2 Chronicles 24:15-27 - Do Good to God and His House

2 Chronicles 24:15-27

Apostasy of Joash

15 But Jehoiada grew old and was full of days, and he died; he was one hundred and thirty years old when he died. 16 And they buried him in the City of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, both toward God and His house.

17 Now after the death of Jehoiada the leaders of Judah came and bowed down to the king. And the king listened to them. 18 Therefore they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served wooden images and idols; and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem because of their trespass. 19 Yet He sent prophets to them, to bring them back to the LORD; and they testified against them, but they would not listen.

20 Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, who stood above the people, and said to them, “Thus says God: Why do you transgress the commandments of the LORD, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the LORD, He also has forsaken you.’” 21 So they conspired against him, and at the command of the king they stoned him with stones in the court of the house of the LORD. 22 Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but killed his son; and as he died, he said, “The LORD look on it, and repay!”

Death of Joash (2 Kings 12:19–21)

23 So it happened in the spring of the year that the army of Syria came up against him; and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the leaders of the people from among the people, and sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus. 24 For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men; but the LORD delivered a very great army into their hand, because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. So they executed judgment against Joash. 25 And when they had withdrawn from him (for they left him severely wounded), his own servants conspired against him because of the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and killed him on his bed. So he died. And they buried him in the City of David, but they did not bury him in the tombs of the kings.

26 These are the ones who conspired against him: Zabad the son of Shimeath the Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith the Moabitess. 27 Now concerning his sons, and the many oracles about him, and the repairing of the house of God, indeed they are written in the annals of the book of the kings. Then Amaziah his son reigned in his place.

King Jehoiada is recorded as doing good to the LORD God and His house among His people.  He had done his best with a devoted and sincere heart to follow God and honor Him in worship by setting the example and standing against the idolatry of the world all around them.  Even after the people of God honored him with a burial in Jerusalem as a testament to being a man after God’s own heart like David before him who founded that city, even then they immediately turned back to idolatry and left the LORD behind yet again.  Without the const godly leadership they had drifted back a way, an indication that they really were committed to following a leader and not the one he followed.  This is a common ailment of the sin nature seen too often even now as the people of the Lord follow a pastor or a famous speaker and abandon their quest to follow the Lord then those die or fall away themselves.  What happened to each individual following the Lord instead of the leader?  We see the consequences of not following the Lord through the example (1 Corinthians 11:1) as it should be, as Israel turned to follow dead carvings and imaginary figures as gods instead of continuing on after the one the leader pointed them to follow, forgetting the lesson’s pattern set for them.  As for Israel, God had sent messengers to point out their wayward failures and they just ignored them with their fingers planted soundly in their spiritual ears.  He who has ears to hear listens to the word as completed in the gospel (Deuteronomy 29:4, Matthew 13:13, Ephesians 1:18, Luke 24:31-32) and follows the Lord after being moved to repentance and faith to receive (John 1:12) Him.  Not to ask Him into their hearts or accept Him as a choice of their own will’s design and effort or wisdom, but having been called and moved to understand with ears and eyes opened by God’s Spirit to believe and receive the One coming into them by His choice and work.  Salvation belongs to the Lord!  Joash killed Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest when he exposed their idolatry and apostasy with the truth, and this is a reminder that we may also suffer even to death (Matthew 10:21-22, 24:12-13, 14, Revelation 2:10) for our own testimony for the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ, but in the end we will be with Him and honored for honoring our Lord and not any other.  The ones misleading God’s people like Joash will likewise meet an end for persecution the saints of the Lord as well, just like the servants of the king enacted vengeance on Joash for the death of the priest Jehoiada and his sons.  Our High Priest will avenge (Luke 18:7, 2 Thessalonians 1:8, 2 Peter 2:9, Revelation 6:9-10) His people.  Until then we as His children, His chosen people called out to the world of idolatry, we are called to do good to God in His eyes as we follow Him and do good to His house, the people (Galatians 6:10) who are the church, the called-out ones.  God will avenge those who persecute us for the gospel’s sake of truth and devotion to believe, receive, and follow Him. 

