Jehoshaphat: Going With God

II Chronicles 17-20

Introduction

It is a beautiful day. The temperature is 26 degrees and the sun is shining. Family and good friends surround you in a park set beside a clear river. You are having a good time enjoying the outdoors, enjoying the sunshine, enjoying your friends. As the call comes for supper, you notice that the food spread out on the table under the green of the shade trees looks delicious and not a single fly or mosquito have found this party.

Is that what your life is like? Is your life a picnic? Sometimes it is, but many times it is not. In fact often our lives feel like war. Having read some of your blogs this week, and having visited with some of you and having lived a similar kind of life myself, I know that many of us have had to deal with things that are no picnic - things like discouragement, illness, temptation and disappointment. We have an enemy, Satan, who is like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. He is trying to get us to give up, to quit the faith life, to allow ourselves to be overcome by disappointments and trials.

Are we always successful at fending off his attacks? The truth is that we are not. Yet, the stakes are high. To lose to Satan and his attacks is to succumb to death. To gain victory is to discover life in all its fullness. How can we live in a victorious way?

We have been studying the stories of the kings of Israel in I & II Chronicles. We have noticed that sometimes they succeeded in being faithful and sometimes they failed. Although David did not always succeed, over all, he was a man of faith and in a way became the reference point. When later kings were evaluated on their faithfulness, they were sometimes compared to David. Solomon also was a man who followed God’s way for the most part. When his son Rehoboam became king we find in 12:1 that after “he had become strong, he and all Israel with him abandoned the law of the Lord.” But later, we read in 12:6, that “the king humbled himself.” His son Abijah was a faithful follower of God and in 13:10 we have his motto, “The Lord is our God.” His son Asa we read in 14:2 “did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord.” But in 16:12 we learn that this was not always so because there it says that he “did not seek help from the Lord.” Later on Jehoram became king and he was not a follower of God. We read in 21:6 that “He did evil in the eyes of the Lord.” His epitaph was very sad. In 21:20 it says that “He passed away to no one’s regret.” How would you like to have that on your tombstone?

This morning we want to look at the life of Jehoshaphat who was the son of Asa and the father of Jehoram. His over all reputation in 17:6 is that “His heart was devoted to the ways of the Lord.” We read about the ways in which he trusted the Lord, taught the people the ways of the Lord and generally followed God. Yet he also did not always follow God and have victory in the battle. There are two stories of military battles in which he was involved. They teach us two things about this battle of life that we are in. In one case, he engaged in behaviour that led to defeat, in the other case in behaviour that led to victory. As we examine these stories, I trust that we will hear God’s word, as we discover it in II Chronicles 17-20, and hear what God’s word has to say to us about victory in the battle for life.

Should You Love Those Who Hate The Lord?

Jehoshaphat’s Story

The first story we will look at begins in II Chronicles 18 and tells us that Jehoshaphat had made an alliance with Ahab, king of Israel, by marriage. What happened is that his son Jehoram married the daughter of Ahab whose name was Athaliah. In those days, some of the marriages which took place were not marriages of love, but marriages of political alliance. The intent of this marriage was to prevent Judah and Israel from fighting each other. The problem was that Ahab was a wicked king. His wife was Jezebel and together they had led Israel deeper and deeper into pagan religions.

Yet, at the same time, we can see how it could be looked at as a good thing to make this alliance. Judah and Israel were the same family and had been one nation at one time.

Because they were allied together, Jehoshaphat went to visit Ahab in Samaria. While there, Ahab wined and dined him and invited him to join him in attacking Ramoth Gilead. As was his habit, Jehoshaphat wanted to consult God. So Ahab gathered 400 of his prophets and they all said the same thing – “you are going to be successful.” These prophets were not necessarily those who could find out what God wanted, but like the pagan nations, did unusual things to entice the gods to listen to them. It is interesting that, in 18:6, Jehoshaphat asked Ahab, “Is there not a prophet of the Lord here whom we can inquire of?” It seems that all 400 prophets were not actually prophets of God, but simply were there to tell the king what he wanted to hear. When Micaiah, who was a prophet of the Lord, was called, the answer was quite different. He warned that the outcome of the attack was not going to be successful and that instead, they would be defeated. It says in 18:16, “I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd, and the Lord said, ‘These people have no master. Let each one go home in peace.’” The prophesy declared two things. One that they would be defeated and the other that Ahab, the master of the people, would be killed.

