Jehoshaphat – Part 10
The Enemy Returns
It came to pass after this also, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them other beside the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle. (2 Chronicles 20:1)
Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side Syria; and, behold, they be in Hazazontamar, which is Engedi. (2 Chronicles 20:2)
And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. (2 Chronicles 20:3)
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)
This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? (Galatians 3:2)
Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? (Galatians 3:3)
Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. (Galatians 3:4)
He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? (Galatians 3:5)
Can the same bee sting you twice? Yes, if he does not leave his stinger behind. Retrospectively musing on the past, Jehoshaphat may have thought, If only I had given the order to finish the prophecy of Elisha. Certainly, the prophecy was from the Lord, and I was responsible to fulfill that which was spoken by the mouth of Elisha, God’s prophet. It was because of my presence that God gave us deliverance. And Elisha said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee. (2 Kings 3:14)
The Enemy Rebuilds and Other Enemies are Encouraged
It had been Jehoshaphat’s responsibility to take control of the three armies in that situation. It was his responsibility to totally destroy Moab as the Lord had said by the mouth of His prophet Elisha. And ye shall smite every fenced city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all wells of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones.(2 Kings 3:19) The prophecy was not fulfilled by the three armies; consequently, Moab rebuilt and reorganized a large military force; and others joined with Moab against Jehoshaphat, and the children of Ammon, and with them other beside the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle. Once again we see the weakness of Jehoshaphat and the cost of having joined with Jehoram and the tribute king of Edom in an evil alliance.
An Unfinished Work
How does Galatians Chapter 3 compare in our age with the actions of Jehoshaphat? The Apostle Paul saw an unfinished work in Galatia. The Galatians had heard of faith, they had seen faith in action; and yet, it was their flesh that controlled them. They desired the things of the law, and not the things of Christ.
The New Man in Glory and a New Work
They did not have a view of the new man in heaven. They could not understand that Adam died at the cross. When Christ came forth from the tomb He was a new man, and this was new life for them. Many cannot see Adam in the grave, buried forever; many in our age think faith can walk hand in hand with the flesh of Adam; this is impossible. Faith must be in the new man, the heavenly man, the man that Christ has made for us, of twain He made one new man, so making peace for us. Do you see the comparison? Jehoshaphat walked in the ways of David, you can’t follow the old ways, when God gives you something new. We have been shown and given a new life which is in Jesus Christ. Jehoshaphat was determining things based on the walk of David, and not on his own walk with Jehovah. However, Jehovah was bringing him to a place where his heart and his soul in desperation would cry out to God, and the king and his people would be delivered. We realize that Jehoshaphat lived in a completely different age under different covenants, and laws of the Almighty. The Galatians were to see themselves set free from the old and brought in to the new in Christ. There was no room in the gospel of grace for the law. There was no room in grace for the traditions of the elders. There was no room because the physical building (meaning, the flesh) had been removed by the death, burial, and resurrection of God’s dear Son, Jesus Christ. When Stephen was about to be stoned he looked up into heaven, he saw a new man at the right hand of God. This is the first time we see a man in heaven revealed to us. It is the new man, the heavenly man, Jesus Christ. Stephen did not see the Lord Jesus on the cross. He did not see the Lord Jesus in the tomb. He did not see the Lord Jesus outside of the tomb. He saw the resurrected man, the new man in glory at the right hand of God. In the Church age, in the Book of Acts, this was a new thing. This is the first time the Lord Jesus reveals Himself in heavens glory. The first time man is allowed to look into the heavenlies which are opened for him, and see the Lord Jesus standing there.
Stephen knew that he was a heavenly being, Stephen even before his death knew he was a heavenly citizen. He knew that his being had been changed by the Holy Spirit of God, and that he belonged to the things above and not the things of the earth. The Spirit of Christ dwelling in Stephen opened the curtain of heaven, the veil was thrust aside and before his death, the Savior in Stephen’s vision opened heavens glory to receive His servant. This is where the Galatians could not travel, for their hearts and souls were still anchored to the earth. They were still rooted in Adam, and they were rooted in the law of Moses. Paul said, I am in doubt of thee, for I stand in doubt of you (Galatians 4:20). This doubt was because of his own personal experience with them. This doubt was also brought about by his conflict with Peter, because Peter, being a Jew, was pulled from grace to receive the things of the law and to walk after the flesh, and not after the Spirit. Paul went on to declare that he is so troubled in his own spirit over their salvation that he is in the very doubt of them ever coming to the knowledge and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Many times in our study of Jehoshaphat we have seen him following after the Lord and then making an ungodly alliance with the evil throne of Israel. We could say, as Paul did to the Galatians, We have many doubts about Jehoshaphat’s faith. In our study we see the Almighty bringing him to a breaking point, a point when he is all alone without help, without a confederate, without anyone to share his burden, or to deliver him from the king of Moab. Only Jehovah can deliver Jehoshaphat out of the mouth of the lion. His past actions must be forgotten in this present adversity. He cannot cry over past failures, but must press on with Jehovah. He poked the nest and ran, now the swarming Moabites, and Ammonites, and other enemies were at his door step. Jehovah was holding Jehoshaphat responsible for leaving unfinished business with the Moabites.
