The great battle at Ramoth Gilead was a catastrophe. This is significant if we compare this with how many other Israelite kings passed away. But we also know that only some good kings came from the Kingdom of Judah, Jehoshaphat being one of them. 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. Pingback: Joining Forces with Ahab - CRIES from among US! Jehu says, Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? 19:2. He said, "I am as you are, and my people as your people; we will join you in the war.". 2 A number of years later Jehoshaphat went to the city of Samaria to visit Ahab. https://www.learnreligions.com/jehoshaphat-king-of-judah-4114131 (accessed May 1, 2023). Ahab did so because he hated God and his ways. 1. 1 Kings 22:29 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up against Ramoth-gilead. 17 He was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. According to 1 Kings 16:30, 33, Ahab was worse than all of the kings of Israel that . Click to enable/disable essential site cookies. At first, the alliance worked, but Ahab drew Jehoshaphat into a war that was against God's will. Turn around and pull out of the battle! 34 While the battle raged on, King Ahab remained propped up in his chariot, facing the Syrians. i. In the process he killed both the reigning King of Israel, Joram, and the King of Judah, Ahaziah, at the same time. But Jehoshaphat want to know if there is another prophet. William Higgins. When battle is joined, Ahab's plan seems to work. 1 Chronicles 11:43:Hanan son of Maakah, Joshaphat the Mithnite.. To enjoy our website, you'll need to enable JavaScript in your web browser. b. . King Jehoshaphat was the fourth king of Judah under the divided monarchy, the son of Asa. 29 Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, As we go into battle, I will disguise myself, but you wear your royal garments. So the king of Israel went into battle in disguise. What may come as a surprise to readers is we run into Jehoshaphats name more than once in the Bible, and the instances dont always refer to the king of Judah. Handling problems in Christian relationships, Letters to the Seven Churches in Revelation, Paul to the Thessalonians. He not only considered it . d. The king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot, facing the Syrians until evening: Ahab faced the end of his life bravely, dying proppedup in his chariot to inspire his troops. There were even thrones for high officials to sit on at the gates of the city of Samaria. Ahab (1 Kings 22.1-38; 2 Chr 18.1-19.3) Jehoshaphat's alliance with Ahab began when he "had riches and honour in abundance" (2 Chr 18.1). King Jehoshaphat, son of Asa, reigned for 25 years once he took the throne at the age of 35. I. Ahab's proposal (18:1-3) As Jehoshaphat celebrated a feast with the most ungodly king Israel would know, Ahab hits him with a request. He made an alliance by marriage with Ahab, 18:2 and after several years went down to visit Ahab in Samaria. By proceeding, you consent to our cookie usage. It wasnt surprising that Ahab picked prophets who would tell them what they wanted to hear. Click to enable/disable _gid - Google Analytics Cookie. 18:1 Jehoshaphat was very wealthy and greatly respected. The kings in the lands surrounding Judah did not dare to go to war against Jehoshaphat because they feared God. In order to succeed, he solicited the help of King Jehoshaphat of Judah. Ahab, the father of the daughter, attempts to draw king Jehoshaphat into a war that God does not approve of. Jehoshaphat's Defining Flaw. He said that not only would Israel be defeated, but also that their leader (shepherd) would perish. c. With these you shall gore the Syrians until they are destroyed: Zedekiah used a familiar tool of ancient prophets the object lesson. Jehoshaphat strengthened Judah militarily by building an army and many forts. He did have the best of intentions, only skewing wayward when it came to friendships. First, Jehoshaphat just went and visited Ahab. His story is told in 1 Kings 22 and 2 Chronicles 17-20. In another time of crisis, Jehoshaphat's obedience to God saved the country. The man on the left is generally considered to be Jehoshaphat. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer. Jehoshaphat was a powerful, prosperous king ( 2 Chr. Of course you'll win. 4-5 - Jehoshaphat agrees to go, BUT he has a request first. . In fact, Jehoshaphat was so blessed that aside from different nations or groups bringing tribute to him, he built citadels and storehouses in Judah, signifying much abundance. These partnerships pressure us to sacrifice our faithfulness to God. Following that disaster, Jehoshaphat appointed judges throughout Judah to deal fairly with the people's disputes. Jehoshaphat's Compromise 2-Chr. He went out with Ahab in battle, and was rebuked by Jehu the son of Hanani. He walked in Gods ways The Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the earlier ways of his father David. The Lord has made these prophets of yours lie to you. Though disguised, Ahab is killed and Israel is defeated. Jehoshaphat then asked if there was not a prophet of the Lord to . Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance; and by marriage he allied himself with Ahab. So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went into battle. He strengthened himself against Israel [2 Chr 17:1], the Lord was with him [2 Chr 17:3], his heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord [2 Chr 17:6], he authorized the teaching of the words of God throughout Judah [2 Chr 17:7-9], the fear of God . Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. You shouldn't say that! Jehoshaphat replied. Jehoshaphat (also spelled Jehoshaphat or Yehoshafat) ( , " Yahweh is judge," Hebrew: Yhoafat) was the son and successor of Asa and king of Judah. At this point in history, the nation of Israel had split into two separate countriesone called Israel containing ten tribes and one called Judah containing two trib es. Paul says about this, Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. a. I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: Micaiah was challenged to tell the truth, and now he changed his tone from mocking to serious. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. After Jehus rebuke, Jehoshaphat got back on track. This strange incident can only be understood against the background of other Old Testament passages, especially Deuteronomy 13:11 and Ezekiel 14:1-11. both these passages speak of people being enticed by false prophets, in each case as a result of a link with idolatry. (Selman), Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way did the spirit from the LORD go from me to speak to you? And Micaiah said, Indeed you shall see on that day when you go into an inner chamber to hide! Then the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the kings son; and say, Thus says the king: Put this fellow in prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and water of affliction until I return in peace. But Micaiah said, If you ever return in peace, the LORD has not spoken by me. And he said, Take heed, all you people!. It is possible that this was just a parable, but it is more likely that Micaiah had an accurate prophetic glimpse into the heavenly drama behind these events. For all the good that Jehoshaphat did, one sore thumb that stands out is his alliances with the house of Ahab in Israel. Will the actions of orthodox Anglicans be as strong as their words post-Kigali? Elijah Denounces Ahaziah. He builds many forts and attempts to help the kingdom prosper in a financial sense. b. 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). There is a well-intentioned but mistaken teaching that God can allow no evil in His presence, meaning that Satan and other fallen angels could not be in His presence. 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). But the world will betray you (just as Ahab set up Jehoshaphat by disguising himself and making Jehoshaphat the target of the enemy, not caring if he died). I'm wounded! he cried out to his chariot driver. He certainly did not walk in Gods ways. 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. It is more difficult to explain why Jehoshaphat agreed to go into the battle as the only clearly identified king. To honor his ally's request, Ahab had Micaiah brought to the court. Jehoshaphat established for his kingdom a very strong fighting force, reaching astounding numbers of fighting men. And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself and go into battle; but you put on your robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went into battle. The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah, clothed in their robes, sat each on his throne; and they sat at a threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them. Unless you do, you and your fellow citizens will feel the force of the Lord's anger. 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. And sure enough, the enemy all came after Jehoshaphat thinking he was Ahab and he barely escaped death. . B. According to tradition, Jehoshaphat was buried in a magnificent manner to mimic the actions of King David. Yet they clearly prophesied in the name of the LORD. b. Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him: Finding himself as the only identifiable king in the battle, Jehoshaphat found himself quickly in danger. Micaiah who always prophesies bad things about Ahab. In the eighteenth year of his reign Jehosaphat visited Ahab in Samaria, and nearly lost his life accompanying his ally to the siege of Ramoth-Gilead. 