Tag Archives: 2 Chronicles 19-22

Daily Bible Study

May 23, 2023 Bible Study — Do Not Be Afraid, Do Not Be Discouraged

Today, I am reading and commenting on  2 Chronicles 19-22.

Whenever I read a passage like today’s about Jehoshaphat I am torn between writing about how we should be inspired to imitate his faithfulness to God and about how he fell short and brought disaster upon his sons and grandsons by allying with idol worshipers.  Today’s passage begins with the seer Jehu calling out Jehoshaphat for his alliance with Ahab and his family.  Then later in the passage, Eliezer prophesied against Jehoshaphat for allying with Ahab’s son Ahaziah to build a trade fleet.  In particular, Ahaziah prophesied that Jehoshaphat’s trade fleet would be destroyed because of that alliance.  To follow up on this, Jehoshaphat’s eldest son, Jehoram, who had married a member of Ahab’s family, killed the rest of Jehoshaphat’s son, his brothers, when he succeeded his father.

In between the two prophets I mentioned in the previous paragraph Jehoshaphat does things which should inspire us to emulate his love for God.  First, he appoints judges over the land whom he instructs to give their judgements, not for mortals, but for God.  Further, in every case they were to warn the people not to sin against the Lord.  Later, when an enemy army marched against Jerusalem, Jehoshaphat called the people to an assembly to call on God for deliverance.  In response God sent a prophet who told them, “Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged.”  Further, the prophet told them to go out to face the enemy because God would be with them.  Jehoshaphat ordered the people, an order which they gladly followed, to march out singing praises to God.  Let us follow their example and go out to face our enemies singing praise to God because of our confidence that He will deliver us.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Study

May 23, 2021 Bible Study The Danger In Allying With Unbelievers

Today, I am reading and commenting on  2 Chronicles 19-22.

In yesterday’s passage we were told that Jehoshaphat sent people throughout his land to teach people from the Book of the Law.  Then in today’s passage, the writer tells us that he set up judges throughout the land and instructed them to judge fairly and impartially before God.  As a result of the way in which Jehoshaphat, and his father before him, ruled, when Judah was attacked by an army larger than their army could face, the people responded to Jehoshaphat’s call to prayer by turning to God.  Then, in response to the word of God given to them by a prophet, the men of Judah marched forth praising God to face the invaders.  And, as prophesied, the invaders turned on each other and completely destroyed themselves before they ever faced the army of Judah.  Yet for all of the good which Jehoshaphat did during his reign, his alliance with King Ahaz of Israel by marrying his son to Ahab’s daughter led to the death of all of his sons and grandsons, with only his great grandson surviving to eventually take the throne.

 

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Study

May 23, 2020 Bible Study Join Together To Trust God

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 2 Chronicles 19-22.

The beginning of today’s passage really gives us an insight into the downfall of many a man, or woman, of God.  Jehu the prophet condemned Jehoshaphat for his friendship and support of King Ahab.  Yet, Jehu also praised Jehoshaphat for his commitment to seeking God.  In the description of Jehoshaphat’s reign we can see how many otherwise good leaders sow the crop of disaster for the organization they lead while leading it to new heights.  Jehoshaphat went out among the people over whom he ruled so that he understood their needs and desires.  He instructed the judges he appointed to judge so as to please God, not people.  When faced with armies attacking in overwhelming numbers, he turned to God.  He led the people to have faith in God and not fear those coming to destroy them.  As a result of their faith in God, the army of Judah was unified and confident.  Their enemies on the other hand fell to division and bickering.  If we follow this example and unify in pursuit of God’s will, we will succeed.  But, if we instead selfishly pursue our own interests we will fail.

There is another lesson to be learned here as well.  Because of Jehoshaphat’s alliance with King Ahab, his heir, Jehoram, killed all of his brothers, Jehoshaphat’s other sons.  Then, after the death of Jehoram and his son, Jehoram’s widow, Athaliah, attempted to kill all of the rest of Jehoshaphat’s male descendants.  It was only through the actions of Jehoram’s granddaughter (who was possibly Athaliah’s daughter) that Joash was saved.  It seems likely, considering the history of Ahab’s family, that it was Athaliah who convinced Jehoram to kill his brothers.

Daily Bible Study

May 23, 2019 Bible Study — The Battle Is the Lord’s, Not Ours

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 2 Chronicles 19-22.

Again today I read something I do not think I ever noticed before.  A prophet of the Lord confronted Jehoshaphat for his friendship with King Ahab of Israel.  Jehoshaphat allied with and helped Ahab in his wars despite Ahab’s idolatry and sin. I believe that God’s anger with Jehoshaphat had as much, or more ,to do with Jehoshaphat arranging for his son to marry Ahab’s daughter than with Jehoshaphat aiding Ahab in his war(s).  Despite his alliance with Ahab, Jehoshaphat was a good king in many ways.  In yesterday’s passage, it tells us that Jehoshaphat sent officials out to all of the towns under his control to teach the people.  It does not specify what they taught the people, except to mention that they took copies of the Book of the Law with them.  I believe that he had them teach the people to read and write so that they could read the Book of the Law for themselves.   In today’s passage we learn that not only did Jehoshaphat send officials out from Jerusalem among the people, he went among them himself.  This puts his instructions to the judges he appointed in a clear light.  He told the judges to rule so as to please God rather than people.  Jehoshaphat instructed them to judge with integrity because God does not tolerate perverted justice, partiality, or the taking of bribes.  These are instructions to which many judges and other government officials today should pay more careful heed.  For that matter, any of us in positions of authority within any organization should pay heed to these instructions. 

