Pam Padgett ... teacher
Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, set his
heart to seek the Lord. But he joined himself with Ahab, king of
Israel, and was persuaded by Ahab to go to war against Ramothgilead.
When Jehoshaphat asked that they inquire of God about going to this
battle, Ahab gathered 400 prophets who all said they should go up to the
battle. But Jehoshaphat asked if there was a prophet of the Lord they
could inquire of ...
2 Chronicles 18:6 But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a
prophet of the LORD besides, that we might enquire of him? 7 And the
king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, by whom we
may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he never prophesied good
unto me, but always evil: the same is Micaiah the son of Imla. And
Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so. 8 And the king of Israel
called for one of his officers, and said, Fetch quickly Micaiah the son
of Imla.
Micaiah delivered the following message ...
2 Chronicles 18:16 Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered
upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the LORD said,
These have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house
in peace. 17 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell
thee that he would not prophesy good unto me, but evil? 18 Again he
said, Therefore hear the word of the LORD; I saw the LORD sitting upon
his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on
his left. 19 And the LORD said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel,
that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one spake saying after
this manner, and another saying after that manner. 20 Then there came
out a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will entice him.
And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? 21 And he said, I will go out,
and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And the LORD
said, Thou shalt entice him, and thou shalt also prevail: go out, and do
even so. 22 Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in
the mouth of these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil against
thee.
Even after hearing the message from God delivered by Micaiah and seeing how Ahab reacted (despising the word from God and His messenger, putting Micaiah into prision), Jehoshaphat still went up to Ramothgilead with Ahab to battle ...
2 Chronicles 18:25 Then the king of Israel said, Take ye Micaiah, and
carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's
son; 26 And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison,
and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction,
until I return in peace. 27 And Micaiah said, If thou certainly return
in peace, then hath not the LORD spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, all
ye people. 28 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah
went up to Ramothgilead.
Ahab was killed in the battle even though he disguised himself, but Jehoshaphat was spared after crying out and being helped by God.
2 Chronicles 18:29 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and will go to the battle; but put thou on thy robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself; and they went to the battle. 30 Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of the chariots that were with him, saying, Fight ye not with small or great, save only with the king of Israel. 31 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they compassed about him to fight: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him; and God moved them to depart from him. 32 For it came to pass, that, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back again from pursuing him. 33 And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: therefore he said to his chariot man, Turn thine hand, that thou mayest carry me out of the host; for I am wounded. 34 And the battle increased that day: howbeit the king of Israel stayed himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the even: and about the time of the sun going down he died.
However, Jehu was sent to Jehoshaphat with the following message
...
2 Chronicles 19:19 1 And Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned
to his house in peace to Jerusalem. 2 And Jehu the son of Hanani the
seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou
help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD? therefore is wrath
upon thee from before the LORD. 3 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.
By helping and loving ungodly Ahab who hated God, wrath from God was upon Jehoshaphat.
Later Jehoshaphat joined himself to Ahaziah, king of Israel, who did
very wickedly. Eliezer was sent to prophesy against Jehoshaphat because
of this ...
2 Chronicles 20:35 And after this did Jehoshaphat king of Judah
join himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who did very wickedly: 36 And
he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish: and they
made the ships in Eziongeber. 37 Then Eliezer the son of Dodavah of
Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, Because thou hast
joined thyself with Ahaziah, the LORD hath broken thy works. And the
ships were broken, that they were not able to go to Tarshish.
While considering how Jehoshaphat displeased God by joining himself with
the wicked kings of Israel who did not love God, I was reminded that
Paul told us to not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers ...
2 Corinthians 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with
unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with
unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And
what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that
believeth with an infidel? 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God
with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I
will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they
shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye
separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will
receive you, 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons
and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
We are in the world with many people who are unbelievers, doing wickedly
and not loving God. But we must not be joined together with them in
their wickedness. A yoke unites two together in such a way that they both must go
in the same way. Instead of being unequally yoked together with unbelievers, pulled in ways that are not according to the will of God, we are to stay separate, free to serve and obey God ... going in the way led by the Spirit of
God.