It is puzzling why Jehoshaphat, after hearing such a prophecy from one who was a prophet of God, would still agree to go to war. Because of the alliance, was too proud and ashamed and fearful to speak out against Ahab’s plan and didn’t want to go against him. It is also interesting that Ahab had a sense that things would not go well. In the battle, he chose not to identify himself as the commander of the army, but to put on a soldiers gear and hide himself in anonymity. Jehoshaphat, however, was clearly identified as king in the battle. The enemy had determined to focus their attack on Ahab. In spite of this little game of hide and seek, Jehoshaphat survived the battle and went home again unharmed. Ahab, on the other hand, was killed seemingly by accident. But it was no accident, for God is sovereign and you can’t hide from Him.

In II Chronicles 19:1 we learn that Jehoshaphat returned safely to his palace, but when he got there, Jehu the prophet confronted him with a very significant question. He asked him in 19:2, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord?”

Let’s Talk About It

In this question we have a very important concept raised. It identifies one of the ways in which we are in danger of losing in the battle in which we find ourselves. It invites us to ask, “When are we in danger that drags us down and causes us to enter into defeat at the hands of Satan? What kinds of relationships can we have with others who do not follow the Lord? When are we compromising our faith?”

The answer to these questions is not all that simple.

The New Testament speaks about this issue as well. II Corinthians 6:14,15 says, “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?” When we read these verses it seems pretty clear that we need to avoid contact with those who do not follow the Lord. This would put us into a safe place and we would not be in danger of what happened to Jehoshaphat.

The only problem is that the Bible has some other things to say about this that are quite opposite. Paul, who makes this statement, also says in I Corinthians 5:9-11, “I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people – not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world.” In this verse, he is not telling us to avoid unbelievers at all, but recognizes that we can not and indeed should not avoid them. Why should we not avoid them? How can we be the light of Christ in the world if we are not in contact with the people of the world. Jesus himself fellowshipped with sinners to the extent that he was identified with them. About him it was said, in Luke 7:34, “The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’”

I believe that the story of Jehoshaphat helps us understand how we should deal with this issue.

I believe that the association which we are to avoid is one in which we are in a covenant relationship with unbelievers. That is, we should avoid associations in which we are in relationships, by legal or social contract, in which we could be forced to decide between obedience to God and maintaining the relationship. For example, if Jehoshaphat agreed to go to war with Ahab, he knew that this was against God’s will. If he refused to go to war, he created difficulties for his son and daughter-in-law and also for his relationship with Ahab.

The principle is that any situation which involves a covenant that could force a compromise should be avoided. On the other hand, if we are able to be an influence in a relationship and not be in any danger of being influenced, then we should have complete freedom to enter into those kinds of relationships. Therefore, a Christian should never marry an unbeliever. This is exactly that kind of a covenant relationship in which such a difficult choice may have to be made. The danger is obvious and a clear and faithful walk with Christ is difficult in such a case. Therefore, we should be careful about what kind of business relationships we enter into. Where else might this apply? The principle is clear. May God help us to be wise in applying it.

The danger which such a failure represents is great. Jehoshaphat’s relationship ended up in disaster. In fact, as we read on, we see the evil influence of this alliance two generations later. Jehoram, who was married to Athaliah, was a wicked king and likely so because of her influence. When he died, Athaliah killed all the heir’s to the throne except one and became the queen of the nation of Judah for a little while and continued her reign of evil.

So the first lesson on living a victorious life is to avoid relationships which could lead us to compromise our walk with God.

The Battle Is Not Yours, But God’s

Jehoshaphat’s Story

The second story is told in II Chronicles 20 and involves another battle. But the outcome is quite different.

This time the Moabites, Ammonites and Meunites came with a vast army to attack Judah, as we read in 20:2. In the next verse we read “Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah.” Things were serious and so they looked to the only source of help.

In his prayer in 20:6-12, Jehoshaphat declared that they relied on God because He is the God who rules over the nations, who has power and might and whom no one can withstand. He reflects on the past acts of God in verse 7 when he mentions that God was the one who had driven out the inhabitants of the land and given the land to them and that they had not provoked this enemy and that the enemy had no right to this land because of these promises and past acts of God. It is interesting that he makes reference to the temple where people can come to meet with God and seek God, according to the promise made to Solomon in II Chronicles 7. Then in 20:12 he makes a humble plea for God to act. He says, “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you.” What a wonderful prayer - a great model for prayer when we are in trouble.

Now we have looked at this idea of prayer and seeking God and depending on God before and it is a good reminder of this lesson. But something else happens in this story that is a great lesson for us as well.