2 Chronicles 24:1-14 - Repair and Upkeep of God’s House

2 Chronicles 24:1-14

Joash Repairs the Temple (2 Kings 11:21—12:16)

1 Joash was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba. 2 Joash did what was right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest. 3 And Jehoiada took two wives for him, and he had sons and daughters.

4 Now it happened after this that Joash set his heart on repairing the house of the LORD. 5 Then he gathered the priests and the Levites, and said to them, “Go out to the cities of Judah, and gather from all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that you do it quickly.”

However the Levites did not do it quickly. 6 So the king called Jehoiada the chief priest, and said to him, “Why have you not required the Levites to bring in from Judah and from Jerusalem the collection, according to the commandment of Moses the servant of the LORD and of the assembly of Israel, for the tabernacle of witness?” 7 For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken into the house of God, and had also presented all the dedicated things of the house of the LORD to the Baals.

8 Then at the king’s command they made a chest, and set it outside at the gate of the house of the LORD. 9 And they made a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to bring to the LORD the collection that Moses the servant of God had imposed on Israel in the wilderness. 10 Then all the leaders and all the people rejoiced, brought their contributions, and put them into the chest until all had given. 11 So it was, at that time, when the chest was brought to the king’s official by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw that there was much money, that the king’s scribe and the high priest’s officer came and emptied the chest, and took it and returned it to its place. Thus they did day by day, and gathered money in abundance.

12 The king and Jehoiada gave it to those who did the work of the service of the house of the LORD; and they hired masons and carpenters to repair the house of the LORD, and also those who worked in iron and bronze to restore the house of the LORD. 13 So the workmen labored, and the work was completed by them; they restored the house of God to its original condition and reinforced it. 14 When they had finished, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada; they made from it articles for the house of the LORD, articles for serving and offering, spoons and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the LORD continually all the days of Jehoiada.

King Joash was a godly man who set his heart on doing what God said was right according to His word as witnessed by the prophets to the people.  Because he had such a heart for God like king David before him, he saw the disrepair that the house of God had fallen into by neglect as the people pursued idolatry, and he did something about it as soon as he saw it.  He sent the priests and Levite servants of the temple quickly throughout the land to gather offerings to fund the work of the repair and restoration to honor and worship the LORD in that meeting place before the mercy seat in the holy place.  When they dragged their feet on the task, he strongly reminded them the commandment of Moses, the servant of the LORD and of the assembly of Israel, to keep up and serve in the temple of the tabernacle of witness before the LORD.  He reminded them also how evil Athaliah’s sons had desecrated the temple with offering the holy dedicated things of God’s house to idols of false gods to shame them into action due to the seriousness of the state of God’s temple in disrepair and dishonor.  Due to the slow action to personally collect what was needed, the king had boxes made so the people could themselves put their tithe offerings in the box to sustain the work to restore and maintain upkeep of the house of God.  They hired workers for the restoration work that it might be brought back to the original condition and then made it better by reinforcing it.  They renewed and made the temple even better in their restoration work to have a place worthy for the LORD to meet them in their worship and continued sacrifices to honor and serve Him there.  Do we take the same care not only of our church buildings where we meet and worship the Lord, but also of these temples of our bodies where He dwells (1 Corinthians 6:19, Ephesians 2:21-22, 1 Peter 2:4-5) in us personally and corporately? 

2 Chronicles 23:1-21 - Rightful Ruler Crowned, Usurper Put Down

2 Chronicles 23:1-21

Joash Crowned King of Judah (2 Kings 11:4–12)

1 In the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and made a covenant with the captains of hundreds: Azariah the son of Jeroham, Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, Azariah the son of Obed, Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri. 2 And they went throughout Judah and gathered the Levites from all the cities of Judah, and the chief fathers of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem.

3 Then all the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And he said to them, “Behold, the king’s son shall reign, as the LORD has said of the sons of David. 4 This is what you shall do: One-third of you entering on the Sabbath, of the priests and the Levites, shall be keeping watch over the doors; 5 one-third shall be at the king’s house; and one-third at the Gate of the Foundation. All the people shall be in the courts of the house of the LORD. 6 But let no one come into the house of the LORD except the priests and those of the Levites who serve. They may go in, for they are holy; but all the people shall keep the watch of the LORD. 7 And the Levites shall surround the king on all sides, every man with his weapons in his hand; and whoever comes into the house, let him be put to death. You are to be with the king when he comes in and when he goes out.”

