaliah reigning over the Southern Kingdom for six years, devastating influence as a result of that activity.
Jehoshaphat not only entered into that marriage alliance as we’ve already seen in 1 Kings 22 he joined an alliance with Ahab to do battle over Ramoth-gilead. Come back to 2 Chronicles chapter 18. We’ll stay in 2 Chronicles here for now. We’ve already looked at this account. It’s the same account as we had in 1 Kings chapter 22 verse three where we’ve read, Ahab asked Jehoshaphat will he go to battle with him to secure Ramoth-gilead. Jehoshaphat said yes I’ll go to battle with you my army will be one with your army.

You know he’s sternly rebuked for that. After Ahab dies in the battle and so on and Jehoshaphat is spared and returns home--chapter 19 of 2 Chronicles. Then Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned in safety to his house in Jerusalem. Jehu the son of Hanani the seer [the prophet] went out to meet him and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD and so bring wrath on yourself from the LORD?” What a rebuke, what are you thinking, what are you doing joining an alliance with Ahab and then going to war with him. You want to bring the wrath of God on yourself. Somehow, Jehoshaphat missed the message. Now remember Jehoshaphat did inquire of the LORD but after he made his commitment.

You remember the account back in chapter 18 verse three; we’ve reiterated it where Jehoshaphat told Ahab my army is your army. It’s as if my army belonged to you but it’s not until after that Jehoshaphat says you know I’d like to hear from a prophet of the LORD. Oh, you make your commitments you make your binding agreements now let’s go see what the LORD has to say about the decision I already made. The LORD speaks to the prophet and says what’s going to happen but then He has a prophet come and rebuke Jehoshaphat for being involved in this at all. He shouldn’t have entered in to such an alliance.

He responds. Look at verse four of chapter 19 of 2 Chronicles. So Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem, went out again among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim brought them back to the LORD, and the God of their fathers. I mean he is working to call Israel back to the LORD to do away with any false worship and so on. He was attacked in a surprise attack by Moab and Ammon, they come across the Dead Sea, we’re down where Masada is, and up to Engedi on the western side of the Dead Sea. He sought the LORD and he was given a great victory that’s what chapter 20 is about of 2 Chronicles. It came about after this the sons of Moab and the sons of Ammon, together with some of the Meunites, came to make war against Jehoshaphat. Then some came and reported to Jehoshaphat, saying, “A great multitude is coming against you, beyond the sea, out of Aram behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar (that is Engedi).” They’ve already crossed the Dead Sea they’re at Engedi; they’re in the land so it is a surprise attack from across the sea to catch them by surprise.

Jehoshaphat was afraid, he turned his attention to seek the LORD, proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. I mean here you see the reaction of a godly man. He calls Judah together for prayer to seek the LORD. Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah in Jerusalem, at the temple at the house of the LORD. He said, “O LORD, the God of our fathers, are You not God in the heavens? Are you not ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand so that no one can stand against You. “Did You not, O our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel, give it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever? “They have lived in it, built You a sanctuary there for Your name, saying, ‘Should evil come upon us, the sword, or judgment, pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house, before You (for Your name is in this house) cry to You in our distress, You will hear and deliver us.’

“Now behold, the sons of Ammon, Moab, Mount Seir, whom You did not let Israel invade . . . and so on they’ve come. Verse 12, “Oh our God, will You not judge them? We are powerless before this great multitude . . . we don’t know what to do our eyes are on You. All Judah was standing before the LORD, with their families and then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah . . . verse 14. He said verse 15, “Listen, all Judah inhabitants of Jerusalem, King Jehoshaphat: thus says the LORD, “Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God’s. Verse 17, ‘You need not fight this battle; station yourselves, stand see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf . . . Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, the LORD is with you.”

What faith! You know what these people do. Oh, I wonder what will happen. I wonder if He will really do what He said. No! They bow down and worship the LORD. They have the Levites who lead the congregation to stand up to praise the LORD with a loud voice. I mean God’s word is as good as done. We don’t have to see the victory we have God’s word promising the victory. I mean Jehoshaphat is in many ways a stalwart of the faith a godly man. When they go out in the morning, verse 20 the middle of the verse, Jehoshaphat said, “Listen to me, O Judah inhabitants of Jerusalem, put your trust in the LORD your God and you will be established. Put your trust in His prophets and succeed.” When he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who sang to the LORD and those who praised Him in holy attire, as they went out before the army and said, “Give thanks to the LORD, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.” They began singing and praising . . . I mean that is the way to go to war. Celebrating the victory; praising God. This is the character of the man Jehoshaphat and God gives great victory. Verse 31, He reigns for twenty-five years, verse 32, he walked in the way of his father Asa and did not depart from it, doing right in the sight of the LORD.

