Today’s Reading: 1 Kings 22; 2 Chronicles 18; 2 Chronicles 19; Colossians 4
Scripture: 1 Kings 22:2, 4
2 ...in the third year Jehoshaphat king of Judah went down to see the king of Israel... 4 So he asked Jehoshaphat, "Will you go with me to fight against Ramoth Gilead?" Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, "I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses."
Observation: Jehoshaphat is naive. He appears to be a bit of a simpleton. He gets together with Ahab, his counterpart in Israel, who, encouraged by his evil wife, Jezebel, has been one of the most godless and wicked kings ever. Jehoshaphat is a godly king who has been seeking to lead the people of Judah toward the Lord, while Ahab has been the opposite, actively wiping out any remnant of godliness from Israel. But Jehoshaphat is clueless about the significance of this. And he makes the statement, "I am as you are...", thus identifying himself with Ahab. What a mistake. In fact, his naiveté almost gets him killed as the sly Ahab convinces him to wear his royal robes in the ill-fated battle while he (Ahab) goes in disguise. (Of course, Ahab gets his comeuppance as he cannot thwart God's justice and is killed by a "random arrow" that "just happens" to penetrate the seam between his body armor plates.)
Application: Jehoshaphat is an example of well-intentioned believers who want to reach out to wicked people but compromise in the process. His desire not to offend anybody almost got him killed and did eventually bring judgment from the Lord.
Bottom line: Those who walk with God should never walk in fellowship with those who actively oppose him. There is a time for drawing lines between righteousness and wickedness. Discernment and courage are needed and not everybody will like you.
Prayer: Lord, give me wisdom and courage to not be afraid to demonstrate righteousness and challenge the wicked to repent. Help me not to me a hypocrite in my life but to be righteous and faithful.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
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