A prophet of God named Jahaziel spoke to all the people after Jehoshaphat had completed his prayer. The prophet assured them that God was indeed with them and in fact he tells them in 20:17, “you will not have to fight this battle.”

What happens next is amazing and a wonderful lesson for victory. We read in 20:21, “Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendour of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying, ‘Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.’”

Then, in the next verse, we read, “As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir…and they were defeated.” What happened was that all these enemies began to fight against each other and they totally destroyed each other. All Judah did was gather the spoils of war, and there were a lot because these people had come ready to move in and settle in the land.

Let’s Talk About It

When our enemy appears on the horizon and we are fearful and in danger of falling to his attacks, one of the primary weapons of attack which we have at our disposal is prayer.

John Piper puts it this way, “When our lives are threatened—when our faith is threatened or our marriage or the morality of our children or the fire of our worship—when we are threatened by any of Satan's devices, we should seek the Lord and fast in earnest prayer. O, that we would learn to pray the way Jehoshaphat prays here.”

The second great weapon at our disposal and the one I would like to focus on in this message is praise. I like what Piper says about this strategy in the battle. He writes in a sermon on this text, “…I think that the writer of this book wants to make it clear that, even though the victory belongs to God, the human means through which God gives victory is the ministry of the choir…Spiritual worship and spiritual warfare should be carried out with singing…the enemies of God are thrown into confusion by the songs of God's people. Or to put it another way, God has appointed the use of spiritual songs as an effective weapon against his archenemy Satan.”

This is not last time that God’s people have gained victory by praising God. When Paul and Silas were in Philippi, they were arrested. Acts 16:22-24 indicates that they were stripped, beaten, flogged and thrown into prison where their feet were put in stocks. This was no nice clean prison with thick mattresses and a washroom in every room. It was a dark, dank, smelly place filled with rats, germs and filth. They were bleeding, bruised and in pain. They had been trying to do God’s work. They had done nothing wrong. They had every right to be treated as noble citizens because they were Roman citizens. Yet here they were in the worst possible situation. What does the Bible say they did next? Acts 16:25 says, “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God…” Of course we know what happened next. The prison doors opened and they were released and they were able to witness to the jailer who became a believer. God gave victory as they led out in praise to Him. Piper asks and answers, “Why were they singing? I think they were singing because they needed a display of God's power. They had learned that singing to God is not merely a response to his grace but also a weapon of spiritual warfare. They had learned like Jehoshaphat and like many of us that the enemies of God are thrown into confusion by the songs of God's people.”

A while ago I read a biography of Amy Carmichael who was a missionary in India. She said, "I believe truly that Satan cannot endure it and so slips out of the room—more or less—when there is a true song."

Piper tells this story, “…years ago I was called late one night to come to an apartment where supposedly there was a demon-possessed woman. I called Tom Steller and we went together while our wives prayed at home. What we found was a woman held in a room by some young Christian women who were intent on seeing the demon driven out of this woman. For about two hours I talked to her and read her Scriptures and prayed prayers of deliverance.

“She became increasingly violent, knocking the Bible out of my hand and grabbing the prayer sheets and shoving me. At one point, about one in the morning, when the conflict rose to a fever pitch between the Word of God and the satanic force in this woman, someone in the group began to sing. It was one of our familiar worship songs. We sang it again and again and the Lord gave us new words for it each time. The effect on her was dramatic. She began to tremble and threaten us if we didn't stop. Then she threw herself on the floor and screamed for Satan not to leave her. She went into convulsions and then went limp. When she came to, she remembered nothing of what happened and was willing to read Scripture and pray.

“So Tom Steller and I know from experience that singing to God is not a nice little emotional trip to spice up a worship service. For us it felt more like a matter of life and death. That is what it was for Paul and Silas. And that's what it is for our church.”

So, if praise and worship has such an effect, then we need to see its importance in our own battles. We need to have praise as a part of our personal devotional times. We need to recognize the importance of praise and worship times in our church. We need to see that it is not just a matter of personal preference to make us feel good, but a declaration of the sovereign power of God and a strategy to defeat the enemy.

Conclusion

God is the one who has given us salvation and promises to bring us to His heavenly kingdom. Yet if we enter into relationships in which we could compromise faith, we are in grave danger of great trouble. If on the other hand, we seek God and declare His praises, we are on solid ground for victory.

May faithfulness and praise be well used weapons in our battle in the life God has given us through faith.