The Prophet Micaiah Warns Ahab (1 Kings 22.1-28)1 When King Jehoshaphat of Judah became rich and famous, he arranged a marriage between a member of his family and the family of King Ahab of Israel. Answer (1 of 3): The tone of the book, especially in that chapter, shows Jehoshapat as a humble man who obeys God, and Ahab as a reckless man who does only as he thinks right, without thinking of anything but what he means to do. Matthew 11:28-30, The church struggles with prejudice. He seeks after Gods own heart throughout his reign. As a consequence, God sent the prophet Elijah to the king and informed him that he would not be healed (2 Kings 1:1-6, 15-17). Jehoshaphat's Defining Flaw. Scripture tells us to exercise discernment, especially with those in whom we place our trust. They go to battle, but Ahab tries to be deceitful. Like Jehu told Jehoshaphat about his seeking an alliance with Ahab, he should not love those who hate the Lord. He was not satisfied with what God had given him, but was longing for something else among the nations around him. Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. a. Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance: Because of his personal godliness (2 Chronicles 17:1-4) and public godliness (2 Chronicles 17:7-10), God blessed Jehoshaphat and exalted him among neighboring nations. 2 A few years later he went to Samaria to visit Ahab, who prepared a great banquet for him and his officials. It will party with you (like Ahab with Jehoshaphat), It will give you honor and acceptance (like Ahab gave to Jehoshaphat), It will entice you to make compromises (like Ahab did with Jehoshaphat). Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. . Will you go with me against Ramoth Gilead? Wicked men have the advantage of the way, godly men of the end. (Trapp). Ahab and his wife, Queen Jezebel, had well-deserved reputations for wickedness. Asa also did what was right in God's eyes and led Judah in a series of religious reforms. God set Judah's enemies upon each other, and by the time the Hebrews arrived, they saw only dead bodies on the ground. Wait a minute! Ahab pretended herein to honour Jehoshaphat, but intended to save himself, and to elude Micaiahs prophecy. (Trapp). Asa also did what was right in God's eyes and led Judah in a series of religious reforms. Daniel 3, The Parable of the Vineyard Tenants. The name Jehoshaphat means means "Jehovah has judged," Yahweh judges, or Yahweh establishes the right.". Who had not rather be a Micaiah in the jail than Ahab in the chariot? It is more difficult to explain why Jehoshaphat agreed to go into the battle as the only clearly identified king. Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of the chariots who were with him, saying, Fight with no one small or great, but only with the king of Israel. So it was, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel! Therefore they surrounded him to attack; but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him, and God diverted them from him. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead. 400 prophets predict that they should go out to war for they will be successful. Asa, his father, followed in the footsteps of God until the end of his reign. 1. Jehoshaphat made some poor choices but he did have a heart for the Lord and "did what was right in the eyes of the Lord" (20:31.) At the beginning of his reign, Jehoshaphat "strengthened himself against Israel (2 Chronicles 17:1). Here is the Bible's explanation: "for the daughter of Ahab was his wife" (2 Kings 8:18). Jehoshaphat solidified peace between Israel and Judah. This city "was strategic in controlling the eastern caravan route" (Layman's Bible Book Commentary, Volume 6). Through which remaining prophet did Ahab say they could inquire of the Lord. He said similar words to the 400 unfaithful prophets, but delivered a completely different message. How to Have Joy in Your Golden Years Despite These 10 Life 4 Things You May Not Know About Abraham in the Bible, 20 Facts You May Not Know About Moses from the Bible, California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Lets explore some of these verses. Sunday (2 Chronicles 18-23) Jehosophat Allies because Ahab. Only through the intervention of God did Jehoshaphat escape. . When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. The man on the left is generally considered to be Jehoshaphat. But Jehoshaphat gave a shout, and the Lord God rescued him and turned the attack away from him. Let each return to his house in peace. And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell you he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?. . 