How many times in my lifetime have nations gone to war, and have turned away leaving the battle half done. Whether it was because of public opinion or politics, or that they had not sat down and counted the cost; regardless, they had turned away time and time again, leaving thousands of young boys maimed, and killed. They left their battlefields as a dog being chased by a squirrel, their tails between their legs, shame upon their actions. And while the enemy is still standing before them either in their original strength, or even stronger, they rationalize that they still defeated the enemy. They cannot accept their own failure and defeat, for they did not count the cost. We are quite aware that nations today don’t pray to the Creator of all things, the only God of heaven, the only God who has ears to hear, the only God who is the Savior of man, and that God is Jesus Christ; the eternal life that was manifest to man.
Back to Jehoshaphat – What If?
What if . . . what if Jehoshaphat had completed God’s will at the first? Moab would not have returned to once again wage war against Judah. Other enemies would not have been encouraged and strengthened to join forces together against Jehoshaphat. But today is a new burden, and the only one who can deliver Jehoshaphat is Jehovah. As Jehoshaphat looked over his situation, he determined in his heart that it was time to go to war. He stood alone among the children of men. Remember, it was probably due to the confederacy of Jehoram and the king of Edom that Jehoshaphat turned away from the first war with Moab, and where were these confederates now? If a child of God listens to the world when making a league or a confederacy, or a bond with the world, when he really needs someone he will find he is all alone. It is better to put complete trust in the Lord Jesus Christ at the beginning of any endeavor without the world, and without the help of man. Just like Jehoshaphat, if your counsel is with the world, God might leave you to your own failure to show you the depth of that failure, and bring you to your knees crying out to Him. Probably if Jehoshaphat had asked Jehoram for his help he probably would have replied, You’re on your own. Jehoshaphat, however, was not on his own. This is the first time we see the king of Judah, Jehoshaphat, seeking the Lord in time of war before the conflict. If we go back to his alliance with Ahab concerning Ramothgilead, Ahab was more important and the confederacy was more important than the word of God that was spoken by Micaiah. Even though Jehoshaphat was the one who called for a prophet of God, when the word of God was given, both Ahab and Jehoshaphat went about their merry way into the jaws of disaster and defeat.
Pliable
When I think of the double minded man, the character of Pliable in John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress comes to mind. We also have a Scriptural example of this same personality in Elisha’s servant Gehazi. When Gehazi was before the king of Israel, the king asked him to tell of one of the works of Elisha. They were both aware that Elisha was a servant of the most high God, and was truly a man of God. Yet, when Gehazi would tell of one of the miracles of Elisha it was not rooted in his own soul, nor did it cause the king to seek Jehovah. It seemed as if both of them were numb to the truth that was given by example through the works of Elisha.
And the king talked with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying, Tell me, I pray thee, all the great things that Elisha hath done. (2 Kings 8:4)
And it came to pass, as he was telling the king how he had restored a dead body to life, that, behold, the woman, whose son he had restored to life, cried to the king for her house and for her land. And Gehazi said, My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life. (2 Kings 8:5)
And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed unto her a certain officer, saying, Restore all that was hers, and all the fruits of the field since the day that she left the land, even until now. (2 Kings 8:6)
There are many spiritual lessons found in this section of 2 Kings. One of the points I would like to bring out is the acknowledgment of the truth of the miracle that Elisha had performed; yet, both Gehazi, and the king could not encompass or believe in the God of Elisha who had performed these miracles. They saw the miracle in a humanistic way, similar to the days of the Lord Jesus. When the Lord Jesus did many of His miracles, the masses only saw them as physical relief and not the great works of God. Many today love to hear as they say, The stories of Jesus. And yet, they do not have the saving grace of God in their hearts. The Spirit of God does not dwell within them. This is where Paul was with the Galatians. They were walking after the flesh when they should have been walking after the Spirit. They were doing things according to the doctrines of men, and not the truth which is in the Lord Jesus. When law is present, there is no Body, for the Body of Christ is not subject to the law, but subject to grace. Grace is a fortress where we abide. It is our city of refuge, and we have been freed from the slayer; God, Himself, in Jesus Christ has set us free. He has put to death the flesh, and if the flesh is alive in us, then we are dead to Christ. If the flesh or Adam is dead in us then we are alive to Christ. (Galatians 2:20)
