#566 What's That On My Back

Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned in safety to his house in Jerusalem. 2 But Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? Because of this, wrath has gone out against you from the Lord. 3 Nevertheless, some good is found in you, for you destroyed the Asheroth out of the land, and have set your heart to seek God.”

4 Jehoshaphat lived at Jerusalem. And he went out again among the people, from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim, and brought them back to the Lord, the God of their fathers. 5 He appointed judges in the land in all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city, 6 and said to the judges, “Consider what you do, for you judge not for man but for the Lord. He is with you in giving judgment. 7 Now then, let the fear of the Lord be upon you. Be careful what you do, for there is no injustice with the Lord our God, or partiality or taking bribes.”

8 Moreover, in Jerusalem Jehoshaphat appointed certain Levites and priests and heads of families of Israel, to give judgment for the Lord and to decide disputed cases. They had their seat at Jerusalem. 9 And he charged them: “Thus you shall do in the fear of the Lord, in faithfulness, and with your whole heart: 10 whenever a case comes to you from your brothers who live in their cities, concerning bloodshed, law or commandment, statutes or rules, then you shall warn them, that they may not incur guilt before the Lord and wrath may not come upon you and your brothers. Thus you shall do, and you will not incur guilt. 11 And behold, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of the Lord; and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the governor of the house of Judah, in all the king's matters, and the Levites will serve you as officers. Deal courageously, and may the Lord be with the upright!” 2 Chronicles 19 ESV

He returns safely, so take notice, he was the one with the bull's eye, dressed in the robes of a king, he was the main target. His lack of discernment should have been his own neck, but he cried out to God. God heard him and delivered him, set him apart from Ahab in this judgment, but sends his prophet to give him understanding. This is a short chapter, but it is like one of those toys that you add water to and it keeps on growing. The chronicler is going over history in the setting up and establishing government. He is writing this after the Babylonian captivity looking back at those who have lived these situations in the past, for our learning or refusal. 

Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 1 Corinthians 10:11

"Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord?"

13As a fair exchange, I ask you as my children: Open wide your hearts also. 14Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? 15What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?…2 Corinthians 6: 13-15

Now the legalist in me will read this and end up in a funny hat, square shoes, horse drawn wagon, living in a house with no electricity, writing this on paper by candle light. Sure then, I will be separate from the world geographically, and that same world that Christ said, "go ye into all the world and preach the gospel." There is a need here to study, as Paul directs Timothy to rightly divide the word. What is my expectation of sinners, but that they sin? They are ok with all manner of things that God has called sin, and so I am not offended by them, since I once embraced these same things. Read 1 Corinthians 5, here is a part of it: 

I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. 12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church[b] whom you are to judge? 13 God judges[c] those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”

So what was the issue with Ahab? 

• He was part of Israel, a brother from the children of Abraham, who had the law of God available to him.
• He had been warned by the prophets on numerous occasions.
• God had made it abundantly clear during the ministry of Elijah that Ahab's gods were man made idols.
• He saw God answer Elijah with drought, fire and rain.
• Through all of this he remained unrepentant, following and choosing his wife over God. Even here with Jehoshaphat, after all the warnings of the prophets, he still locks up God's prophet.
• Ahab's new prophets were after his own heart rather than God; they told him what he wanted to hear. This does not show a heart after God, there is no repentance.

Jehoshaphat made a bad decision in marrying into Ahab's family, for Ahab has apparently gone from the apostate Judaism of Jeroboam to denying God all together, back now to an apostate form of religion. I acknowledge with my lips, let me make the motion of bowing with my knees but not with my heart. His prophets must still cater to the king, tell me what I want to hear or be thrown into jail. I believe Jehoshaphat can still love him as a brother, and even better, by telling him the truth, by not allowing blood to be thicker than righteousness. The Bible says, if thine enemy hunger, feed him, if he thirst, give him drink, for in so doing that shalt heap coals of fire upon his head. I would not withhold food and water, but I cannot and will not ride into battle with a wicked man. I expect better behavior from those who claim to be of the church, God will judge outside, for He has already condemned sin, but those who claim to be our brothers we must confront. Don't be unequally yoked. This is important and where the Davidic line failed miserably, and if not for God's provision and intercession it would have perished. Marriage is a constant picture in the scripture of our relationship with Christ, the church is called His bride. It is in marriage that the two become one flesh, that you forsake all others, that you serve God united together. How can that be with an unbeliever? How can you plow the field when you are pulling in opposite directions? In business, how can you have a partner who represents greed and dishonesty, when God has told you to do justly? As a king, how can you go into battle with a wicked ruler, align yourself with the unjust and immoral? I don't want my enemy or his people to starve to death, and so I am willing to do fair trade, even as God causes His rain to fall on the just and the unjust alike, but I will not sell him arms to terrorize his neighbor. I will not see profit as an excuse for moral depravity. I will not marry one of his unbelieving daughters, for certainly this will all come with an expensive price tag.

Jehoshaphat appears to be one of those wise men, who takes correction. After hearing the words of the prophet, he goes into action. The work of reformation is never done. He sets up judges, warning them, that they need to be fearful, for they judge not for men, but for God. Men waver, God does not, and men are not Holy, but God is. God cannot be bought, and men that truly fear God over what others think or have, they are more willing to do justly, even at the cost of their own wealth and lives. Some will decide for the love of the crowd, the praise of men. Some will decide for the sake of dollars. Some will decide for the sake of fear and title, but it is better to wait upon the Lord. This is a king who is actually saying, "listen, don't nod your head at who I am, my opinion doesn't matter, but rather fear God. I can be wrong as a man, but God cannot." Whenever you live righteously before people and direct them to fear the Lord, you set them up well. God, please let my eyes be fixed forever on you, let me not desire the praise of men or the riches of ill gain. May the name of Jesus be lifted up in my life, for all men to see You and Your glory. I pray for those that You have allowed rule over me that they will humble themselves before You and strive to Your good pleasure and righteousness. You and You alone are worthy.