8 So the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded. And each man took his men who were to be on duty on the Sabbath, with those who were going off duty on the Sabbath; for Jehoiada the priest had not dismissed the divisions. 9 And Jehoiada the priest gave to the captains of hundreds the spears and the large and small shields which had belonged to King David, that were in the temple of God. 10 Then he set all the people, every man with his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the temple to the left side of the temple, along by the altar and by the temple, all around the king. 11 And they brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, gave him the Testimony, and made him king. Then Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and said, “Long live the king!”

Death of Athaliah (2 Kings 11:13–20)

12 Now when Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came to the people in the temple of the LORD. 13 When she looked, there was the king standing by his pillar at the entrance; and the leaders and the trumpeters were by the king. All the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets, also the singers with musical instruments, and those who led in praise. So Athaliah tore her clothes and said, “Treason! Treason!”

14 And Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds who were set over the army, and said to them, “Take her outside under guard, and slay with the sword whoever follows her.” For the priest had said, “Do not kill her in the house of the LORD.”

15 So they seized her; and she went by way of the entrance of the Horse Gate into the king’s house, and they killed her there.

16 Then Jehoiada made a covenant between himself, the people, and the king, that they should be the LORD’s people. 17 And all the people went to the temple of Baal, and tore it down. They broke in pieces its altars and images, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. 18 Also Jehoiada appointed the oversight of the house of the LORD to the hand of the priests, the Levites, whom David had assigned in the house of the LORD, to offer the burnt offerings of the LORD, as it is written in the Law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, as it was established by David. 19 And he set the gatekeepers at the gates of the house of the LORD, so that no one who was in any way unclean should enter.

20 Then he took the captains of hundreds, the nobles, the governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and brought the king down from the house of the LORD; and they went through the Upper Gate to the king’s house, and set the king on the throne of the kingdom. 21 So all the people of the land rejoiced; and the city was quiet, for they had slain Athaliah with the sword.

Jehoiada was a godly man who stood against the evil rule of Athaliah who usurped the throne of her equally evil son Ahaziah by murdering any other heirs except the one that had been hidden from her power play massacre.  Joash the son of Ahaziah was that one hidden by the king’s daughter Jehoshabeath.  Jehoiada gathered loyal and faithful men in the LORD to secretly crone this hidden son to his rightful place and put down the evil usurper.   He spoke of the word of God who promised that only the sons descended from king David would be promised to sit on that throne of Judah, and he faithfully worked to bring that to pass.  He assigned the faithful to guard temple for the rightful king to enter in and be crowned, keeping the usurper Athaliah from disrupting the ceremony and keeping Joash safe through it all with armed guards lined up in the temple.  As it is recorded here, they brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, gave him the Testimony, and made him king, anointing him in the name of the LORD while crying out, “Long live the king!”  When Athaliah heard and witnessed her defeat, she tore her clothes in grief and shock at her defeat and loudly cried out, “Treason! Treason!” as if to undo what had been already done to usurp the usurper.  Her penalty for her murderous coup to take the place of God’s chosen ruler was death.  They executed her outside the king’s house and not in the holy place of the temple where only nearly perfect animals were sacrificed to atone for sins.  She was far from holy and had to be slain elsewhere in judgment and not atonement.  When these things were done and the proper man chosen to rule took his place over the woman who stole that place, the people rejoiced in the peace of the people before the holy God once more as it should be.  How this lesson should remind us of the men the Lord chooses to rule His house need to not be usurped by those not chosen by Him such as women who take the role upon themselves instead of their own roles; the role of spiritual leaders of the people of the Lord are spelled out for us in His word (1 Timothy 3:2, Titus 1:5, 6) as He has told us to be appointed as if the spiritual descendants of the Seed of king David (and not according to false physical descendants as the Roman church does today), those chosen in Christ and not ones who take the position for themselves as usurpers of holy and godly order in contradiction to the pattern and order of the scriptures.  When these patterns are followed, then God’s people truly have rest and peace with God in Christ and rejoice to cry, “Long live the King of kings!”