That’s great, however, after all that he enters into another alliance with Ahab. Verse 35, we’ve already seen this in Kings. After this Jehoshaphat king of Judah allied himself with Ahaziah king of Israel. He’s back with the family of Ahab. He acted wickedly in so doing. What did they do? It was a commercial venture. They’re going to make ships and go to Tarshish and send these ships out. Well what are you doing making an alliance with the family of Ahab. Ahab’s son Ahaziah just like his father Ahab. Jehoram just like his father Ahab. So God at the end of verse 37 rebukes through another prophet. He comes to Jehoshaphat and the prophet tells him in verse 37 “Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the LORD has destroyed your works.” So the ships were broken and could not go to Tarshish. A storm evidently comes and all the ships that they had worked to build together are destroyed. There’s no profit, no commercial venture. That was recorded in 1 Kings 22 if you remember.

Now what’s next? What we have just read. You know Jehoshaphat godly man does great and godly things but at periods of his life, he enters into alliances with the godless. He’s rebuked! He seems to get back on track then he enters into another alliance. He has these periods of inconsistency in his life that are disastrous so we’ve just filled in the details. We’re ready for his alliance with Jehoram, which we just went through, and we can trace in those alliances, the marriage alliance then entering into an agreement to work with Ahab then to enter into a commercial agreement with Ahab’s son Ahaziah then entering into another military agreement with the son of Ahab Jehoram. Godless things to do. I mean he is sternly rebuked as we saw by the prophet back in chapter 19 verse two. “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD and bring wrath on yourself . . . how sad, he will not live to see the full consequences of his actions what the character of his son will be as he comes under the influence of the family of Ahab particularly through his wife Athaliah. What will happen with his grandson? What will happen to his descendants who are slaughtered by Athaliah when she attempts to destroy any legitimate heirs so she can take the throne and it brings six devastating years of the reign of this godless woman on Israel.

Turn over to the New Testament, 2 Corinthians chapter six. You know we want to have godly lives. When I think of a man like Jehoshaphat look at his life, there are things that I admire greatly about him. There are things I want to learn from him. It’s not enough to be pretty consistent. Those lapses of faithfulness can have devastating consequences. In 2 Corinthians chapter six verse 14, Paul gives instructions to the Corinthians here and he picks up from the instructions God gave to his people Israel in the Old Testament and he says Do not be bound together with unbelievers. We sometimes quote this for marriage but that’s not all it is talking about; Do not be bound together with unbelievers for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness or what fellowship has light with darkness? What harmony has Christ with Belial or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, “I WILL DWELL WITH THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; I WILL BE THEIR GOD THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. “Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE,” says the Lord. “DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; and I will welcome you. “I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me,” says the LORD Almighty. Therefore having these promises beloved let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Don’t you wonder what Jehoshaphat was thinking when he gave his son to be married to the daughter of Ahab? Didn’t he want his son to be a godly man? I mean this man was going to succeed him; he had the responsibility for the oversight of God’s people in Judah. What was he thinking? What good could come of his son being married to the daughter of Ahab? What good could come? I mean the Lord gives him victories without fighting. Why does he have to enter into alliances with the ungodly? It made sense to him obviously, because he repeatedly fell into this error. You know we just need to be careful. We look at that and I say why would he do that but you know as I think about it I’m sure it made perfect sense to Jehoshaphat when he did it. Just like when we do things that are out of character and contrary to what the Lord has. We have good reasons why it made sense to us at the time. We ought to be reminded by these events that they never make sense.

If we look back on our history, we’d say the same thing. There was no good reason to do that. Why would he do that? He had riches, he had wealth, he had a kingdom, he had the blessing of God when the armies came up and surprised him. God said that’s all right I’ll take care of it you won’t even have to fight the battle. What’s he need an alliance with Ahab for what’s he need with a relationship with the ungodly; God’s given him wealth and riches. Why does he need a commercial venture with Ahaziah the son of Ahab what has he got to do with this godless family? Why does he always want to dapple in relationships with the ungodly? One thing about history Jehoshaphat didn’t live to see the devastating consequences of his actions. We look at the history looking back we see it. That ought to drive us to want to be faithful to the Lord every day, to walk with Him not only to be godly most of the time but by God’s grace to be godly every day so our lives are a testimony for him.

Let’s pray together.
Thank you Lord for the record of your people. Lord it’s easy to sit back and be amazed at their sin their inconsistences, their failures but Lord these things are written for our admonition. There are lessons for us to learn. Lord we are reminded of your great faithfulness. How you blessed the life of Jehoshaphat. How You prospered him. Lord thank you for the faithfulness of his life the testimony of that faithfulness. Lord, we are saddened to see the inconsistency and the devastating consequences that those times of lapse of failure to be faithful; Lord the impact they had. Lord may we take those lessons to heart least we too think that these times of unfaithfulness will be ok. It won’t be so bad this will be all right I have good reasons. Lord may all of our excuses be done away with in our concern to be faithful, to trust You. You are a great God. We belong to You. You have called us to yourself. Everything pertaining to us as your children is in your hands. We can trust you and know you will be faithful. May that characterize us in our walk with you in the days of the week ahead of us; we pray in Christ’s name. Amen.







1