Jehoshaphat: Keeping the Law with Only One Flaw

After Asa, Jehoshaphat ruled in the kingdom of Judah. It is always heartening to read such words as: "Now the Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the former ways of his father David; he did not seek the Baals (2 Chron. 17:3). In other words, he worshiped and served the true and living God and paid no attention to the gods that still remained among some of the cities that had never been conquered. He "sought the God of his father and walked in His commandments and not according to the acts of Israel" (v. 4). It would be easy to overlook this comment, but think about the significance of the fact that he did not do according to the acts of Israel. To what does this refer?

First of all, the northern kingdom had set up golden calves that were supposed to represent God—but of course could not. They had also changed the time of a feast day, encouraged the people to worship in Dan and Bethel rather than Jerusalem, and made just anyone a priest instead of using those God had authorized—the Levites. But second, and even worse than that, King Ahab and Queen Jezebel strongly supported the worship of the Baals. All of this emphasis in the Northern Kingdom is what the writer refers to as the acts of Israel. Because Jehoshaphat did not engage in such errors, the Lord established his kingdom, and "he had riches and honor in abundance" (v. 5).

But Jehoshaphat went even further because "his heart took delight in the ways of the Lord." He went so far as to remove "the high places and wooden images from Judah" (v. 6), which was the most complete reform of Judah since the days of David. Furthermore, he sent leaders to teach in the cities of Judah. Levites and priests accompanied them, and they "had the Book of the Law with them," and they taught throughout the cities of Judah (17:7-9). These good things in the kingdom continued so that Jehoshaphat "became increasingly powerful, and he built fortresses and storage cities in Judah" (v. 12).

Therefore, what could possibly go wrong? Remember the old saying: "If you marry a child of Satan, you'll have the devil for a father-in-law"? That was the beginning of Jehoshaphat's problems. No, he himself did not personally do so, but his son, Jehoram, did. Jehoshaphat allowed his son Jehoram to marry the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, Athaliah, who proved to be as evil as her mother. He ignored the bad example of Solomon who allowed foreign wives to turn away his heart from the Lord. Probably, because of the connection by marriage, Jehoshaphat visited Ahab, who asked him if he would go to war with him against the king of Syria. Incredibly, Jehoshaphat answers: "I am as you are, and my people as your people; we will be with you in the war" (2 Cron. 18:3). It makes a person want to shout, "No! You do not walk 'according to the acts of Israel'!" God was not happy with this kind of fellowship. When King Jehoshaphat returned, God sent Jehu the prophet to ask him: "Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? Therefore the wrath of the Lord is upon you" (2 Chron. 19:2).

Nor did King Jehoshaphat learn from this experience. He allied himself with Ahab's wicked son in a business venture. God destroyed their ships and chastised Jehoshaphat again (2 Chron. 20:35-37). The lesson for us today is the same—do not fellowship those who hate the Lord (2 John 9-11). Those who teach the false gospel of "faith only" hate the Lord. Those who teach false worship with the addition of musical instruments hate the Lord. Those who teach that the Holy Spirit impacts us directly do not love the Lord. Those who insist Jesus will set up an earthly kingdom do not understand the Scriptures. We are not "as they are" and cannot fellowship them. We should, however, cling closely to "the perfect law of liberty" (James 1:25).