Dear church of the LORD Jesus Christ.
How does the church find unity? In what way do the people of God conquer? Who do you listen to? Why? What are you trusting in today? Do you honestly believe that the Lords words are true and certain, and they are true beyond any shadow of a doubt because he is absolutely sovereign? These are just some of the questions that we will answer today.
The way of peace and unity is found in the God of truth and Justice.
- Peace and unity built on God’s Word
- Peace and unity built on the worlds strength.
Peace and unity built on God’s word
In 17:1 we read, “Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead and strengthened himself against Israel!” Its ironic that here he is strengthening himself against Israel, and in the very next chapter he is there in alliance with Israel. Nevertheless, Jehoshaphat was a man that did what was right in the eyes of the LORD. It even makes the pointing verse 4 that he “sought the God of his father and walked in his commandments, and not according to the practices of Israel.” Again the author wants us to see the contrast with Israel as he builds up to chapter 18. He was the opposite of Ahab.
We read, “his heart was courageous win the ways of the LORD.” This is a refrain to the people of God throughout history. Be strong and of good courage! This is the call for the people in every age! Fear not if you are fighting the Lord’s battle. Whether that is in the world, or for the purity of the church. The battle is not yours, but His. And so, when we walk in the ways of the LORD there is a liberating courage there. A courage to follow him know matter what the odds, because we know with the Lord on our side we are in the majority.
We read, “He took the high places and the Asherim out of Judah.” His job description here is as much breaking things as building things. He purges and cleans his own land of idolatry. This is always as we have seen the first step to repenting. Stop sinning. Removing sin from your life. This is would have been difficult. People are attached to their idols. But he replaces it with something so much better. He sends people out to teach the people the law of God. We can work on uprooting sin our of our lives, or the church, but unless we replace it with the worship of the one true God, nothing good will result.
And I love the names of the people he sends v. 8. Sixteen names are mentions. Names like “Servant of Yah” which is short for Yahweh, or “Yah Remembers,” “Who is like Yah”, “Gift of Yah” and “God gives”. Levites with names like “Yah hears”, “Gift of Yah”, “Yah is Lord”, “Yah is good”, “Yah is good Lord”.
So these people go out and teach the Law of the Lord. This is about waking humbly with their God. And what happens? Verse 10, “And the fear of the LORD (Yahweh) fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were around Judah, and the made no war against Jehoshaphat. Peace. Trusting in the Lord leads to peace. It was not the fear of Jehoshaphat. But the fear of the LORD. There is an acknowledgement among the nations that what was going on in Judah was a direct result of their God. These armies were not just the armies of Judah but the armies of God protecting his inheritance from evil from without, just as teaching the law was protecting the people within.
Remarkable: Not horses or chariots, or fortifications, but teaching and as we will see later worship are key to Judah’s national security. If Judah knows and guards the Lords commands, if they simply walk in his ways, he will provide the security they need. If they lift him up in praise, he goes to war with their enemies! It is interesting that the fear of the nation’s comes after he teaches the people, not after we hear about all the armies that he accumulated in each city at the end of chapter 17. At the end of chapter 17 we are beginning to wonder if he is starting to trust his military might. A total of 1.16 million men are mentioned here to defend a country smaller than the western cape.
And right in the middle of chapter 17 and 19 we have 18 where we see where trusting in human might leads. But before we go there let’s just briefly look at chapter 19.
And it is not until God rescues him and warns him that he returns in chapter 19:4 “among the people, from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim, and brought them back to the LORD, the God of their fathers.” The prophet tells him that the wrath of God is over him for what he has done, and he rightly warns the judges and warn the people so that “wrath may not come upon you and your brothers.” He appoints judges in every city and appoints sort of like supreme court judges in Jerusalem. This is amazing. Act justly, and love mercy! Just imagine if every judge was judging as if he was judging for God. To walk justly with God, is to desire justice for all. He says to the, “Consider what you do, for you judge not for man but for the LORD. He is with you in giving judgement. Now then, let the fear of the LORD be upon you.” To judge rightly is difficult especially in this world. We are very much aware of that in this country! It is no wonder that he tells them, “Deal courageously, and may the LORD be with the upright.”
We see in chapter 18 how compromise can cost.
Disobedience, war, lies. Weakness
This section begins with “Now Jehoshaphat had great wealth and honor, and he allied himself with Ahab by marriage.” You wonder why he did such a thing! Most likely because he wanted to unite the kingdom again. But this was not the Lords will. The only way the kingdom would be united is not through a marriage alliance (the work of man), but through allegiance to God. In obedience to the truth there is unity. There cannot be true gospel peace and unity unless founded on the truth of God’s word in obedience.
