D. Jehoshaphat chs. 17-20

This account of Jehoshaphat's rule reveals that God was then actively leading His people. These were the years of alliance with Israel. Ahab was on the throne of the Northern Kingdom.

The Chronicler deliberately presented Jehoshaphat's record very similarly to the way he recounted Asa's experiences. In chapters 17-20, as in 14-16, we have a series of contrasts that teach the same lessons. These lessons are the importance of depending on Yahweh and being loyal to Him by obeying His Word and seeking His help.

Both Asa and Jehoshaphat followed similar patterns of reform, experienced victory in battle, and transgressed. Both of them suppressed and failed to suppress the high places (cf. 14:2-5; 17:6). Both enjoyed prosperity, conducted great building programs, and experienced victory because of their obedience. Both made foreign alliances, and both are mentioned together as the standard of piety to which Jehoram failed to attain.⁴²

 1. Summary of Jehoshaphat's reign 17:1-6

Jehoshaphat did right because he followed David's example (v. 3). He remained faithful to Yahweh by obeying His Law rather than worshipping Baal (vv. 3-4). Consequently God blessed his reign by giving him riches and honor (v. 5). The king took pride in obeying God, and he weeded out the high places that kept sprouting up around Judah (v. 6).

The Baals (v. 3) ". . . were almost numberless, each individual field being treated as if it had its own guiding ba'al(master, owner') i.e., fertility spirit."⁴³

 2. The strength of Jehoshaphat's kingdom 17:7-19

This survey of the king's administrative accomplishments is not in Kings. Jehoshaphat sent teachers of the Mosaic Law throughout Judah to enable the people to know God's will (vv. 7-9). Thus he fortified his nation spiritually as well as physically. God blessed this effort to glorify Him by putting the fear of the Lord in Judah's enemies (v. 11). Again we see Gentiles bringing gifts to the Davidic king who walked in the ways of the Lord (cf. 9:14; 26:8).

 3. Jehoshaphat and Ahab ch. 18

This chapter is very similar to 1 Kings 22. Jehoshaphat's concern for God's will guided his actions (vv. 4, 6).⁴⁴The Chronicler undoubtedly wanted to encourage his audience toward repentance and restoration by showing them first how low Jehoshaphat could sink and then how the consequences of his failure were reversed.⁴⁵Ahab's disregard for Yahweh makes Jehoshaphat's faithfulness to Him stand out even more dramatically.

"The point for us is that flirtation with those in apostasy is flirtation with catastrophe."⁴⁶

The end of verse 31 is unique to the Chronicler's account. It was God who delivered Jehoshaphat in the heat of battle but put Ahab to death. The writer of Kings recorded this incident to show the fulfillment of Elijah's prophecy that Ahab would die for his murder of Naboth (cf. 1 Kings 22:37-38). The writer of Chronicles used it to show how God delivered Jehoshaphat because he followed God and cried out to Him for help when he was in trouble.

 4. Jehoshaphat's appointment of judges ch. 19

Even though God had spared Jehoshaphat's life in the battle, his close brush with death was the result of an unwise decision to help ungodly Ahab. A prophet rebuked him for this alliance (v. 2).

"A Christian's attachment to God is necessarily expressed in the kind of atmosphere in which he prefers to live and move and have his being. Company, pursuits, ambitions will all bear upon them the mark of a love of God. This is by no means to put an embargo upon normal social intercourse with those who are not basically like-minded. It has to do with the sort of life-pattern which one chooses to construct. The task of construction is no easy one, and the temptation is to model oneself upon the architects' about us. This was Jehoshaphat's fault, and his error calls us to consistency in exhibiting the characteristics which are truly Christian. (See further Rom. 12; 1f.; Gal. 5:16-26.)"⁴⁷

Jehoshaphat sought to help the upright and to punish the wicked by appointing judges in Judah. Perhaps Jehu's words encouraged Jehoshaphat's decision to appoint judges (v. 2). The king instructed the judges to remember that they were acting in God's place when they judged. Therefore they needed to be fair (vv. 6-7).

Jehoshaphat's judges not only made legal decisions, they instructed the people in God's ways. In this, Jehoshaphat followed Moses' example (Exod. 18:17-26). As in Israel's earlier history, there were both local judges and a supreme court of appeals in Jehoshaphat's day (vv. 5, 8, 11). The king himself became actively involved in judging and teaching the people.

"One of the greatest sadnesses of Christians who have been in positions of responsibility within the Church, but who have become burdened by guilt because of some sin, is a sense that they are no more qualified to serve. The author of the greatest penitential Psalm feared as much. Yet in the throes of his prayer for restoration he gains the assurance that he shall again teach transgressors thy ways' (Ps. 51:13). The experience of Jehoshaphat proves the point."⁴⁸

 5. Victory over the Moabite-Ammonite alliance 20:1-30

This chapter does not appear in Kings. It illustrates well that "the Lord will rule (judge),"the meaning of Jehoshaphat's name and the truth that characterized his reign. The motif of retribution is very strong here. God gave victory because Jehoshaphat and Judah trusted and obeyed Him (v. 17).

Jehoshaphat's prayer (vv. 6-12) was very similar to Solomon's at the temple dedication (cf. 6:12-42). Jehoshaphat based his petition for deliverance on God's promises (vv. 5-9). Verse 12 is another classic expression of trust in the Lord (cf. 1 Sam. 17:47).

"There is no excuse for Christian hopelessness. The Christian's response in the blackest hour must be: My eyes are upon thee.'"⁴⁹

God revealed what the king was to do. Essentially he was just to observe the victory God would give him (v. 15). The expression, "Do not fear,"(v. 17) occurs 365 times in the Bible, one for every day of the year.⁵⁰Other blessings God brought to Judah as a result of Jehoshaphat's faith were spoil from the nations (v. 25), her enemies' fear of Judah that restricted other attacks (v. 29), and peace (v. 30).

The Meunites (v. 1) were an Arabian tribe that lived in Edom and elsewhere east and south of the Salt (Dead) Sea (cf. 26:7; 1 Chron. 4:41). The wilderness of Tekoa (v. 20) was the Judean wilderness near the town of Tekoa that stood 10 miles south of Jerusalem.

 6. Jehoshaphat's failures 20:31-37

The reference to Jehoshaphat's not removing the high places (v. 33) seems to contradict what the writer said in 17:6. Perhaps when the people rebuilt the high places that Jehoshaphat destroyed earlier in his reign he failed to tear them down again. In this the king fell short of the complete obedience required if God would establish his throne forever (1 Chron. 17:11-14). Jehoshaphat's alliance with Ahaziah, king of Israel, was another instance in which he failed to trust and obey God as he should have (vv. 35-37).

". . . however much a person's life might be characterized by obedience to God, the possibility of lapse and compromise is forever present."⁵¹

"Jehoshaphat's weakness--and this the chronicler sets before us as a peril of pastoral leadership--was his inability to say no."⁵²

"The weakness of Jehoshaphat, then, is a perilous thing. It is actually related to his excellence as a shepherd. He cares; if he is to be a good pastor, he cannot afford to be hard-hearted. His troubles begin when he is not sufficiently hard-hearted."⁵³

Jehoshaphat was another of Judah's best kings who followed David's example. Nevertheless he was not the Son of David whom God would establish forever.⁵⁴