Be Careful Of The Alliances You Make
So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead.
. . . When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they thought, "This is the king of Israel." So they turned to attack him, but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him. God drew them away from him, for when the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they stopped pursuing him.
But someone drew his bow at random and hit the king of Israel between the breastplate and the scale armor. . . . All day long the battle raged, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot facing the Arameans until evening. Then at sunset he died.
When Jehoshaphat king of Judah returned safely to his palace in Jerusalem, Jehu the seer, son of Hanani, went out to meet him and said to the king, "Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD? Because of this, the wrath of the LORD is on you. There is, however, some good in you, for you have rid the land of the Asherah poles and have set your heart on seeking God." 2 Chronicles 18:28-19:3
. . . When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they thought, "This is the king of Israel." So they turned to attack him, but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him. God drew them away from him, for when the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they stopped pursuing him.
But someone drew his bow at random and hit the king of Israel between the breastplate and the scale armor. . . . All day long the battle raged, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot facing the Arameans until evening. Then at sunset he died.
When Jehoshaphat king of Judah returned safely to his palace in Jerusalem, Jehu the seer, son of Hanani, went out to meet him and said to the king, "Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD? Because of this, the wrath of the LORD is on you. There is, however, some good in you, for you have rid the land of the Asherah poles and have set your heart on seeking God." 2 Chronicles 18:28-19:3
Jehoshaphat was a godly king who cleansed the land of Judah of idol worship. He was so focused on turning the heart of the people back to God that early in his reign, he sent out his officials and priests into the towns of Judah to teach the people the word of the LORD. They actually took with them the Book of the Law of God on those teaching tours.
Ahab the king of Israel, on the other hand, was a godless king who acted wickedly and who condoned the promotion of idolatry in the nation. Under him, the people of Israel become very ungodly. Jehoshaphat, however, was aligned to Ahab by marriage. This marriage entanglement opened the door for Jehoshaphat to agree to war with Ahab against the king of Aram. Jehoshaphat's response to Ahab's request to go to war with him were, "I am as you are , and my people as your people. . ." Even though God made it clear that Ahab was going to die in the battle and Jehoshaphat was aware of Ahab's ungodliness, he went with him to attack Ramoth Gilead.
Ahab died in the battle and Jehoshaphat would also have been killed but for the mercies of God. Under attack by Aramean charioteers, "Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him. God drew them away from him . . . they stopped pursuing him." His life was spared. But God sent His prophet to confront him when he returned safely to Jerusalem: "Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD? Because of this, the wrath of the LORD is on you. There is, however, some good in you, for you . . . have set your heart on seeking God."
Jehoshaphat incurred the wrath of God because he allowed himself to be drawn into an ungodly alliance in spite of his deep love for God.
It is important to carefully examine the relationships and alliances we forge as we serve the Lord. People who do not love the Lord and whose agenda does not promote God's kingdom can compel us into activities that are not sanctioned by God and which could prove detrimental and even fatal to our divine destinies. But for the mercies of God, Jehoshaphat would have lost his life in the battle against the Arameans. Graciously, God spared his life by drawing the enemies away from him.
May God open the eyes of our understanding to reject any ungodly alliances and may He spare our destinations from destruction because of such alliances. May God open our eyes to any destiny destroying alliances and may we have the boldness to terminate them.
Ahab the king of Israel, on the other hand, was a godless king who acted wickedly and who condoned the promotion of idolatry in the nation. Under him, the people of Israel become very ungodly. Jehoshaphat, however, was aligned to Ahab by marriage. This marriage entanglement opened the door for Jehoshaphat to agree to war with Ahab against the king of Aram. Jehoshaphat's response to Ahab's request to go to war with him were, "I am as you are , and my people as your people. . ." Even though God made it clear that Ahab was going to die in the battle and Jehoshaphat was aware of Ahab's ungodliness, he went with him to attack Ramoth Gilead.
Ahab died in the battle and Jehoshaphat would also have been killed but for the mercies of God. Under attack by Aramean charioteers, "Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him. God drew them away from him . . . they stopped pursuing him." His life was spared. But God sent His prophet to confront him when he returned safely to Jerusalem: "Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD? Because of this, the wrath of the LORD is on you. There is, however, some good in you, for you . . . have set your heart on seeking God."
Jehoshaphat incurred the wrath of God because he allowed himself to be drawn into an ungodly alliance in spite of his deep love for God.
It is important to carefully examine the relationships and alliances we forge as we serve the Lord. People who do not love the Lord and whose agenda does not promote God's kingdom can compel us into activities that are not sanctioned by God and which could prove detrimental and even fatal to our divine destinies. But for the mercies of God, Jehoshaphat would have lost his life in the battle against the Arameans. Graciously, God spared his life by drawing the enemies away from him.
May God open the eyes of our understanding to reject any ungodly alliances and may He spare our destinations from destruction because of such alliances. May God open our eyes to any destiny destroying alliances and may we have the boldness to terminate them.
Prayer: Father, I confess that there are times when I feel compelled to align myself with persons whose agenda might be contrary to your kingdom purposes. Please give me the boldness to reject any such relationships. I ask this in the mighty Name of Jesus. Amen.