1 Kings 22:41-53
41 Jehoshaphat the son of Asa had become king over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. 42 Jehoshaphat 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. 43 And he walked in all the ways of his father Asa. He did not turn aside from them, doing what was right in the eyes of the LORD. Nevertheless the high places were not taken away, for the people offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places. 44 Also Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel.
45 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, the might that he showed, and how he made war, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 46 And the rest of the perverted persons, who remained in the days of his father Asa, he banished from the land. 47 There was then no king in Edom, only a deputy of the king.
48 Jehoshaphat made merchant ships to go to Ophir for gold; but they never sailed, for the ships were wrecked at Ezion Geber. 49 Then Ahaziah the son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, "Let my servants go with your servants in the ships." But Jehoshaphat would not. 50 And Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the City of David his father. Then Jehoram his son reigned in his place.
51 Ahaziah the son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel. 52 He did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father and in the way of his mother and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin; 53 for he served Baal and worshiped him, and provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger, according to all that his father had done.
Jehoshaphat and Ahaziah, kings of Judah and Israel. One was good and one was evil in heart and actions. Jehoshaphat reigned twenty-five years, while Ahaziah only made it two. The king of Israel did what was right as defined by the LORD, while Ahaziah did was was right as he wanted, which was only evil in God’s sight. This summary at the end of the book shows the current state of the divided kingdom at that time, with Judah keeping the course and Israel wandering further from the LORD their God. His people were divided in loyalty to Him, not just in national borders. Jehoshaphat fought the good fight and banished the perverse from the land (קָדֵשׁ, sodomites, those practicing sodomy and prostitution in religious rituals) to keep the people holy. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 reminds us who are in Christ that some of us were these perverse and godless ones as well, but those desires and actions fundamentally change when He changes us (1 Corinthians 6:11), though we may still battle against them (1 Corinthians 6:18-20). We should be like Jehoshaphat the good king to rule over our souls, and not like Ahaziah the evil and sensuous-minded ruler leading us astray back into the idolatry of sin which worships self and pleasures over the Lord. The transitory pleasures of sin are not worth the consequences as Moses gave us the example in Hebrews 11:24-26 while suffering with God’s people in doing right. This warning of exhortation was given in the beginning to us that we must rule over sin and its temptations (Genesis 4:7), looking to nip them in the bud before losing the battles as Ahaziah. Our guidance is helped in James 1:14-15, where we are warned of how tempting circumstances and pleasures will overcome us when dwelt on instead of walked away from. Our own sinful hearts desire what is wrong and must have a good and strong ruler over them; we have that King of kings whose Spirit helps us to rule over the sin and its evil ruler within us. Let us then put to death the things opposed to God and His word to be like Jehoshaphat instead of Ahaziah, learning from their examples in the scriptures to guide our walk with the Lord, with holiness and self-control ruling our sanctification by His work in us guided by His Spirit and word.
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