JEHOSHAPHAT THE KING OF JUDAH
Bible Reading: 1 Kings 22:41-53
41 And Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.
42 Jehoshaphat was thirty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.
43 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.
44 And Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel.
45 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he shewed, and how he warred, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
46 And the remnant of the sodomites, which remained in the days of his father Asa, he took out of the land.
47 There was then no king in Edom: a deputy was king.
48 Jehoshaphat made ships of Tharshish to go to Ophir for gold: but they went not; for the ships were broken at Eziongeber.
49 Then said Ahaziah the son of Ahab unto Jehoshaphat, Let my servants go with thy servants in the ships. But Jehoshaphat would not.
50 And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.
51 Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel.
52 And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin:
53 For he served Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked to anger the Lord God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.
JEHOSHAPHAT, THE KING OF JUDAH 1 Kings 22:41-53
BE FAMILIAR WITH PRODUCTIVITY AND GROW – Learn!
Jehoshaphat’s political association with Ahab nearly cost him his precious life in a battle that God did not command and that did not concern him. However, we have some good lessons to learn from him. He did what was pleasing to the Lord, like Asa his father. Godly heritage can have positive impact over a long period. Jehoshaphat did well in following the God of his father. What determined if a king was good or bad in Israel was his attitude towards the true living God. Notice the two major dents on his reign in vs.43&44. People still went to offer sacrifices on high places in his time. One would have thought that as Jehoshaphat banished the male and female shrine prostitutes (v.46), their activities too would be outlawed in the land and high places removed. What can we learn from his economic strategy from vs.48&49? His refusal to have anything to do with the offer of Ahaziah(son of late Ahab) is commendable. Are there some old friends (and/or their descendants) from whom you may have to cut complete The association? GOD IS LEFT OUT! 1 Kings 22:29-40
Missions: TOKELAU ISLANDS-Tokelau Islands’ population is 100 percent Christians and Tonga’s rich Christian heritage has reached a point of over-saturation. The proliferation of denominations generates competition among churches. Pray that Tongan Christians would seek ways to contribute to the Kingdom of God rather than seeking the church that benefits them the most.
Thought: An African proverb: “A gun is pregnant always with a deadly child”. Do you expect anything better from Ahaziah (vs.51-53)?
Prayer: Pray for the spirit of discernment so you can only have a close association with the right people.
Bible In One Year: Ezekiel 25-27 THE GREAT INVITATION Matthew 22:1-14
Verse for today: Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.’ (1 Cor. 15:33)
REPENTANCE – THE KEY TO GOD’S KINGDOM
I am CONNECTED and I win in Jesus mighty name!