2 Chronicles 22:1-12 - An Ungodly Legacy Continued

2 Chronicles 22:1-12

Ahaziah Reigns in Judah (2 Kings 8:25–29; 9:14–16, 27–29)

1 Then the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king in his place, for the raiders who came with the Arabians into the camp had killed all the older sons. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram, king of Judah, reigned. 2 Ahaziah was forty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah the granddaughter of Omri. 3 He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother advised him to do wickedly. 4 Therefore he did evil in the sight of the LORD, like the house of Ahab; for they were his counselors after the death of his father, to his destruction. 5 He also followed their advice, and went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth Gilead; and the Syrians wounded Joram. 6 Then he returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds which he had received at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And Azariah the son of Jehoram, king of Judah, went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.

7 His going to Joram was God’s occasion for Ahaziah’s downfall; for when he arrived, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab. 8 And it happened, when Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, and found the princes of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah’s brothers who served Ahaziah, that he killed them. 9 Then he searched for Ahaziah; and they caught him (he was hiding in Samaria), and brought him to Jehu. When they had killed him, they buried him, “because,” they said, “he is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart.”

So the house of Ahaziah had no one to assume power over the kingdom.

Athaliah Reigns in Judah (2 Kings 11:1–3)

10 Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal heirs of the house of Judah. 11 But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king’s sons who were being murdered, and put him and his nurse in a bedroom. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest (for she was the sister of Ahaziah), hid him from Athaliah so that she did not kill him. 12 And he was hidden with them in the house of God for six years, while Athaliah reigned over the land.

Jehoram the son of godly Jehoshaphat was and ungodly ruler due to the influence of his wife who was the daughter of Ahab, another ungodly king.  Then the son of Jehoram, Ahaziah, followed in the dubious footsteps of his father because the citizens of Jerusalem had no others to choose from of royal lineage.  It was a mistake.  Ahaziah listened to his wicked mother and learned his evil ways from her, ending his reign in just one year.  He received bad counsel to do wickedly against the word and will of the LORD and reaped the destructive whirlwind (Hosea 8:1, 7) of divine judgment for his idolatry and immorality.  Jehu executed the judgment as God’s hand to destroy the house of Ahab and then ended Ahaziah for following in their ungodly footsteps.  Still they buried him to honor the memory of Jehoshaphat the godly man before him who had sought the LORD God with a devotion of wholehearted pursuit.  The mother of Ahaziah then killed all other royal heirs in revenge, but one was hidden and saved, namely Joash.  This woman Athaliah reigned for awhile in her son’s place after destroying the other heirs to keep the power for herself.  We see how evil habits corrupt good morals (Proverbs 13:20, 22, 1 Corinthians 15:33, Galatians 6:7-8) as heirs are taught to do evil against God by example and instruction, and the deadly consequences of such pursuits.  This ungodly legacy continued due to such evil influence and led the people astray from God in the examples of idolatry and immorality set by their rebellion against the LORD and His commandments for holiness (Leviticus 19:2, 1 Peter 1:15, Hebrews 12:14, Ephesians 4:24) and righteousness.  May we not be tempted to listen to such bad advice or follow their (Psalm 1:1-2, 1 Peter 3:11, 1 Thessalonians 5:22) examples to do evil in the sight of the Lord as His word defines and His Spirit teaches us (Hebrews 5:14) what is good and evil.   May we leave a godly legacy (2 Timothy 2:2) by the instruction of the Lord (Colossians 2:7, 2 Thessalonians 2:15, Titus 1:9, 1 John 2:27) to and through us, and a walk to match. 

2 Chronicles 21:1-20 - Strengthening Self to Do Evil

2 Chronicles 21:1-20

Jehoram Reigns in Judah (1 Kings 22:50; 2 Kings 8:16–24)

1 And Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the City of David. Then Jehoram his son reigned in his place. 2 He had brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azaryahu, Michael, and Shephatiah; all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel. 3 Their father gave them great gifts of silver and gold and precious things, with fortified cities in Judah; but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram, because he was the firstborn.

4 Now when Jehoram was established over the kingdom of his father, he strengthened himself and killed all his brothers with the sword, and also others of the princes of Israel.

