In 2Chronicles 20:1-18, king Jehoshaphat and all of Judah are faced with what appears to be almost certain destruction. A vast multitude of enemies come to do battle against Judah of such quantity that defeat seems inescapable. Jehoshaphat, however, rather than solicit for help from other sources or attempting to devise a plan of his own making, commands all Judah to immediately gather as one and ask help of the LORD. From hence, follows a scene of such dynamic fervency and strength of prayer that the very Spirit of God was moved to come into the midst of the congregation speaking through one of the Levites declaring to all of Judah, “Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s…Ye shall not need to fight in this battle; set yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah…fear not, for the LORD will be with you.” How came Jehoshaphat and Judah to turn so instinctively to God for help before even thinking of doing anything else? Let us consider the prior events in king Jehoshaphat’s life that might provide the answer and a lesson for us all.

Briefly considered, Chapters 17 to 19 sets forth this narrative: Jehoshaphat is a good and Godly king, one who seeks the Lord and keeps His commandments and God blesses him abundantly. However, this king who loved the LORD eventually joins in alliance and friendship with king Ahab of Israel who loved not the Lord. Through this friendship, Ahab persuades Jehoshaphat to go to battle with him against the Syrians. Jehoshaphat agrees to this even against the advice from God through Micaiah the prophet who prophecies that the LORD has spoken evil against Ahab who will be enticed of a spirit to choose wrongly to go to battle and will consequently die. Jehoshaphat is so devoid of godly wisdom through his alliance with Ahab, that he ignores this warning and even agrees to wear Ahab’s kingly robes into the battle to deceive the enemy. As expected, Jehoshaphat is mistaken for the king and is surrounded by the Syrians in battle. But Jehoshaphat cries out and the LORD helps him causing the Syrians to realize their mistake and turn away from Jehoshaphat. It happens, though, that a man randomly shoots an arrow into the battle and the arrow smites Ahab in the breast. Ahab dies of his wound and the prophecy foretold by Micaiah is fulfilled. Afterwards, Jehoshaphat returns to Jerusalem in peace only to be confronted by Jehu the prophet who delivers a scathing reprimand from the LORD for becoming confederate with Ahab. But notice, even in this reprimand the Lord mercifully reveals His paternal love He cannot deny, even in great displeasure, towards His child saying, “Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD? Therefore, is wrath upon thee from before the LORD. Nevertheless, there are good things found in thee…(thou) hast prepared thine heart to seek God.” (vss. 2& 3). Having been harshly admonished and yet compassionately encouraged, Jehoshaphat sets about with great conviction to establish the government of his kingdom to judge and rule the people in righteousness and fear of God.

Here let us reflect upon the lesson. According to a rather terse, but applicable, old saying, “If you stir in the garbage long enough, you’ll end up smelling like it.” That’s exactly what happened to Jehoshaphat. Because of his woeful alliance with Ahab, Jehoshaphat followed the advice of the wicked and not the wisdom of God. The same thing can happen to us all and can occur ever so subtly. Jehoshaphat was in a self-imposed dilemma. Showing himself friendly to Ahab to provide legitimate acts of kindness was commendable. He had married into Ahab’s family, so it was natural to conduct himself in a felicitous manner toward him. However, he allowed an association, or a purposed relationship of equal interest, with an individual who openly hated God, practiced idolatry, and promoted the same to all Israel.

Jehoshaphat’s desire to be a loving neighbor to provide acts of kindness is commanded of our Lord (Matthew 22:38; 5:44). But to become in league with the ungodly in their designs or way of life is to encourage and support them which justly provokes God to wrath (vs.2). Jehoshaphat had unequally yoked himself to the king of Israel (2Corinthians 6:14). By analogy, to be yoked is to be as the beasts of burden: connected on an equal beam with another so that when one moves, they both move in the same direction. To be unequally yoked is when two individuals are inclined to go opposite directions, yet, only one will prevail and because they are bound, they will ultimately proceed as one. The scriptures allow circumstantial situations to this plight, but, with divine antidotes to be carefully adhered. One situation is that of the believing and unbelieving spouses. Another is seen in Lot’s dilemma. In both cases, a Godly prescription is given. The spouse is instructed to conduct themselves with such Christ-like character that, if God is willing, their manner of life could be used as a means of conversion for the unbelieving spouse. Lot, on the other hand, had judiciously “pitched his tent towards Sodom” seeing that it was in a plain with abundant water and rich in provision. But, afterwards found himself among the wicked men of Sodom. The Lord sent a means of escape for Lot commanding him to leave the area of the plain, and not to look back upon that which at one time appeared so inviting. In obedience, Lot immediately fled. Nor did he for a second give a backward glance, as God commanded, lest he be tempted to have curiosity or pity upon that which God hated (1Corinthians 7:12-16; Genesis 13:10-13).

