Jehoshaphat
Part 1
(Whom Jehovah Judges)
And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead, and strengthened himself against Israel. (2 Chronicles 17:1)
And he placed forces in all the fenced cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken. (2 Chronicles 17:2)
And the LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim; (2 Chronicles 17:3)
But sought to the LORD God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel. (2 Chronicles 17:4)
Therefore the LORD stablished the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat presents; and he had riches and honour in abundance. (2 Chronicles 17:5)
And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the LORD shewed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan, (Deuteronomy 34:1)
And all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim, and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, unto the utmost sea, (Deuteronomy 34:2)
And the south, and the plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, unto Zoar. (Deuteronomy 34:3)
And the LORD said unto him, This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither. (Deuteronomy 34:4)
We begin the life of Jehoshaphat with the end of the life of Moses. Why? To show the faithfulness of the Almighty and the fulfillment of the promises that were given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. After the death of Moses, Joshua (Savior) not Moses for as the Lord breathed breathe into that proper child (Hebrews 11) Moses, the servant of God now at the age of 120; his eyes were not dim, nor his natural force abated nor diminished. And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated. (Deuteronomy 34:7) As this servant of God left this world, would the world see another Moses? No — but they would see a greater than Moses in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord closes the life and breathe of Moses with these words And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face. (Deuteronomy 34:10) The tutor and mentor were gone, all the words of God that flowed from God to Moses, and then to Israel ceased. Moses had known the Lord face to face; he had received revelations directly from the mouth of God. It would be the Lord Himself, by His angels, to bury Moses in the land of Moab. Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. (Jude 1:9) And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day. (Deuteronomy 34:6) The simplicity of the Scriptures, I shall walk through the valley in the land of Moab, and I will fear no evil for the Lord is with me. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4) Although no man knew the place of the burial of Moses, it was disputed by Satan, and Michael (the archangel) declared The Lord rebuke thee. This is the only time in Scripture that it is recorded that Satan was in conflict with God over the burial of one of His servants. How great was this Moses, that the Creator of all things prepared him a sepulcher by God’s own hands, ‘precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.’ Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. (Psalm 116:15) Now that Moses was removed, Joshua would establish Gods people in the land. Although Jehoshaphat does not appear on the throne of Judah for approximately 539 years, a lot happened in Israel’s history. Joshua establishes them in the land and divides the inheritance among the sons of Israel. After the death of Joshua, we have a period of time of the judges; Samuel was the last of these judges. At this point in the history of Israel every man was doing that which was right in his own eyes. They were in chaos without direction; therefore, God raised up Samuel, the last judge and the first established prophet in Israel’s history as a nation in the land of promise. And the people clamored for a king. They cried out, Give us a king like the nations. The nation of Israel, as a whole, had lost their faith and trust in God Almighty. As they rejected Samuel, and his word, God would comfort Samuel with these words, And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. (1 Samuel 8:7)
  The God of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things, had been rejected by His own people. The Eternal King over heaven and earth was no longer embraced by the nation of Israel. They desired a man to replace God, their hearts were far from the Lord for the Word of the Lord had been cast aside for the words of man, and the desires of man. Judges 21:25 In those days [there was] no king in Israel: every man did [that which was] right in his own eyes. The heart of the Israelite should have been reflecting on Deuteronomy 4:39 and 40.
Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else. (Deuteronomy 4:39)
Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, for ever. (Deuteronomy 4:40)
Ye shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. (Deuteronomy 5:32)
Ye shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess. (Deuteronomy 5:33)
  Apparently the words of God have no more meaning for the children of Israel, for they desired a king like the nations; therefore, God gives these rebellious people who He had called out of Egypt to be His own, He gives them the desires of their hearts, and a man after their own heart; who would be their first king, a man after the flesh by the name of Saul. Now at this point the nation would receive good at the hand of God or evil depending on the heart and obedience of the king. If the king walked in the ways of the Lord, the Lord would bless Israel; if the king would not walk in the ways of the Lord, then God would fulfill His Word in judgment upon Israel, as a nation.
The Tribes of Israel – divided
  When Israel became a divided kingdom, Judah became the primary source of blessing in obedience or judgment. After the kingdom divided under Jeroboam and Rehoboam; Rehoboam had two tribes (Benjamin and Judah), and Jeroboam had ten tribes (Reuben, Simeon, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Manasseh, Ephraim). These were the ten tribes who would possess the northern kingdom under Jeroboam, their king. Under the provision of the Word of God, Levi had no inheritance in the land, they were the Lord’s portion to serve the Lord their God. They were given specific cities throughout all the land. This was to be a witness for Jehovah to all the tribes of Israel.
