One key lesson appeared throughout his life i.e he was delivered whenever he called upon God. Whenever he did not depend upon his arm of flesh, he found his deliverance. He was not perfect, he made mistakes but he overcame his mistakes by turning back to God each time.
6 key characteristics:
1. Delighted in God
2. Dedicated to God
3. Dependent on God
4. Dealt with by God
5. Discipled by his elders
6. Discipled a nation
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1. Delighted in God
Jehoshaphat was 35 years when he became king and he was king for 25 years. In 2 Kings 17:6 we read that "...his heart took delight in the ways of the Lord, moreover he removed the high places and wooden images from Judah"
To take delight in God is to love God voluntarily and to desire to please him. Jehoshaphat was such a man. He also actively took steps to remove idols and images that he knew would displease God.
I know there are idols/images in my heart that displease God. What are these idols? Self-worship is an idol that needs to removed from my life and covetousness!
2. Dedicated to God
Jehoshaphat was dedicated to God as evidenced from his actions:
- he did not seek the Baals
- he sought the God of his father
- he walked in God's commandments
- he removed the wooden images from the land
2 Kings 19:3 "Nevertheless good things are found in you, in that you have removed the wooden images from the land, and have prepared your heart to seek God"
To prepare the heart to seek God is to live in constant repentance and an awareness of God's holiness and righteousness.
3. Dependent on God
It was because of his dedication and delight in God that enabled him to know what to do when faced with great enemies in 2 Chron 20:1-3:
"It happened after this that the people of Moab with the people of Ammon, and others with them beside the Ammonites, came to battle against Jehoshaphat. Then some came and told Jehoshaphat, saying "A great multitude is coming against you from the sea, from Syria and they are in Hazazon Tamar (which is En Gedi). And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord and proclaimed a fast throughout Judah"
His prayer over this trouble reflected his close relationship with God all his younger years and his dependency in God:
2 Chron 20:5-6 "Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court, and said: "O Lord God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the nations of the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You?"
Only a person who had walked closely with God all the earlier years of his life would have reacted in such a manner. Comparing him with some of the kings of Israel whose tendency would be to turn to idols the moment they are in dire straits!
I have much to learn from Jehoshaphat.
4. Dealt with by God
Although a person may have walked closely with God all the days of his life, there is a possibility that he could still turn away from God in the face of trouble.
After all the great blessings of Jehoshaphat such as riches and honor and abundance came to him when the nation of Judah was in an era of peace.
What would happen when a spiritual leader is faced with great trials and testings beyond his physical strength? Will he turn to God or turn to others for help? The kings of Israel like to turn to Egypt for help. Will Jehoshaphat do the same?
In 2 Kings 17 Jehoshaphat had honor and riches in abundance. In 2 Kings 19, he established judges and fortified city by city. He was having a successful run politically.
However in 2 Chron 20, he had his first test of faith. The combined armies of Moab and Ammon came together to battle Jehoshaphat. So great that some came to him saying "A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, from Syria, and they are in Hazazon Tamar".
There are some who are bearers of bad news but what is important is our reaction to the bad news. Its ok to panic but what is more critical is what we will do after the panic stage.
Jehoshaphat was afraid but he did the right thing in turning to God for help and proclaiming a fast throughout all Judah.
2 Chron 20:3 "And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah".
In being dealt with by God in the testing of his faith, Jehoshaphat emerged victorious in routing his massive enemies!
However Jehoshaphat had his weakness. His main weakness was that he had ungodly allies. It happened twice that he was rebuked by his prophets for forging military alliance with Israel's kings that almost cost him his life. Each time, God delivered Jehoshaphat from a mistake that could have proven costly.
In God's mercy and grace, Jehoshaphat was rescued twice by divine intervention. Once was when Ahab invited him to combine forces against Ramoth Gilead.
Milcaiah the prophet warned Ahab in the presence of Jehoshaphat that the battle would be a failure.
2 Chron 18:16 "Then he (Milcaiah) said, "I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And the Lord said, 'These have no master. Let each return to his house in peace'"
Jehoshaphat's life was divinely spared even though he had put on his royal robes at Ahab's request. Possibly Ahab intended to protect himself and to create a diversion for the enemy thus his request was for self-preservation.
Knowing that wearing his royal robes would endanger his life, Jehoshaphat still did as Ahab requested.
As it happened the foolish act almost cost him his life as the enemy went after him thinking that as he was in his royal robes he had to be the king of Israel.
2 Chron 18:31 "So it was, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, "It is the king of Israel!" Therefore they surrounded him to attack but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him, and God diverted them from him"
The next time, he was tested again in the same area which he had failed. Again, he was mercifully restrained from making another mistake because of his godly advisers.
The second time, he allied himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, a wicked king.
2 Chron 20:35-37 "After this Jehoshaphat king of Judah allied himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who acted very wickedly. And he allied himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish, and they made the ships in Ezion Geber. But Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat saying, "Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the Lord has destroyed your works" Then the ships were wrecked, so that they were not able to go to Tarshish"
God saw the good things in Jehoshaphat's life and preserved him from destruction.
Before this we read in verse 32 "And he walked in the way of his father Asa, and did not turn aside from doing what was right in the sight of the Lord"
Jehoshaphat kept himself close to God and to godly counsel. I believed that these practices and good habits pulled him through in moments of vulnerability and weakness.
May we keep ourselves close to God always and surround ourselves with those who love God so that in times of weakness, they will cover for us and bring us before His throne of grace!
5. Discipled in the ways of his elders
1 Kings 17:3-6 "Now the Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the former ways of his father David, he did not seek the Baals, but sought the God of his father and walked in His commandments and not according to the acts of Israel"
In 2 Chron 20:32 "And he walked in the way of his father, Asa, and did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the Lord"
Jehosphaphat was the son of Asa, the son of Abijah, the son of Rehoboam, the son of David.
He made right choices in his life to follow the ways of his father Asa who followed in the ways of David. Ultimately, we cannot blame our elders for our failures because the choices we make are ours alone and the consequences of those choices are also ours alone.
Just like Abijah made wrong choices, Jehoshaphat could have done the same but he did the right things from the start and laid proper spiritual foundations so that he could face the trials and testings that would come upon him.
6. Discipled a nation
God gave Jehoshaphat the wisdom to disciple his nation. How did he do it?
He raised up leaders to teach in the cities of Judah.
His leaders were those who knew the word of God.
I often wonder how I can do the works of the ministry alone. God began to show me that the only way I could do it was to raise people up to help me. In doing so, I would also be discipling them as I guide them in their prayer assignments.
2 Kings 17:7-9
"Also in the third year of his reign he sent his leaders, Ben-Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Michaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah. And with them he sent Levites: Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah and Tobadonijah - the Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, the priests. So they taught in Judah, and had the Book of the Law of the Lord with them; and they went throughout all the cities of Judah and taught the people"
I may not be perfect to consider myself a discipler but I know I have to start somewhere that's why I try to disciple my youngest daughter by accompanying her for Bible study and my life group members by accompanying them for spiritual classes.
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