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?. When Micaiah said this, his tone was probably mocking and sarcastic. Only through the intervention of God did Jehoshaphat escape. Hope Bolingeris an acquisitions editor at End Game Press, and the author 21+ books. When choices come along, you may want to keep your commitment to God, but you have to act in a way that works for the unbeliever as well. b. I will disguise myself and go into battle; but you put on your robes: Going into the battle, Ahab did not want to be identified as a king and therefore be a special target. Such arranged dynastic marriages were quite common in those days. It just happened, says the man of the world. Despite the riches, fame, and military might that he possessed, Jehoshaphat had a humble heart that kept inquiring of the Lord for any detail of his life and that's what makes him a really great king (see 2 Chronicles 17:3-6). Men may secrete themselves so that other men may never find them; but when the hour of their judgment has come, God takes hold on some ordinary event and makes it the highway on which He comes to carry out His purpose. 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. Jehoshaphat failed to foresee the long-term consequences of his bad decisions. i. It was an opportunity to walk away, but he did not take it. 16, 2022, learnreligions.com/jehoshaphat-king-of-judah-4114131. This city "was strategic in controlling the eastern caravan route" (Layman's Bible Book Commentary, Volume 6). He went out with Ahab in battle, and was rebuked by Jehu the son of Hanani. A. This brings us to our focus today: King Ahab, the king of the northern kingdom of Israel was a very wicked man, who opposed Yahweh. (Amos 3:3.) The woman he married his son to King Ahabs daughter later, after Jehoshaphat died, killed off the line of David. r. Vs. 29-40 describes the battle. He was buried at age 60 in the City of David in Jerusalem. 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). He seeks after Gods own heart throughout his reign. What agreement has the temple of God with idols? 2 Corinthians 6:14-16. . God orchestrated the unintended actions of man to result in an exercise of His judgment. Therefore please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak encouragement. And Micaiah said, As the LORD lives, whatever my God says, that I will speak. Then he came to the king; and the king said to him, Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain? And he said, Go and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand! So the king said to him, How many times shall I make you swear that you tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?. The prophet Elijah had previously prophesied evil concerning Ahab. Elijah had just confronted this Baal worship in the northern kingdom of Israel on Mt. Asa also did what was right in God's eyes and led Judah in a series of religious reforms. Many died in battle, or as is the case with King Asa, due to a painful foot disease. But I hate him because he never prophesies anything good for me; it's always something bad.. He was 35 years old when he sat as king and reigned for 25 years until his death at age 60. This reminds us, sadly, that we reap what we sow. 28-29). i. He cried out to the LORD and was rescued when they turned back from pursuing him. Asa also did what was right in God's eyes and led Judah in a series of religious reforms. Wait a minute! 2 Kings 18:6He held fast to the LORD and did not cease to follow him; he kept the commands the LORD had given Moses. I got my facts mixed up. He introduced the worship of completely new, pagan gods. We can assume, from the lack of gory details, that he ended his life in peace and passed away from natural causes. 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. So Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Will you go with me against Ramoth Gilead? And he answered him, I am as you are, and my people as your people; we will be with you in the war.. Believers and unbelievers have different values and commitments. Only by divine intervention was one saved 2 Chronicles 22:10-12. We will join you. 4 Then he added, But first let's consult the Lord., 5 So Ahab called in the prophets, about four hundred of them, and asked them, Should I go and attack Ramoth, or not?, Attack it, they answered. Jehoshaphat made a bad alliance with King Ahab, one of the most wicked kings in Israels history. 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 [email protected]. Neighboring kings paid tribute to him because they feared his power. He became one of the country's most successful rulers for one simple reason: He followed the commands of God. Ahab tells Jehoshaphat his plan. 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. Jehoshaphat also established a strong justice system. 