The Line of David – Judah – the Southern Kingdom – Jerusalem
  After the death of Solomon, came this rebellion; Jeroboam returned to Israel from being exiled in Egypt, and Rehoboam (Solomon’s son) taxed and levied the people till the ten tribes revolted under the leadership of Jeroboam, and became their king. In the total history of Israel (the ten northern tribes) there was not one godly king, all did evil in the sight of the Lord; from Jeroboam I to Hoshea, all walked and followed the gods of Egypt and the gods of the heathen nations. In Judah there were more ungodly kings than godly kings; there were few who followed the Lord and did His will. Now Jehoshaphat, (he whom Jehovah judges) was the fourth king after Solomon’s death. Rehoboam (Solomon’s son), Abijah (Rehoboam’s son), Asa (Abijah’s son), and Jehoshaphat, Asa’ son. From Rehoboam to Jehoshaphat spans approximately 50 to 61 years depending on if you count from the beginning of their reign, or to the death of Jehoshaphat which will give you approximately 75 to 86 years from the death of Solomon. This is not a long span of time in Israel’s history, for Saul reigned 40 years, David reigned 40 years, and Solomon reigned 40 years, with a total of 120 years.
The Line of Usurpers – Israel – The Northern Kingdom
  Since the rebellion of the ten tribes, Israel (the ten tribes) had seven (7) kings starting with Jeroboam I, he reigned 22 years. Then Nadab reigned 2 years, after him Baasha reigned 24 years, then Elah reigned 2 years, then the shortest reign of all was Zimri, he reigned seven (7) days. And Jehovah counted those seven days till Omri took control of the kingdom. Omri reigned twelve (12) years, then we have Jehoshaphat’s contemporary, Ahab. Ahab ruled for twenty-two (22) evil years; adding these up we have a total of eighty-four (84) years until the death of Ahab.
Synopsis — Jehoshaphat, background and the forces of influence
  This keeps us in the time frame of the kings of Judah. It was approximately 914 B.C. when Jehoshaphat came to the throne. And Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. (1 Kings 22:41) Jehoshaphat was thirty and five years old when he came to the throne, and he reigned for twenty and five years in Jerusalem. He walked in the ways of his father, Asa. And he also walked in the first ways of David.
And he walked in all the ways of Asa his father; he turned not aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of the LORD: nevertheless the high places were not taken away; for the people offered and burnt incense yet in the high places. (1 Kings 22:43)
And the LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim; (2 Chronicles 17:3)
  We have the witness of the Holy Spirit concerning the first character of this king. Jehoshaphat strengthened himself against Israel, the northern kingdom of Ahab. And these two kings of both Israel and Judah would bring about one of the biggest disasters in the history of Judah and Jerusalem. For Jerusalem would fall to the house of Ahab for seven (7) years. It would be Ahab’s daughter, Athaliah, who would usurp power over Jerusalem and the southern kingdom of Judah. This wicked woman would reign seven (7) years in Jerusalem. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. At the beginning of Jehoshaphat’s reign, he was right on track. He walked in the ways of Asa his father, and in the first ways of David. He built up the fenced cities in the land of Judah, this was to protect Judah from Ahab and the northern kingdom. Jehoshaphat’s father, Asa, had taken possession of cities in Ephraim, and there was constant conflict between Judah and the northern tribes since the division. In Chapter 17 of 2 Chronicles, the word of God describes a man with the Lord before him, for he walked in the commandments of the Lord, and refused the doctrines of Baalim; which were held by the northern tribes. Jehoshaphat’s heart was for the Lord, and he removed the high places and groves out of Judah. But all was not perfect for the mount of corruption from the days of Solomon was allowed to stand. The evil of the pagan world loomed over Judah and Jerusalem. This mount of corruption would not be destroyed until Josiah came to the throne in approximately 641 B.C. Josiah would establish himself by casting out all the evil idolatry from both Judah and Jerusalem. He removed all the idols that the prior kings had raised in the land and removed the mount of corruption which Solomon had built near Jerusalem. And the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had builded for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Zidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon, did the king defile. (2 Kings 23:13) Jehoshaphat had allowed these temples to stand; yet, it is recorded that he walked in the first ways of David. Was this enough? We will see . . . in 1 Kings 22:43 we read And he walked in all the ways of Asa his father; he turned not aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of the LORD: nevertheless the high places were not taken away; for the people offered and burnt incense yet in the high places. Jehoshaphat walked before the Lord, he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord; yet, some of the high place were not removed. And the LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim; (2 Chronicles 17:3) Jehoshaphat most likely removed the high places of Baalim; these were probably the high places referred to in 1 Kings 22:43. We have the big word ‘nevertheless’ — all the high places were not removed or destroyed. And the people continued to burn incense in the high places that remained. This also left Solomon’s mount of corruption. On this mount Solomon had built lavish temples for the gods of his many wives; Ashtoreth the abomination of the Zidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon. (2 Kings 23:13) It took until Josiah, the last godly king, to defile and destroy the gods of Solomon.