5 Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. 6 And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done, for he had the daughter of Ahab as a wife; and he did evil in the sight of the LORD. 7 Yet the LORD would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that He had made with David, and since He had promised to give a lamp to him and to his sons forever.

8 In his days Edom revolted against Judah’s authority, and made a king over themselves. 9 So Jehoram went out with his officers, and all his chariots with him. And he rose by night and attacked the Edomites who had surrounded him and the captains of the chariots. 10 Thus Edom has been in revolt against Judah’s authority to this day. At that time Libnah revolted against his rule, because he had forsaken the LORD God of his fathers. 11 Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit harlotry, and led Judah astray.

12 And a letter came to him from Elijah the prophet, saying,
Thus says the LORD God of your father David:

Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father, or in the ways of Asa king of Judah, 13 but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and have made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the harlot like the harlotry of the house of Ahab, and also have killed your brothers, those of your father’s household, who were better than yourself, 14 behold, the LORD will strike your people with a serious affliction—your children, your wives, and all your possessions; 15 and you will become very sick with a disease of your intestines, until your intestines come out by reason of the sickness, day by day.

16 Moreover the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines and the Arabians who were near the Ethiopians. 17 And they came up into Judah and invaded it, and carried away all the possessions that were found in the king’s house, and also his sons and his wives, so that there was not a son left to him except Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons.

18 After all this the LORD struck him in his intestines with an incurable disease. 19 Then it happened in the course of time, after the end of two years, that his intestines came out because of his sickness; so he died in severe pain. And his people made no burning for him, like the burning for his fathers.

20 He was thirty-two years old when he became king. He reigned in Jerusalem eight years and, to no one’s sorrow, departed. However they buried him in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.

After Jehoshaphat died and he had appointed his eldest son Jehoram to ascend to the throne, the tide was turned from a man who sought God’s heart to one who lived only for his own where selfishness ruled with evil intent in place os selfless service to the LORD God.  Jehoshaphat had spoiled all his sons by giving them much but the eldest repaid him by killing the other brothers and even the other leaders to assure his control.  Jehoram followed in the footsteps of the northern idolatrous and apostate kingdom with Ahab’s daughter as his wife to further lead him and his people away from God into doing what was not on His heart as David and his own father had done by following God’s own heart.  There was revolt in the kingdom and he setup the high places of pagan worship once more in the hills to break the first commandment with willing and evil impunity.  Elijah the prophet wrote to him to expose his immorality and idolatry and spelled out the consequences to follow for not following the LORD and His word.  He pronounced a slow painful death on Jehoram and those who followed him, then his reign ended with no tears shed for his passing.  The wages of sin in rejecting the Lord and His word in the gospel are even more severe because the punishment earned for sin (Romans 6:23) is much worse with never-ending pain and death being (Isaiah 66:24, Mark 9:43-44, Matthew 25:46) impossible.  How can people not turn from sin to receive Him (John 1:12) and the grace of forgiveness and not follow to serve the King of Kings instead of serving self with evil intent and never-ending consequences?  Strengthening oneself and pursuing evil in defiance of the Lord of lords only leads to destruction beyond the grave.  Turn and live (Ezekiel 18:32, 33:11) before the kingdoms of earth fall and the kingdom of heaven comes down to earth!

2 Chronicles 20:22-37 - Be Established and Prosperous in the Lord

2 Chronicles 20:22-37

22 Now when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated. 23 For the people of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to utterly kill and destroy them. And when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.

24 So when Judah came to a place overlooking the wilderness, they looked toward the multitude; and there were their dead bodies, fallen on the earth. No one had escaped.

25 When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away their spoil, they found among them an abundance of valuables on the dead bodies, and precious jewelry, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away; and they were three days gathering the spoil because there was so much. 26 And on the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berachah, for there they blessed the LORD; therefore the name of that place was called The Valley of Berachah until this day. 27 Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat in front of them, to go back to Jerusalem with joy, for the LORD had made them rejoice over their enemies. 28 So they came to Jerusalem, with stringed instruments and harps and trumpets, to the house of the LORD. 29 And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries when they heard that the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel. 30 Then the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest all around.