2 A number of years later Jehoshaphat went to the city of Samaria to visit Ahab. What you have done has brought the Lord's anger on you. Ahab asks Jehoshaphat of Judah to join with him in a pact to fight against . Sunday (2 Chronicles 18-23) Jehoshaphat Allies with Ahab. THEN he made another disastrous treaty with wicked King Ahaziah which resulted in all their ships wrecked. 10 Whenever your fellow citizens from any of the cities bring before you a case of homicide or any other violation of a law or commandment, you must instruct them carefully how to conduct themselves during the trial, so that they do not become guilty of sinning against the Lord. His real conflict was with God, but he focused his hatred against the prophet Micaiah. Complete the following verse found in 2 Chronicles 18:1 - . Unsurprisingly, Ahab still goes into battle. In his disobedience, Jeroboam (the first king of the kingdom of the northern tribes) said, I will worship the LORD, but do it my way. Ahab said, I want to forget about the LORD completely and worship Baal., ii. His mother was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi. (29) Jehoshaphat and Ahab go into battle. I got my facts mixed up. The King of Syria had instructed his men that the 2 Chronicles 18 tells the story of an unlikely partnership: Jehoshaphat, the godly king of Judah, and Ahab, the wicked king of Israel, joined together to make war against Syria.Before going to battle, Jehoshaphat was intent on asking God's will. He walked in God's ways - "The Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the earlier ways of his father David. Sat each on his throne, and they sat at a threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria: This illustrates the ancient custom of holding court and making decisions at the gates of the city. Of course, there may be some business arrangements where such matters would never be at issue. Similarly, John tells us Do not love the world or the things in the world. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer. 42 Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. He required these judges to be just, impartial, and take no bribes, for they "do not judge according to man but the Lord" (see 2 Chronicles 19:4-10). Please click here to learn how. The woman he married his son to King Ahabs daughter later, after Jehoshaphat died, killed off the line of David. 8 So King Ahab called in a court official and told him to go and get Micaiah at once. He allied with Ahab's house by marrying his son (Jehoram) to Ahab's daughter (Athaliah) (18:1). This strategy of the Syrian army made Ahabs counterstrategy of disguising himself in battle seem very wise. . Jehoshaphat was a powerful, prosperous king ( 2 Chr. This must have been a vivid and entertaining presentation. But he himself has decreed that you will meet with disaster!, 23 Then the prophet Zedekiah went up to Micaiah, slapped his face, and asked, Since when did the Lord's spirit leave me and speak to you?. Why did Ahab hate Micaiah? Jehoshaphat responded as if the kings were of one mind and heritage. Click to enable/disable _ga - Google Analytics Cookie. The prophet Elijah had previously prophesied evil concerning Ahab. We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. There was nothing righteous about Ahab. God looked with favor on Jehoshaphat, strengthening his kingdom and making him wealthy. Check out her books at hopebolinger.comfor clean books in most genres, great for adults and kids. (see 2 Chronicles 17:10-12). It is best to regard these not as pagan prophets, but unfaithful prophets to the true God. d. I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets: Apparently, one of the fallen angels volunteered for this task. Although Asa didnt worship the idols placed throughout Judah, he didnt do a whole lot to tear them down. Ungodly partners can lead to spiritual compromise (see 1 Corinthians 15:33). Jehoshaphat's son Jehoram married Athaliah, daughter of king Ahab of Israel. Will the actions of orthodox Anglicans be as strong as their words post-Kigali? In order to succeed, he solicited the help of King Jehoshaphat of Judah. Jehu says, Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? 19:2. The people's hearts were turned from the false worship of Baal that was present in the land during his time in power. b. Jehoshaphat was an ancient king, but he is not so different than us, for we do similar things in our lives. Ahab will dress like a common soldier and Jehoshaphat will wear the robes of a king into battle so that Ahab won't be attacked. 