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The story of Jehoshaphat
-In 2 Chronicles 17 we see Jehoshaphat become king of Judah, which at this time is a separate kingdom to Israel. While king he begins to tear down the high places and do away with the groves which are representative of worship toward Baal and Asherah
-He sets up princes and priests to teach all the people of Judah and all the surrounding nations/kingdoms were fearful of this new ruler blessed by God, so much so that the Philistines and Arabians even bring gifts.
-In 2 Chronicles 18 Jehoshaphat is enticed by Ahab (king of Israel) and joins forces with him.
-Ahab turns a deaf ear to the prophet Micaiah when instructed he should not go and do battle in Ramothgilead.
-Ahab, being a schemer, tells Jehoshaphat to wear his kingly garb, but Ahab himself will dress in disguise.
-This leads the Syrian army to put their sites on Jehoshaphat, but God’s protection is upon him, and Ahab is ultimately killed.
-In 2 Chronicles 19 Jehoshaphat returns to Jerusalem in peace and is met by the seer Jehu who reprimands him for is negligence but encourages him to follow his former course of actions in seeking God.
-Jehoshaphat appoints judges over Judah to keep in order the people under the commandments of God.
-In 2 Chronicles 20 Jehoshaphat catches wind that the Moabits, Ammonites, and those from Mount Seir were all collectively coming to overthrow Judah, so Jehoshaphat holds a fast for the entire kingdom of Judah and they beseech God for His protection.
-God answers by instructing them to go and watch more or less, and as they do all three kingdoms, the Moabites, the Ammonites, and Mount Seir destroy one another.
-Judah was able to collect spoils, as much as they could carry, for three straight days, and on the fourth day they blessed the Lord.
-In 1 Kings 22 and 2 Chronicles 20 we see that during the 17th year of Jehoshaphat’s reign as king, Ahab’s son Ahaziah becomes king of Israel. Like his father and mother, he leads Israel to sin and worships Baal, provoking God to anger.
-Ahaziah also entices Jehoshaphat and together they build ships to sail to Tarshish, but the prophet Eliezer prophesies against them for Jehoshaphat joining again with a wicked man and the ships are broken.
-Jehoshaphat ruled from the time he was thirty-five until he was sixty.
1) Be active in the reformation of your life.
a) Jehoshaphat went through establishing the protections of the kingdom (17.2)
b) He put in place princes, priests, and teachers (17.7-8)
c) He eventually instated judges (19)
d) He tore down anything idolatrous that took away from focus on God (17.6)
2) Look to the old paths on how God desires to be served and worshipped.
a) Jehoshaphat walked in the first ways of his father David (17.3)
b) He had the people learn the book of the law (17.9)
c) He implemented authorities used before the time of kings. (19)
d) He put into practice what their ancestors had proclaimed (20.6-13)
3) Being a good servant of God doesn’t mean just allowing anybody a place in your life.
a) On two accounts Jehoshaphat allowed wicked men to have a seat at his table being well aware of their affairs and how they carried themselves causing a stain upon his historical account.