The End of Jehoshaphat’s Reign (1 Kings 22:41–50)

31 So Jehoshaphat was king over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. 32 And he walked in the way of his father Asa, and did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the LORD. 33 Nevertheless the high places were not taken away, for as yet the people had not directed their hearts to the God of their fathers.

34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, indeed they are written in the book of Jehu the son of Hanani, which is mentioned in the book of the kings of Israel.

35 After this Jehoshaphat king of Judah allied himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who acted very wickedly. 36 And he allied himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish, and they made the ships in Ezion Geber. 37 But Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the LORD has destroyed your works.” Then the ships were wrecked, so that they were not able to go to Tarshish.

After Jehoshaphat had called for the people to believe in the LORD to be established (1 Peter 5:10) and in the messengers He sent with His word to find true prosperity and to praise God in the beauty of holiness in their lives, we come to this part of the passage showing the fruit of thaw it praises sung and hearts in alignment with God’s own heart.  They defeated the adversaries set against them and reaped the spoils of their enemies as they came to worship in God’s house where His presence was and the surrounding peoples sat in fear of this awesome God who fought the battles for His own.  Then they had peace with God and from the enemy because the LORD gave them peace (Romans 5:1) as we have now completely in Christ who fights the battles against our adversary the devil and keeps us from destruction forevermore.  We see how Jehoshaphat as the leader of God’s congregation walked with God and did His will according to the word delivered to them for their souls’ prosperity and whose faith that trusted and obeyed that word established him and the kingdom under him as he pursued doing what God said was right and not what was right in his own eyes (Judges 17:6, 1 Kings 11:38) as the people had been doing without godly leadership.  Even then, however, the high places of idolatry still existed because the people did not all aim their hearts to God and in obedience to His word.  The sad thing is that in the end Jehoshaphat compromised this good by making an unholy alliance to gain ships for trade and lost his good works in the process.  Evil company (Psalm 1:1-2, 1 Corinthians 15:33) corrupts good habits.  We must therefore learn from these mistakes as well as from the good actions of the heart by Jehoshaphat to serve our Lord in the beauty of holiness to be established in Him by our works for true prosperity of heart, mind, and soul as we worship with our lives like living sacrifices (Romans 6:19, 12:1, 2, Hebrews 13:15) to stop self-service that we might be true God-pleasers. 

2 Chronicles 20:1-21 - Praise the Lord for His Mercy!

2 Chronicles 20:1-21

Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir Defeated

1 It happened after this that the people of Moab with the people of Ammon, and others with them besides the Ammonites, came to battle against Jehoshaphat. 2 Then some came and told Jehoshaphat, saying, “A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, from Syria; and they are in Hazazon Tamar” (which is En Gedi). 3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. 4 So Judah gathered together to ask help from the LORD; and from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.

5 Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court, 6 and said: “O LORD God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You? 7 Are You not our God, who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel, and gave it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever? 8 And they dwell in it, and have built You a sanctuary in it for Your name, saying, 9 If disaster comes upon us—sword, judgment, pestilence, or famine—we will stand before this temple and in Your presence (for Your name is in this temple), and cry out to You in our affliction, and You will hear and save.’ 10 And now, here are the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir—whom You would not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them and did not destroy them— 11 here they are, rewarding us by coming to throw us out of Your possession which You have given us to inherit. 12 O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”

13 Now all Judah, with their little ones, their wives, and their children, stood before the LORD.

14 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly. 15 And he said, “Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the LORD to you: Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16 Tomorrow go down against them. They will surely come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the brook before the Wilderness of Jeruel. 17 You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the LORD is with you.”

18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem bowed before the LORD, worshiping the LORD. 19 Then the Levites of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with voices loud and high.

20 So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the LORD your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.” 21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the LORD, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying:

“Praise the LORD,
For His mercy endures forever.”