7 Honor the Lord and act carefully, because the Lord our God does not tolerate fraud or partiality or the taking of bribes., 8 In Jerusalem Jehoshaphat appointed Levites, priests, and some of the leading citizens as judges in cases involving a violation of the Law of the Lord or legal disputes between inhabitants of the city. Since he knew his words were true, it was fitting for him to cry out as they dragged him back to prison, Take heed, all you people!. Thus doth the unthankful infidel repay the mercy of his late victorbut God had a holy hand in it. (Trapp). It was a certain man, and he pulled his bow at random but it struck as if it were a sin-seeking missile, hitting right between the joints of his armor. Believers and unbelievers have different values and commitments. Jehoshaphat also pursued alliances with the kingdom of Israel in the North. After all, the dangerous one he made almost got him killed. You will succeed., 22 And Micaiah concluded: This is what has happened. Some people forget that Satan and his fellow fallen angels have access to heaven (Job 1:6, Revelation 12:10). (see 2 Chronicles 19). When Jehoshaphat arrived in Samaria, Ahab asked Jehoshaphat to join with him in battle against Ramoth Gilead. How many times do I have to tell you that?, 16 Micaiah answered, I can see the army of Israel scattered over the hills like sheep without a shepherd. You can also change some of your preferences. Jehoram did evil in God's sight, but not to the extent that his father Ahab had, as he did put away his father's sacred pillar of Baal (verses 2-3). i. . We see a prophet in rags and chains stand before two kings, ready to speak on behalf of the LORD. . These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our website and application for you in order to enhance your experience. 5 He appointed judges in each of the fortified cities of Judah 6 and instructed them: Be careful in pronouncing judgment; you are not acting on human authority, but on the authority of the Lord, and he is with you when you pass sentence. All rights reserved. He said, "I am as you are, and my people as your people; we will join you in the war.". Jehoram did evil in God's sight, but not to the extent that his father Ahab had, as he did put away his father's sacred pillar of Baal (verses 2-3). How? But I hate him because he never prophesies anything good for me; it's always something bad.. Click to enable/disable _gid - Google Analytics Cookie. For the battle is not yours, but Gods." 17:10-13 ). . But we also know that only some good kings came from the Kingdom of Judah, Jehoshaphat being one of them. 16 In the fifth year of Joram son of Ahab king of Israel, when Jehoshaphat was king of Judah, Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat began his reign as king of Judah. In this article, well explore the life of Jehoshaphat (the good and the bad), well lightly touch on a place known as the valley of Jehoshaphat, and discuss what lessons we can learn from the fourth monarch from the kingdom of Judah. After King Ahaziah's death (1:18), his brother Jehoram (called Joram in 8:25), another son of evil King Ahab, became king over Israel since Ahaziah himself had no son (1:17; 3:1). 10 One of them, Zedekiah son of Chenaanah, made iron horns and said to Ahab, This is what the Lord says, With these you will fight the Syrians and totally defeat them. 11 All the other prophets said the same thing. But he also received a word of judgment: Jehu says, Because of this, wrath has gone out against you from the Lord 19:2. He certainly did not walk in Gods ways. May we learn from Jehoshaphat, so that we will not make the same mistakes. The result of all this is that Jehoshaphat proclaims I am as you are, my people as your people. Jehoshaphat starts the process by getting rid of Asherah poles. Jehoshaphat, the fourth king of Judah, followed after his father, King Asa, and David's footsteps. i. He made an alliance with marriage with Ahab, 18:2 plus after several years went down to visit Ahab in Samaria. Acts 6:1-6, Four things to remember in times of trial. God does not want us to enter into binding partnerships with the wicked that could conflict with our commitment to Him and His ways. Jehoshaphat came onto the scene after this. Ahaziah's parents brought Baal worship into the land and turned God's . Perhaps he felt as many do today that he should not judge, or perhaps he felt that the end justified the . We need 2 cookies to store this setting. That is, he gave his son in marriage to Ahabs daughter. You shouldn't say that! Jehoshaphat replied. Handling problems in Christian relationships, Letters to the Seven Churches in Revelation, Paul to the Thessalonians. Click on the different category headings to find out more. The Hebrew that underlies the phrase rendered a spirit (came forward) reads literally, the (well-known) spirit, i.e., Satan the tempter (as in Job 1:6-12). 