21 The spirit replied, I will go and make all of Ahab's prophets tell lies. The Lord said, Go and deceive him. Saying "no" at this point would look He died at 60? (35) And after this.--The chronicler has omitted the notice that "Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel" (1Kings 22:44), and now he omits two other short verses of the parallel account, viz., 1Kings 22:46-47: "And the remnant of the sodomites, which had remained in the days of his father Asa, he consumed out of the land.There was then no king in Edom: a deputy was king." Jehoshaphat in the Bible was the fourth king of Judah. Ahab was greatly influenced towards wickedness by his Phoenician wife Jezebel. 25 Then King Ahab ordered one of his officers, Arrest Micaiah and take him to Amon, the governor of the city, and to Prince Joash. Ahab is basically threatening God here with consequences. He led the people to be faithful as well (like his father Asa). The world will draw you in: And, when you waver, it will pressure you to conform (like Ahab bringing out 400 prophets to 1). 30 The king of Syria had ordered his chariot commanders to attack no one else except the king of Israel. After all, the dangerous one he made almost got him killed. To solidify devotion to God, Jehoshaphat sent prophets, priests, and Levites throughout the country to teach people God's laws. Well quote each of the verses below. Perhaps he felt as many do today that he should not judge, or perhaps he felt that the end justified the . Secondly, Jehoshaphat teaches us the importance of breaking the familial cycle of mistakes. He left Jerusalem, his proper responsibilities as Gods regent and went to be with Ahab. . As the LORD lives, whatever my God says, that I will speak: The assistant of King Ahab tried to persuade Micaiah to speak in agreement with the 400 other prophets. Joining Forces with Ahab - CRIES from among US! because he never prophesied anything good about him, but always bad. " 3 But the angel of the Lord said to . Through which remaining prophet did Ahab say they could inquire of the Lord. c. How many times shall I make you swear that you tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD? Despite Jehoshaphat's errors in this regard, it appears that he later recognized that he should not have allied himself with Ahaziah (compare 1 Kings 22:49). But he did not do all that he should have, as he did not remove all the high places from Judah (2 Chronicles 20:33). i. Zavada, Jack. This was a dramatic scene. Zavada, Jack. Ahaziah's parents brought Baal worship into the land and turned God's . The people enjoyed a great measure of prosperity and the blessing of God under Jehoshaphat. 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. After some years he went down to Ahab in Samaria 18:2. Jehoshaphat did so because he did not want to offend Ahab. Last week I said Jehoshaphat was Ahab's son-in-law, that is wrong. Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, Now listen, the words of the prophets with one accord encourage the king. Ahab was penitent and humbled himself and so the Lord waited to fulfill the prophecy until Ahab's son reigned in his place. I mean here, serious, committed relationships with unbelievers dating, marriage, business whatever. (see 2 Chronicles 19). What accord has Christ with Belial? He was willing to be judged by whether his prophecy came to pass or not. Scholars have variously dated his reign to around 873-849 B.C.E. March against Ramoth and you will win, they said. Jehoshaphat prayed to God, and the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel, who prophesied that the battle was the Lord's. He also devised a system for teaching God's laws to people. i. Answer. May we learn from Jehoshaphat, so that we will not make the same mistakes. Ahab asks him if he would go with him to take the city of Ramoth in Gilead from Syria. You will remember him from the stories of Elijah. 9 The two kings, dressed in their royal robes, were sitting on their thrones at the threshing place just outside the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying in front of them. And finally, Jehoshaphat slinks back to Jerusalem, humiliated by his bad decision. This article is part of our People from the Bible Series featuring the most well-known historical names and figures from Scripture. The prayer was answered. 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. First, Jehoshaphat allied himself with Ahab by taking Ahab's daughter . On His right hand and His left: Since the right hand was the place of favor, this may indicate that God spoke to the combined host of heaven, both faithful and fallen angelic beings. Ahab was killed by an enemy arrow. Unfortunately, Jehoram did not follow in the paths of . Article Images Copyright , Lessons From the Bible Story of King Jehoshaphat. Unlike today, many mothers in Ancient Israel decided to name their children Jehoshaphat. But what about King Jehoshaphat? He said similar words to the 400 unfaithful prophets, but delivered a completely different message. He walked in God's ways - "The Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the earlier ways of his father David. And the LORD said, These have no master. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website. All rights reserved. Week 39. He attempts to make peace with the northern kingdom of Israel but ends up getting tangled in some bad friendships along the way. To honor Jehoshaphat and those with him, Ahab had a large number of sheep and cattle slaughtered for a feast. This is what the LORD says to you: Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. 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?. Lets explore some of these verses. i. The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them: You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page. 28 Then King Ahab of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah went to attack the city of Ramoth in Gilead. We are first introduced to him in 1 Kings 15:24 but are told nothing more than that he succeeded Asa. Vs. 28 - Micaiah does not back down. battle. Jehoshaphat starts the process by getting rid of Asherah poles. They butchered great numbers of sheep, goats, and cattle for the feast. Probably this man already had shot many arrows, and he went on in his simplicity, little knowing that this particular arrow was to be guided through all the confusion straight to its mark by the unerring knowledge and power of God. He went out with Ahab in battle, and was rebuked by Jehu the son of Hanani. It was certainly persuasive to have 400 prophets speak in agreement on one issue. Micaiah was brought out from prison (1 Kings 22:26 indicates that he came from prison). Three years later they were willing to prophesy lies to Ahab if that was what he wanted to hear. 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. Unsurprisingly, Ahab still goes into battle. THEN he made another disastrous treaty with wicked King Ahaziah which resulted in all their ships wrecked. Micaiah assured him that he would simply repeat what God said to him. 1992 American Bible Society. 1) Jehoshaphat the faithful. He prioritized the worship of Yahweh, the true God of Israel. We can be certain that every eye was on Zedekiah when he used the horns of iron to powerfully illustrate the point. He thought this would help protect him against Micaiahs prophecy of doom. Sunday (2 Chronicles 18-23) Jehosophat Allies because Ahab. Yet it should be noted, as mentioned previously in the Bible Reading Program, that this was a common oversight attributed to most of Judah's righteous kings, and is perhaps equally if not more due to a lack of wholeheartedness in obeying God on the part of the nation. God intervened to help him. We can learn a great deal from this Old Testament king who we sadly do not learn enough about in Sunday school classes or in sermons. b. Put this fellow in prison: King Ahab responded the way many tyrants do when they are confronted with the truth. ii. Ahab was a king of Israel, first mentioned in 1 Kings 16. Just as Jehoshaphat allied himself with a wicked king. How? Ahab knew in his heart that Micaiah would not fear or flatter him, but only declare the word of Jehovah. Jesus stays behind in the temple. 400 prophets predict that they should go out to war for they will be successful. Ahab, whose wife was the infamous Jezebel, was possibly the most wicked king who ever ruled over Israel. Week 39. Now when Jehoshaphat learned a great army has come against him ( 2 Chronicles 20:1-2 ), he immediately realized three things. (1 Chronicles 17: 1-6, 10) However, although he could have relied totally on God to protect him, Jehoshaphat allied himself with the evil king of Israel, Ahab. Click on the different category headings to find out more. Who Was Isaiah & Why Was He Important? Yet so it was. (Morgan), ii. King Ahab of Israel asked King Jehoshaphat of Judah to help him in this dispute against Syria. There I will put them on trial for what they did to my inheritance, my people Israel, because they scatteredmy people among the nationsand divided up my land., Joel 3:12 Let the nations be roused; let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit to judgeall the nations on every side.. LICENSEE shall reproduce the following trademark and trademark notice on the copyright page of each copy of the Licensed Products: Read the surrounding text of 2 Chronicles 18:1-19:11. For the battle is not yours, but Gods." This show of friendship to Ahab was in reality hatred towards God (2 . Perhaps he was either not very smart or he had very great faith. a. The name Jehoshaphat means means "Jehovah has judged," Yahweh judges, or Yahweh establishes the right.".
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