When Jehoshaphat was facing the approaching enemy, he did not look to his army for strength or himself for brilliant strategy to stop them.  He sought the LORD and proclaimed a fast for prayer to God for help.   The king acknowledged the King of kings as sovereign, ruling all kingdoms on earth from heaven above.  He acknowledged all power (Psalm 62:11-12) and strength (1 Chronicles 29:12-13) were in His hands and that nobody could stand against Him who rules over the universe made and sustained by His mighty hand.  God had driven out the ungodly of the land promised by faith to and through Abraham to His people.  He gave them the temple as a place to meet God and offer sacrifices for atonement and of praise for His goodness, as well as to ask for mercy and deliverance of salvation in pressing times.  They stood and prayed in His presence there now to ask for deliverance from the imminent attack that He would judge and defeat them.  They did not know what to do but their eyes were on Him.  God spoke by His Spirit through a prophet to assure them by saying,“Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.”  He would fight for them because the battle always belongs to the LORD.  He went with them into that battle the next day because they by faith believed His word by the words of the messengers for victory and prosperity (Psalm 90:17) to come as a nation.  They sang to the LORD with praise and thanksgiving in the beauty of holiness (1 Chronicles 16:29, Psalm 29:2) as they went forth singing, “Praise the LORD, for His mercy endures forever!”  Do we trust in God’s word for victory over the enemy as he comes against us and lean on His grace and mercy as we praise Him for that mercy and take Him at His word by faith?  Or do we vainly attempt to fight the good fight (1 Timothy 1:18, 6:12) in our own strength and wisdom?  Praise the Lord instead and fight in His might! 

2 Chronicles 19:1-11 - Warning and Preparation of the Heart

2 Chronicles 19:1-11

1 Then Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned safely to his house in Jerusalem. 2 And 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? Therefore the wrath of the LORD is upon you. 3 Nevertheless good things are found in you, in that you have removed the wooden images from the land, and have prepared your heart to seek God.”

The Reforms of Jehoshaphat

4 So Jehoshaphat dwelt at Jerusalem; and he went out again among the people from Beersheba to the mountains of Ephraim, and brought them back to the LORD God of their fathers. 5 Then he set judges in the land throughout all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city, 6 and said to the judges, “Take heed to what you are doing, for you do not judge for man but for the LORD, who is with you in the judgment. 7 Now therefore, let the fear of the LORD be upon you; take care and do it, for there is no iniquity with the LORD our God, no partiality, nor taking of bribes.”

8 Moreover in Jerusalem, for the judgment of the LORD and for controversies, Jehoshaphat appointed some of the Levites and priests, and some of the chief fathers of Israel, when they returned to Jerusalem. 9 And he commanded them, saying, “Thus you shall act in the fear of the LORD, faithfully and with a loyal heart: 10 Whatever case comes to you from your brethren who dwell in their cities, whether of bloodshed or offenses against law or commandment, against statutes or ordinances, you shall warn them, lest they trespass against the LORD and wrath come upon you and your brethren. Do this, and you will not be guilty. 11 And take notice: Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of the LORD; and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, for all the king’s matters; also the Levites will be officials before you. Behave courageously, and the LORD will be with the good.”

This example set by Jehoshaphat is a warning not to help the wicked in their evil pursuits, but to do good by removing idols that take away from serving the Lord and to seek God in all we do, not influence by personal gain.  Jehoshaphat assisted Ahab in his evil pursuit of fighting his own battles instead of God’s and was spared the consequences of that wrath on his disobedience.  He then heeded the warning of God’s word delivered by Jehu and set rules for the priests and chief leaders to fear God in their actions and to do so in the genuine and faithfully loyal (perfect and at peace) heart as Isaiah 26:3 reminds us all.  We are further reminded that God is impartial (Romans 2:10-11, Ephesians 6:9, James 2:8-9) and does nothing wrong.  Ever.  He is holy, and so we are to imitate Him in our lives and pursuits of holiness.  We are also to listen to these words of example to warn others (Colossians 1:27-28) as we do ourselves not to continue in sin against the Lord and rest in His grace and mercy.  If we behave courageously, the Lord will honor and bless that.  This is the warning and preparation of the heart we all need to walk in the light (Ephesians 5:8-10, 1 John 1:6-7) where He is and honor Him in word and deed, not aligning with the world as Jehoshaphat did with Ahab due to his family relationship and misplaced friendship. 