Jehoshaphat was given a divine order or command by God through Elisha. The prophecy came not because of Jehoram, or the king of Edom. The prophecy came only because of the presence of Jehoshaphat amongst them. This made Jehoshaphat responsible for the completion of the prophecy, and the total destruction of Moab. Sadly, again, because of his alliance Jehoshaphat fell short. This king is now in real trouble. He is all alone in a world of the children of men. You almost get the sense that the battle with the Syrians at Ramothgilead, the first alliance, and the far reaching excursion to Moab had taken it’s toll on Jehoshaphat’s military. In verse 12, of 2 Chronicles, Chapter 20, we read, O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee. Jehoshaphat seems overwhelmed by this great multitude. His army had dwindled, they were probably lacking in morale and their strength weakened from their two previous military defeats. There was also probably a lack of confidence in their king, for he had failed them twice. But in spite of his dilemma, we see a new work of the Spirit of God in Jehoshaphat. As the Holy Spirit moved over his heart, Jehoshaphat feared this great host that had come out against him. What better thing to do then to seek the Lord God of his fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He set himself to seek Jehovah, and he declared it all to Judah by establishing a fast throughout all of Judah. Every soul under his reign must know the gravity of their cause before Jehovah. From the crown to the lowest serf, all must present themselves before Jehovah and ask for His mercy.
And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. (2 Chronicles 20:3)
And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the LORD: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD. (2 Chronicles 20:4)
As the king went forth, so the people follow. All were seeking Jehovah. They were fasting. They were casting their flesh aside, for the flesh had failed them before a righteous God. They were ready to see the depth of their sin as a nation, and laid bare their hearts before Jehovah. In our day, we see none of this. Every thing is under human control, and all results come about by humanistic thought; so that when real tragedy comes, and nations tumble and fall, there is only man’s wisdom to call on, for they have cast off the God of heaven, and the heavens are as brass to these wicked nations. As they had given Him up, so God gave them up.
In Jehoshaphat’s day, the king and the people were ready to look within their own hearts. They were ready to acknowledge the depth of their own sin, and lay it before Jehovah. In the days of Hezekiah, he sent posts out with letters to draw the people to Jerusalem. We believe that Jehoshaphat probably sent out letters as well, or criers throughout the land of Judah; the result was that a huge host of his people gathered to Jehoshaphat in Jerusalem. We must believe that the Holy Spirit was also working among the people, drawing them together; for they were not drawn to Jehoshaphat’s palace or to his throne, they were drawn to the place of eternal blessing, for all the people would stand before the throne of God, and the dwelling place of God.
Stood in – the House of the Lord – the New Court
And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court,. ( 2 Chronicles 20:5) The king stood in the congregation, he did not stand above them. He stood on the same level. There was no elevation, but he brought himself down and humbled himself among the people. Their presence and their commitment to Jehovah was precious to the king. We also see the new court. If the Holy Spirit is going to do a new work amongst the people, and with their king, the Holy Spirit picks a new location, the new court for a new work of God. We also see that prior to this, the Holy Spirit must have been working with the Levites, for they would have been responsible for the construction of the new court. God was preparing the way for this particular work. For the gathering of Judah would bring many to Jerusalem. There would be a multitude standing before the Lord, and this great multitude that the Holy Spirit was drawing was before the new court. It makes you think of another day when the Holy Spirit was given on the day of Pentecost.
The New Court
In the days of Jehoshaphat we have the new court. Jehoshaphat in the new court saw that he must have a new beginning with Jehovah. He and his people realized that Jehovah was their only resort. Once again, we remember Jehoshaphat’s first works that he walked in the first ways of David. This was not a return, but a new work in Jehoshaphat’s life. He had walked in the first ways of David, his father. Was it that he walked in the ways of David because David was God’s anointed, did he feel that he must follow David and his ways because God had appointed David king? Truly, David was a good example, but could we say of Jehoshaphat, That there is one thing that he lacked? It must be your own life, and your own heart crying out to Jehovah. Was it all the previous things that Jehoshaphat went through, being used of Jehovah to draw Jehoshaphat closer to His God? Was the alliance with Ahab, and Jehoram, and Ahaziah to bring Jehoshaphat to the end of himself, and into the presence of Jehovah? When we look at our own lives, can we not see similar experiences drawing us to our God? Has God used our own failures to right the ship? And through these failures bring us into His bosom as a little child? Sometimes, we think that we have grown up spiritually only to learn a new lesson of our own lack through our failures. Failure is truly a hard teacher. It is so demanding that we find that our only resource is to cry out to God. Failure is a mirror of the condition of one’s soul. I can walk in the ways of David, or I can walk in the ways of Jehovah. If I embrace David I must also embrace his failures. If I walk in the ways of Jehovah, I walk above this world, and see the world and myself before an Almighty God. I also see the things that need to be corrected, but God has given me a daysman in Jesus Christ. He makes intercession for me before God the Father. I am not to walk in the ways of men, no matter how great or humble they might have been. I am to walk in the ways of the true man which is Jesus Christ.