But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites; (1 Kings 11:1) Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love. (1 Kings 11:2)
And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart. (1 Kings 11:3)
For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father. (1 Kings 11:4)
For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. (1 Kings 11:5)
And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father. (1 Kings 11:6)
Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. (1 Kings 11:7)
And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods. (1 Kings 11:8)
And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, (1 Kings 11:9)
And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded. (1 Kings 11:10)
Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant. (1 Kings 11:11)
  No king wanted to face the reality of taking away the temples of Solomon from the mount of corruption. Solomon was revered as one of Israel’s greatest kings; yet, in his later years he was not pleasing to the Lord. O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? (Galatians 3:1) We need to examine the episodes of tragedy in the lives of these great kings who were called of God.
Synopsis — Jehoshaphat, blessings and failures
  In our study of Jehoshaphat a lot of the pieces of his life are put in order for us to examine. Jehoshaphat began well, he took away a number of the high places and groves. I would think that he did meet some opposition for not all the idols and groves were destroyed. He failed to make a clean sweep of the idolatry that was in the land. On the good side, he sent out his princes and the Levites, and some priests to teach and to instruct Judah in the things of Jehovah. It is not, however, related to us that there was a great change in the people; for they still burnt incense and offered in the high places. There’s a difference between teaching the Word of God and falling under the conviction of the Word of God. There does not seem to be this conviction in the people or in the king himself. Evil is like an untreated infection; if left to run its course, it will destroy the whole body and possibly spread to others. In the natural sense, Asa (Jehoshaphat’s father) found this out, he died because of disease in his feet. For he went after the physicians and did not seek after the Lord; consequently, he died from his diseased feet. Even though the whole land was not cleansed, the Lord honored Jehoshaphat efforts and God gave him peace and put fear into the hearts of the nations around him. And the fear of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat. (2 Chronicles 17:10)
The number seven
  He also built an army of over a million men ready for war. He built garrisons in the fenced cities, and these garrisons were separate from his mobile army. It is quite evident that Judah held him in adoration, for they brought presents in abundance, and God blessed him with wealth and power. Even the Philistines, Israel’s ancient enemy, brought him silver in tribute. And the Arabians brought flocks, seven thousand seven hundred (7,700) rams, and seven thousand seven hundred (7,700) he goats. I find the numbers here interesting. The Spirit of God seems to be putting the number of completions on the acceptance of Jehoshaphat’s kingdom. Also some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents, and tribute silver; and the Arabians brought him flocks, seven thousand and seven hundred rams, and seven thousand and seven hundred he goats.(2 Chronicles 17:11) In the number seven (7) I see God working behind the scenes to preserve peace for Jehoshaphat. It was God who brought fear to the hearts of the nations. It was God who stirred the hearts of the Philistines and the Arabians. And God the Holy Spirit wants us to realize this by the mention of the number seven finalizing in our hearts that it was God Himself who brought peace and prosperity to Jehoshaphat. And the fear of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat. (2Chronicles 17:10) The Lord was honoring Jehoshaphat in every way, the king was prosperous, the cities of Judah and Jerusalem had abundance in trade and commerce. His army was one of the mightiest in the region. And the Lord, Himself, had put His fear into the hearts of the nations. If we look around, we could say all was well in Camelot; but not quite for Jehoshaphat had a son named Jehoram. This was family, and family is usually the closest to a man of God; whether king or prophet or preacher. Evil can come in the door of the house of a righteous man through the evil of a family member. Like David, Jehoram saw a woman he desired. In David’s case, it caused calamity throughout his entire family and in his kingdom. And the heart of a shepherd-king became the heart of a murderer in sending Uriah, the Hittite, into the thick of battle David taking Uriah’s life, and the man’s only lamb. When Nathan, the prophet, informed king David of an act of a heartless injustice that had been committed by an unnamed man, David condemned this unnamed man; Nathan’s scathing reply to David the king was ‘Thou art the man.’ David had sinned a great sin, and he would carry the consequences of that sin until his last breath.
  In Jehoram’s case, he saw a Zidonian princess named Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. He being the heir to the throne of Judah should have known better. But as David fell, so also Jehoram gave up all good convictions for the evil of Ahab’s kingdom. This was also a turning point in his father’s (Jehoshaphat) kingdom. For the moment Jehoram spied Athaliah the wheels of deception and conspiracy were put into motion. And there would be a great disaster in the kingdom of Judah because of the unequal yoke and the affinity between Judah and the kingdom of Ahab. Jehoshaphat would never completely recover from the consequences of the desires of his son drawn to a woman of an evil heritage, and both Judah and Jerusalem would experience the stain of murder, treachery and blood shed within their borders; thus, their history would be forever marred. Amen
The next article, Jehoshaphat – Part 2 – The Evil Alliance.
O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? (Galatians 3:1)
Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. (Revelation 2:4)
© Copyright 2016, Michael Haigh
Article may be used, but not for gain. Freely ye have received, freely give.
All Scripture references are from the Authorized King James Bible. (KJV)