For most of Jehoshaphat’s reign the surrounding countries  refrained from making war against Judah.  However, late in Jehoshaphat’s reign several of the neighboring nations joined together to make war against Judah.  Jehoshaphat did what all of us should do when faced with a problem. especially great danger.  He turned to God for guidance.  And since this was a problem for the whole nation, he called on all of the people to fast and pray.  God’s answer to Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah is one for all of us who seek His Name.  The battle is God’s not ours.  We should be prepared to fight against those who oppose God’s will, but remember that victory will not come through our efforts but through God’s action.   The army of Judah marched out to face the enemy singing and praising God, knowing that the enemy army was more than they could defeat.  Yet they were confident that God would give them the victory.  Before they were able to engage their enemies, their enemies turned on each other and destroyed themselves.  As we watch the forces which seek to destroy God’s presence in our society today, let us turn to god and pray.  If we do so and fully seek to do God’s will ourselves, we will witness them turn on and destroy each other.

Daily Bible Study

May 23, 2018 Bible Study — King Jehoshaphat Remains Faithful

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 2 Chronicles 19-22.

    When King Jehoshaphat returned from his ill-fated war aiding King Ahab, he proved himself different from his father. Upon his return, a prophet chided Jehoshaphat for his friendship with King Ahab. Rather than respond by imprisoning the prophet, as his father had done when similarly chided, King Jehoshaphat renewed his efforts to encourage his people to worship the Lord. Earlier, Jehoshaphat had sent his officials out among the people. Now, he himself went among them to encourage them to worship the Lord faithfully. As a result of this exposure to the needs of his people, King Jehoshaphat appointed judges, whom he strictly instructed to judge with integrity. He gave them a mandate to pass judgments which pleased God, not which pleased wither the crowds or the powerful.

    One result of Jehoshaphat’s going to war to aid King Ahab was that some of the surrounding nations lost their fear of him. Three of the neighboring kingdoms formed an alliance against Jehoshaphat and launched an invasion. Again, King Jehoshaphat demonstrates that he was different from his father. Rather than seeking the aid of other kings, Jehoshaphat turned to God. He called on all of the people to fast and pray for God’s aid. Then, as he marched the army out to fight the invaders, he turned the march into a procession of worship. I want to note that Jehoshaphat did not impose this idea of a worship procession by the army on the people. He did so in consultation with the people. King Jehoshaphat and his people were in accord to trust the Lord in the face of this threat of foreign invaders. While Jehoshaphat’s army marched to meet the enemy armies, praising the Lord the entire time, the enemy alliance fell apart. The three enemy armies turned on each other, leaving behind the plunder they had taken from the raids they had already conducted (the passage does not tell us where this plunder came from in the first place). I want to point out a difference in results between Jehoshaphat and Asa. When Asa chose to rely on another king, it cost him much treasure. When Jehoshaphat chose to rely on God, it gained him much treasure. It may not always work out that way, but one thing is sure: when we rely on God the results are always better than when we rely on men.

Daily Bible Study

May 23, 2017 Bible Study — A Leader Must Stay In Touch With His Followers

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 2 Chronicles 19-22.

    It has long bothered me that Jehoshaphat, a king who “did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight”, was a friend of King Ahab. I am not sure that I ever noticed before the prophet who confronted Jehoshaphat when he returned from the battle where Ahab died. Marrying his son to Ahab’s daughter was probably the worst thing he did as king, something which contributed to his son not being a godly king. Despite the prophet condemning Jehoshaphat’s friendship with Ahab, the prophet commended him for his commitment to seeking the Lord.

    What makes Jehoshaphat remarkable for a political leader of any time in history is that even though he lived in the capitol, Jerusalem, he spent time traveling throughout the land interacting with the common people. He encouraged them to seek the Lord. It is in the context of doing so that he appointed judges throughout the land, whom he charged to judge cases with integrity. He instructed the judges to seek to please God rather than any man or group of men. Jehoshaphat showed that he understood the need for government officials to understand the common people and to be responsive to their needs. He did so here through his own actions and the appointment of judges. He also did so through his actions where he sent government officials out to the towns and cities of Judah to teach people as recounted in 2 Chronicles 17:7-9. The principle which Jehoshaphat followed here is one which any leader would do well to heed. In order to be a good leader a leader must listen to their followers and know what motivates them. Then the leader must empower and motivate those followers to seek God.

Daily Bible Study

May 23, 2016 Bible Study — Jehoshaphat, Good Ruler, Poor Father

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading. I had been using One Year Bible Online, but it was time for a change.

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Today, I am reading and commenting on 2 Chronicles 19-22.

    Jehoshaphat is possibly my favorite king from the Old Testament. He sent teachers throughout his kingdom to teach his people. In particular, he sent his officials to do the teaching. However, he not only sent his officials out among the people, he himself went out among the people encouraging them to worship and obey God. There are two sides to this, by doing so, Jehoshaphat and his officials gained an understanding of what the people they ruled over were experiencing. Having learned what was going on throughout the land he ruled over, Jehoshaphat appointed judges to dispense justice. When he spoke to the judges he appointed he emphasized that they would answer to God for their judgments. He, also, emphasized that they remind the people that, whether they answered to human authority or not, they would answer to God for their crimes.

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    Unfortunately, for as good of a ruler Jehoshaphat was, he was not a good father, nor did he choose his friends well. As a result his son failed to follow in his footsteps. Instead his son was influenced by the wife Jehoshaphat chose for him (or, at the very least, arranged for him to marry) and followed the lead of Jehoshaphat’s friend, King Ahab of Israel (the Northern Kingdom). Jehoshaphat’s son, Jehoram, killed his brothers, and some of the other leaders of the kingdom, as soon as he was established as king. Rather than follow his father’s example and worship and serve God, Jehoram followed Ahab’s example and encouraged the worship of the various gods of the region.