33 By chance, however, a Syrian soldier shot an arrow which struck King Ahab between the joints of his armor. For all the good that Jehoshaphat did, one sore thumb that stands out is his alliances with the house of Ahab in Israel. 16, 2022, learnreligions.com/jehoshaphat-king-of-judah-4114131. He campaigned against idolatry and the renewed worship of the One True God. In the process he killed both the reigning King of Israel, Joram, and the King of Judah, Ahaziah, at the same time. 12, 14-19). Ahab proceeds to imprison Micaiah. It was an opportunity to walk away, but he did not take it. q. His love for God greatly benefited the kingdom of Judah. Some other examples include a recorder for both king David and Solomon (2 Samuel 8:16) and a purveyor for Solomon (1 Kings 4:17). c. Now a certain man drew a bow at random, and struck the king of Israel: This seemed to be pure chance. . It came about because Jehoshaphat allied himself to the king of Israel, Ahab, through marriage: his son and successor as king, Jehoram, married Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab. Despite his misgivings(?) Unsurprisingly, Ahab throws Micaiah in prison on bread and water rations. Zavada, Jack. And now what joy could Ahabs black soul, ready to depart, have of his ivory house? We should not love the world. We have different frameworks and directions to our lives. In a long line of righteous and unrighteous kings that ruled in the northern and southern kingdoms, these men were both evil kings. This is the same word that I Chronicles 21:1 says about Satan enticing David to sin by means of the census. 2 A number of years later Jehoshaphat went to the city of Samaria to visit Ahab. (NIV), 2 Chronicles 20:32-33He walked in the ways of his father Asa and did not stray from them; he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD. And so we can learn from him. This is significant if we compare this with how many other Israelite kings passed away. Changes will take effect once you reload the page. Ahab was penitent and humbled himself and so the Lord waited to fulfill the prophecy until Ahab's son reigned in his place. With whom did Jehoshaphat ally himself with by marriage? [1] One of the "good" kings in the Bible, he was a descendant of David, and his mother's name was Azubah . It appears that the Israelites and Jews maintained the fight the whole of the day; but when at evening the king died, and this was known, there was a proclamation made, probably with the consent of both Syrians and Israelites, that the war was over. (Clarke), (c) 2021 TheEnduring WordBible Commentary by David Guzik ewm@enduringword.com. Jehoshaphat did so because he did not want to offend Ahab. It may be that Jehoshaphat had a fatalistic attitude towards the will of God, figuring that if it all was Gods will then there was nothing he or anyone else could do about it. To honor his ally's request, Ahab had Micaiah brought to the court. And the LORD said, Who will persuade Ahab king of Israel to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead? So one spoke in this manner, and another spoke in that manner. He allied with Ahab's son, Ahaziah, in a mercantile venture until God destroyed their fleet (20:35-37; 1 Kings 22:48, 49 ). Though disguised, Ahab is killed and Israel is defeated. 2 Chronicles 17:1. When his death became known the battle was over. He attempts to make peace with the northern kingdom of Israel but ends up getting tangled in some bad friendships along the way. i. Theologians have squabbled over this issue for centuries, and since the passage in Joel is prophetic in nature, we cant definitely say we know what it means. And persuaded him to go up with him to Ramoth Gilead: Previously, the king of Syria promised to return certain cities to Israel (1 Kings 20:34) in exchange for leniency after defeat in battle. 31 So when they saw King Jehoshaphat, they all thought that he was the king of Israel, and they turned to attack him. King Ahab of Israel asked King Jehoshaphat of Judah to help him in this dispute against Syria. and it begins well in chapter 17. Yet he was willing to listen to the king of Judah when he advised that Ahab should listen to the prophet Micaiah. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. But how did he die, if God protected him in the war in which Ahab drew him into? After King Ahaziah's death (1:18), his brother Jehoram (called Joram in 8:25), another son of evil King Ahab, became king over Israel since Ahaziah himself had no son (1:17; 3:1). He drove out the male cult prostitutes and destroyed the Asherah poles where the people had worshiped false gods. r. Vs. 29-40 describes the battle. A number of priests move the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, including another Jehoshaphat. Put this fellow in prison: King Ahab responded the way many tyrants do when they are confronted with the truth. Scholars have variously dated his reign to around 873-849 B.C.E. Learn Religions, May. 18 He followed the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for he married a . c. Who will persuade Ahab king of Israel to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? The people enjoyed a great measure of prosperity and the blessing of God under Jehoshaphat. He also had a lot of property. Secondly, Jehoshaphat teaches us the importance of breaking the familial cycle of mistakes. Otherwise you will be prompted again when opening a new browser window or new a tab. Three years later, Aram had failed to return the cities that Ben-hadad promised and so Ahab decides to go and take them for himself. The high places, however, were not removed, and the people still had not set their hearts on the God of their fathers. You can check these in your browser security settings. How Can I Recognize and Understand the Holy Spirit Better? Lets begin by getting oriented. Ahab goes to war against Aram despite Micaiah's prediction. He had amassed "riches and honor in abundance" ( 2Chronicles 18 . Thankfully, Jehoshaphat repented and returned to his true love: God. First, Jehoshaphat allied himself with Ahab by taking Ahab's daughter . " 3 But the angel of the Lord said to . Jehoshaphat, son of Asa, takes the throne about halfway through his life. To honor Jehoshaphat and those with him, Ahab had a large number of sheep and cattle slaughtered for a feast. He worked to remove the "high places" of worship, did not participate in any Baal worship, and cut down the Asherahs, which were worshipped in various places. (He) sought the God of his father and walked in his commandments. You have removed all the symbols of the goddess Asherah which people worshiped, and you have tried to follow God's will., 4 Even though King Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem, he traveled regularly among the people, from Beersheba in the south to the edge of the hill country of Ephraim in the north, in order to call the people back to the Lord, the God of their ancestors. But if you do your duty, you will not be guilty. Article Images Copyright , Lessons From the Bible Story of King Jehoshaphat. This suggests that Jehoshaphat was a strong and effective leader, who worked hard to consolidate his power and improve Judah's position. Unfortunately, Jehoram did not follow in the paths of . This show of friendship to Ahab was in reality hatred towards God (2 . But Jehoshaphat want to know if there is another prophet. b. Click to enable/disable Google Analytics tracking. But Jehoshaphat also made some bad decisions. ii. Jehoshaphat strengthened Judah militarily by building an army and many forts. 3 But even so, there is some good in you. battle. a. I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing: King Ahab and others at the court found it hard to explain how one prophet could be right and 400 prophets could be wrong. https://www.learnreligions.com/jehoshaphat-king-of-judah-4114131 (accessed May 1, 2023). 1 Chronicles 11:43:Hanan son of Maakah, Joshaphat the Mithnite.. (He) sought the God of his father and walked in his commandments. Click to enable/disable essential site cookies. Bible text from the Good News Translation (GNT) is not to be reproduced in copies or otherwise by any means except as permitted in writing by American Bible Society, 101 North Independence Mall East, Floor 8, Philadelphia, PA 19106-2155 (www.americanbible.org). Go up, for God will deliver it into the kings hand: When Ahab gathered the prophets, they were not faithful prophets of the LORD. Then he said, I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. It will use peer pressure to make you stay in line. Who Is Jehoshaphat in the Bible? b. Then Ahab persuades Jehoshaphat to go into battle dressed in his royal robes, whilst Ahab disguises himself so he cannot be recognised in battle (vv. Jehoshaphat gave his son in marriage to Ahab's daughter. More than 1400 of her works have been featured in various publications. Such arranged dynastic marriages were quite common in those days.
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