Jehoshaphat, Wise King of Judah

GOLDEN TEXT: “Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts.” —II Chronicles 19:7

II CHRONICLES 19:4-11

WE READ that “the Lord God was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim; but sought to the Lord God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel. Therefore the Lord established the kingdom in his hand and all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat presents; and he had riches and honor in abundance.”—II Chron. 17:3-5

This is an eloquent testimony concerning one of the good kings of Judah, and it reveals the rich manner in which the Lord blesses those who are true to him and to his precepts. Undoubtedly Jehoshaphat’s heart was loyal to the Lord. But when he became rich and powerful he formed an alliance with Ahab, king of Israel. He may have reasoned that by doing this he could somehow reform this wicked king, and also many of the Israelites who were under his unholy influence. But sin cannot be cured by forming an alliance with it.

Jehoshaphat joined forces with Ahab to fight the Syrians at Ramoth-gilead. He almost lost his life, and Ahab was killed. Then he returned to his house in peace at Jerusalem. He was met by Jehu the seer, who said to him, “Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord. Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God.”—II Chron. 19:2,3

Jehoshaphat had learned an important lesson, and now he again went about the re-establishing of God’s Law in the cities of Judah. In chapter 17, verses 7-9, we learn that in the beginning of his reign Jehoshaphat instituted a wide-spread and effective educational program throughout the land, instructing the people in righteousness, with the object of more firmly establishing the worship of Jehovah, the God of Israel; a reform which had been instituted by his father, Asa. And now, his alliance with Ahab ended, he took up this work again.—II Chron. 19:4

We read that Jehoshaphat “set judges in the land throughout all the fenced cities of Judah, city by city.” His instruction to these judges is noteworthy. He reminded them that in the work assigned to then they represented the Lord, and that the Lord would be with them in the judgments they rendered. As our Golden Text states, these judges were instructed to fear, or reverence, the Lord. They were reminded that with the Lord there is no iniquity, or injustice, that he is not a respecter of persons, and does not accept bribes.

Jehoshaphat established the priests and the Levites in Jerusalem, and Amariah the chief priest over them. His instructions to these were similar to those he gave to the judges. He charged them saying, “Thus shall ye do in the fear of the Lord, faithfully, and with a perfect heart.” (vs. 9) Jehoshaphat’s final admonition to these servants of the Lord was, “Deal courageously, and the Lord shall be with the good.”—vs. 11

Jehoshaphat’s wisdom and righteousness were the outgrowth of his faith in the God of Israel. Chapter 20 tells of an attack against Judah by the children of Moab and the children of Ammon, and the manner in which he met this attack. Jehoshaphat “set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.” (vs. 3) Then he prayed, saying, “O Lord God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? … and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee? Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gayest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend forever?”—vss. 6,7

Jahaziel, upon whom the Spirit of the Lord had come, said to the king and the people, “Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you.” (vss. 14-17) And Jehoshaphat said, “Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.” (vs. 20) Then he appointed singers who were to “praise the beauty of holiness as they went before the army,” and were to sing, “Praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth forever.” (vs. 21) The Lord gave his people the victory, and for Jehoshaphat especially, it was a victory of faith.

The Lord’s people of the present age also find it necessary to contend with enemies. Chief among these are the world, the flesh, and the Devil. We too must depend upon the Lord to give us the victory, using all the means of grace which he has provided. If we do this, we can be assured that nothing will separate us from the love of God.

QUESTIONS

Quote the Bible’s testimony concerning Jehoshaphat.

What serious mistake did Jehoshaphat make?

What was the basis of Jehoshaphat’s zeal for God and the righteousness of God?

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