Set – In – House
In the life of Jehoshaphat, I believe that he came to this very point that he must now, above all, walk in the ways of Jehovah. In Chapter 20 of 2 Chronicles, the Spirit of God shows us the king in the temple of the Lord. We see three words — set — in — house; first the king set himself to seek the Lord. There was no counsel, no prophet, he desired to be in the presence of the Lord himself, and receive from the Lord. Jehoshaphat was looking to sit down with the King of kings. He wanted the Melchisedec experience in his soul. He heard the knocking at the door, and he was willing to open it so that Jehovah could come in and sup with him. He wanted to commune with his God, and this seemed to be a new step by this king.
The second word is in. We also see a new closeness of the king for his people. He is in the midst walking amongst them, weeping with them, praying for them. Is this not a new view of Jehoshaphat? Has his heart now been enlarged by Jehovah? I believe now this king could say to his own people before Jehovah, “I am as thou art, and we are Jehovah’s people.
The third word is house. They came to the house of the Lord. For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house. (Hebrews 3:3) For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God. (Hebrews 3:4) In the history of Israel God gave them a house. It was His house, and all blessings must flow from that house. Even though it was known as Solomon’s Temple, the reality was that it was God’s house. Even though it was a physical building, from that building Jehovah looked out upon the people, and the people looked in to their God. They were to honor this house, and in times of trouble stand before it, and cry out to their God. He promised them that if they would come before Him, and humble themselves He would deliver them and bless them; however, in the history of Israel, there were few times that we have them coming in a state of humility before God’s house, and this was one of those times. We will see that because of their humility God will deliver them. In the history of Israel the children of Israel and Judah did not humble themselves and cry before this house. Under many of their kings the house of God was put in ruin, or defiled, or ignored. So much so that at the end of the history of Judah Jehovah removed His presence and His glory, and sent the children of Israel into captivity. And they have been wandering through this world ever since. Although they have in our own age gathered to form a nation once more, they are still wandering.
The Season of Loammi to End Soon
In the Book of Hosea, Jehovah called them Loammi. Then said God, Call his name Loammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God. (Hosea 1:9) Jehovah has cast out the children of Israel for a season for their sin. We are still in that season which is soon to come to an end. Jehovah, the God of Israel, will draw them to Himself. He will establish the true Israel of God in the land. This will be the twelve sons of Israel, and not a partial remnant, as we see today. For the Lord will suddenly come to His temple and establish them as His people and He will be their God. In the meantime, we have a Body, which is the Body of Christ. It is not a building made by hands, but a living Body united by the Spirit of God, and each divine Christian is a part of that Body. If we are a part of Christ’s Body, there is no building or human organization that controls this Body. In a body we find what controls it is the head, only the head. So with Christ over His own Church, His own Body, His own house, whose house are we. Could it be that we who are bought with the blood of Christ have a secret that the world does not know? When the Holy Spirit of God works in one’s heart, and opens a wonderful thought of the Person of Christ, how many of my brethren throughout the world experience the same thought and the same joy that the Spirit of God brings to me? I believe that the Spirit of God is here to glorify the Person of Jesus Christ within me, and through His power He transports that same belief throughout the Body of Christ. We are closer to each other than we can truly understand, for we live, breathe, think, and act under one Spirit, and that is the Holy Spirit of God given from the Head, which is Christ. We are drawn into His house by the Spirit of Christ, and He will present Himself to that house. He will prepare that house as a chaste virgin, a glorious house, and He will present unto Himself that glorious house clothed in fine garments, white and clean in His righteousness.
We Are as Thou Art
Jehoshaphat had traveled through the desire of his soul. He was seeking the Lord, and he set himself and his people to the task. And what better place to begin then at the house of the Lord. This phrase, house of the Lord, is more personal than Solomon’s Temple. I believe that the Spirit of God is showing us the growth in spiritual things, and the king as well as the people are being drawn by the Spirit of God by their hearts to the King of kings. Once again, Jehoshaphat will say, These are my people, and I am as they are; and the people could say of their king, We are as thou art. What a wonderful view the Spirit of God gives us in this new court in the house of the Lord with the king and his people, and their God. Amen.
The next article, Jehoshaphat’s Prayer, to follow.
© 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)