We, as Jehoshaphat, may find ourselves in a mess of our own making and surrounded with danger. It is unavoidable that we live among unbelievers, and unregenerate persons. Moreover, in our generation, devices of modern technology can place us virtually among the ungodly. Paul pungently teaches, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness…and what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God…wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord” (2Corinthians 6:14-17).

 Let us all be careful with the time and interest we commit to such mediums, real or virtual. Television particularly is my personal bane. In addition, we have numerous designs of electronic devices. If it’s not one, it’s the other or both. They pirate away not only our time of the day, but also our opportunities to engage with the Lord in personal communion and meditation and study of His holy scriptures which are the providential source ordained of God by which the saints receive real patience, real comfort and real hope in this life (Romans 15:4). Such modern instruments have amazing and wonderful uses. But with the use of them comes a very precarious precipice upon which we stand. Even when used for legitimate research, communication and even entertainment, the manner in which this is produced is that of instant gratification, and is at conflict with the development of necessary attributes expressly given to be exercised for Godly conduct and spiritual growth in our lives. For instance, patience and longsuffering are vital for us to use when responding to conflict, misunderstanding, anger, or disagreements with others so that we conduct ourselves with an attitude that pleases God, not ourselves. “For where envy and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy”, “forebearing one another in love” (James 3:17; Ephesians 4:2). Patience, longsuffering, and forebearance is emphatically propounded in the scriptures both for the spiritual health of the church and the individual saint and is given as a comparison to God’s patient attitude toward His people though they sin daily against Him! This is also critical in prayer and study or meditating in God’s word. Our practice in prayer is to do so without ceasing (1Thessalonians 5:17), to seek and ask God for what is needed persistently (Luke 11:8-10). And though God may answer quickly, there is no sense in the instruction that the saint should expect instant results to every petition, but quite often the opposite. What is promised, however, is that God will without fail answer the sincere and fervent prayer in the season of His appointing though it may seem an insufferable length of time (Luke 18:2-8; Galatians 6:9; Psalms 1:3; 34:18; 145:15-19). The same is true for our growth in the scriptures. Paul declares that the practice of profiting from the scriptures comes from learning what was written. In fact, the purpose of God’s word being written is that we may learn through study, searching, and giving our complete attention to them (Romans 15:4; 1Timothy 4:13-15). The hand is set to the plow, not the throttle. God in due time delivers, blesses, and helps: “he that believeth shall not make haste” (Isaiah 28:16). “Let patience have her perfect work” should be both a warning and a mantra (James 1:4). But such humanly devised means of instant gratification of need and desire eventually conditions the mind, the emotions, and the expectation of the individual and it becomes very difficult to know how to embrace and use the gracious attributes of James 3:17.

Which brings us back to 2Chronicles 20:1-18. It was not just the error, but the gracious recovery from error that compelled Jehoshaphat and Judah to such a height of prayer to God when they were once again in need of help. Just as the sweet meat of the pascal lamb could not be tasted until first the bitter herbs were eaten at the Passover; and just as the prodigal’s son was never more fit to feast from his father’s table than when he looked up with despair from the corn husks of the swine and realized the truth of his nature and his need; so Judah, through the error and recovery of their king, learned a valuable lesson from which they soon benefited. First, is the sanctifying lesson of how important it is for the child of God to keep themselves appropriately separated in the functions and habits of their lives from that which is not Godly, be it people or practices. Secondly, and perhaps the most impactful, is how God evidences His unbroken compassion towards His elect especially through their periods of errors and mistakes. It is from this Divine act of never failing to retrieve the saints from their treachery in life that turns them Heavenward. Their souls are overcome with true thankfulness and love to the Lord, and the heart that was broken now experiences such true penitence that their prayers cannot be refused by God (Psalms51:17) but in fact are happily embraced by the interceding prayers of our precious Saviour Himself. And as all Judah gathered themselves to seek and ask help of the LORD, then the Spirit of the Lord came into their midst and said unto them, set yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you. And Jehoshaphat and all Judah bowed their head and fell before the Lord and worshipped Him. So it is, even for us today. Woefully we err and wonderfully God delivers. And we pray and worship Him…better.