2 Chronicles 18:1-34 - Shepherdless Sheep and Lying Prophets

2 Chronicles 18:1-34

Micaiah Warns Ahab (1 Kings 22:1–28)

1 Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance; and by marriage he allied himself with Ahab. 2 After some years he went down to visit Ahab in Samaria; and Ahab killed sheep and oxen in abundance for him and the people who were with him, and persuaded him to go up with him to Ramoth Gilead. 3 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.”

4 Also Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire for the word of the LORD today.”

5 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain?”

So they said, “Go up, for God will deliver it into the king’s hand.”

6 But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not still a prophet of the LORD here, that we may inquire of Him?”

7 So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man by whom we may inquire of the LORD; but I hate him, because he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil. He is Micaiah the son of Imla.”

And Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say such things!”

8 Then the king of Israel called one of his officers and said, “Bring Micaiah the son of Imla quickly!”

9 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. 10 Now Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made horns of iron for himself; and he said, “Thus says the LORD: ‘With these you shall gore the Syrians until they are destroyed.’”

11 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, “Go up to Ramoth Gilead and prosper, for the LORD will deliver it into the king’s hand.”

12 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. Therefore please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak encouragement.”

13 And Micaiah said, “As the LORD lives, whatever my God says, that I will speak.”

14 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!”

15 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?”

16 Then he said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And the LORD said, ‘These have no master. Let each return to his house in peace.’”

17 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?”

18 Then Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing on His right hand and His left. 19 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. 20 Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD, and said, ‘I will persuade him.’ The LORD said to him, ‘In what way?’ 21 So he said, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And the LORD said, ‘You shall persuade him and also prevail; go out and do so.’ 22 Therefore look! The LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these prophets of yours, and the LORD has declared disaster against you.”

23 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?”

24 And Micaiah said, “Indeed you shall see on that day when you go into an inner chamber to hide!”

25 Then the king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah, and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son; 26 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.”’”

27 But Micaiah said, “If you ever return in peace, the LORD has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Take heed, all you people!”

Ahab Dies in Battle (1 Kings 22:29–40)

28 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead. 29 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.

30 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.”

31 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. 32 For so it was, when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him. 33 Now a certain man drew a bow at random, and struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. So he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am wounded.” 34 The battle increased that day, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot facing the Syrians until evening; and about the time of sunset he died.

Jehoshaphat the king of Judah allied himself with king Ahab of Israel by marriage and was to help in battle against Ramoth Gilead.  Being a man of God, Jehoshaphat first asked Ahab to inquire of the LORD by a prophet who was the way to understand God’s word and will in those days.  Ahab gathered four hundred of them and they all have a feel good message of victory, yet Jehoshaphat sensed it was not right by the Spirit of God within him.  Micaiah was not liked by Ahab because his word was not in agreement with the king of Israel, and when he finally arrived by request of Jehoshaphat as a recognized true purveyor of God’s word.  He first mockingly told them to go and get the victory, then spoke plain and true when the truth was ready to be heard.  The message was of the shepherdless sheep of Israel scattered across the mountains and the LORD told them they have no master so they should just return to their house in peace and not fight a losing battle without the LORD on their side.  This is a prophetic message for Israel when Jesus Christ came (Matthew 9:36) and told them the spiritual reality was still there, namely that the people of God were lost like scattered sheep and needed the true Shepherd (Hebrews 13:20, 1 Peter 2:25) to save their souls.  The LORD had sent a spirit into the other four hundred prophets to speak lies as advice contrary to God’s word and Ahab wanted their false promise of salvation to deliver them in battle, so he locked up the bringer of real truth as the enemy still does with many who bring the good news of the deliverance of Jesus Christ even now.  The end came swiftly as king Ahab tried to hide from the enemy by disguise as behind the false prophets, and a “random” arrow of God’s justice judged and killed him for ignoring His true word that Israel had no leader, meaning him, and that they needed to refrain from battle until the true Shepherd came to lead them to the true and eternal victory (1 Corinthians 15:57) from the (Revelation 12:17) real adversary.  Even now there are many sheep without a shepherd and a multitude of lying self-proclaimed prophets speaking of a peace of hubris in their own hands as they promise hollow promises of prosperity and do not acknowledge that victory is only found in the true Shepherd sent from heaven, the Son of God and man sent to lead us to lasting victory over sin and death through the gospel of true peace for His people.