He had let his son marry the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel with devastating effects for the house of David. In fact, this daughter of Jezebel would nearly wipe out the line of David later. Indeed, the seed of the serpent and the seed of the women are always in conflict. There can be no peace between good and evil. Light and darkness. Life and death. Sin and righteousness. The seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman. As Jehu says in chapter 19:2, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD? Because of this the wrath of God is on you.”
When we come to the Lord’s table as the bride of Christ to enjoy the marriage feast of the Lamb, we renew our marital covenant with Jesus our husband and reject all other husbands – all other tables. There is no other feast we attend. “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the table of demons. Or do we provoke the Lord to jealously (1 Corinthians 10:21-22).” We are wed to Christ and are forbidden to ally ourselves with any other.
Jesus calls his church to unity. He prays that his church will be one, and we will be. But the church cannot be unified by idols. No, only possibly path to unity is a war of utter destruction against idols.
It reminds me of the warning that Paul gives maybe even thinking of this passage when he says, “…what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore, go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”
This would have been a huge warning to the people after the return to not ally themselves in any way with other nations. Especially through marriage. You read Ezra and Nehemiah you will see what a big problem this was. What does the church have to do with the world? Nothing. And this will lead to heartache and pain.
But let’s get back to the beginning. Jehoshaphat goes to Samaria for a feast. In Chronicles things never go well when a Davidic king leaves home. the Chosen king belongs in the chosen city where the temple is which the Lord has chosen. But he is there, and Ahab really spoils him. and makes him feel like a big deal.
And then we read that Ahab “induced him to go up against Ramoth Gilead.” That word is the same word that is used when Satan induced David to Count the troops and David was punished for it. it’s almost to say Ahab is functioning here as a satanic power. Tempting the Davidic King to use his power wrongly. Like Satan tempted the great son of David to use his power to benefit himself.
It would have been better for Jehoshaphat if verse 3 and 4 of chapter 18 were reversed. He should of “inquired of the LORD first.” But they are not, and Jehoshaphat agrees to go and gives him his word. What good is his massive army if he never uses it? But by doing this he is treating Ahab as a legitimate king of Israel. It is interesting that in verse 1-3 he is just called Ahab, and when Jehoshaphat commits in verse 4 he is called “The king of Israel.”
After already giving his word he tells Ahab that he would like to inquire of the LORD. Ahab does what he does best, and calls all his fake prophets together. Not just one, but 400 of them. He loves to pay people to tell him what he wants to hear. And they don’t really say anything. In the Hebrew it just says, “Go for God will give into the hand of the king.” Give what? And to what king? Its broad enough that no matter what they will be right. Something will be given into the hand of someone. Like our culture today language so emptied of truth for fear of offending anyone. In our therapeutic culture there is little room for truth.
We love to have people tell us what we love to hear, so much so that we do not even listen to what they are saying. Many politicians are in power and the people pay their salary because they say exactly what people expect them to say. Celebrities follow whatever trend culture is going in. It is not for nothing that the church is called the pillar of truth. Or a little closer to home, there are many pastors that are paid because they do such a good job of telling people exactly what they want to here without really saying anything substantial. But Jehoshaphat knows a bit about his neighbor and says, “is there not a prophet of the LORD?”
He would rather hear one prophet of the LORD then 400 hundred prophets from anywhere serving any God. And we read Ahab’s response in verse 7, “Yes, but he never says anything good about me, only evil things.” Well, what are you supposed to do when the king is evil? Maybe it reflects your heart, and not the prophet, Ahab? Ahab’s real conflict was with God. A hardened sinner can’t handle the truth. They hate hearing the truth. They gather around them men that will say what their itching ears want to hear.
These two king are sitting at the threshing floor to the gate of Samaria (v.9). What is a threshing floor for? To separate wheat from chaff. The useful from the useless. The weighty, from that which the wind blows away. While they are getting Micaiah who happens to be in prison – a sign of how much Ahab liked him, another prophet really gets into. he must have heard that Jehoshaphat wanted a prophecy from the LORD, so he makes one up. Now Jehoshaphat is set with a choice who will he listen to.
The prophet getting Micaiah tells him what to say. Just agree. We are all of one mind. You see the theme of unity. Will it be worldly unity, or a divine unity founded on the word of God and truth? Micaiah responds and says, “My words can only come from God.”
And you can see him marching in a voice dripping with sarcasm he says, “Attack and be victorious, for they will be given into your hand.”
Ahab knows sarcasm when he sees it. Maybe he heard it from jezebel a lot. He says, “You see, I told you so! This guy never has anything nice to say!” Ahab likes to hear nice things. He wants a therapeutic prophet not one who speaks the truth. So Micaiah gives him the truth in verse 16 and tells him that he will be killed and Israel scattered.
Apparently, one of the fallen angels volunteered for this task. Since Ahab wanted to be deceived, God would give him what He wanted, using a willing fallen angel who worked through willing unfaithful prophets. But this is again for the sake of the people there! He is saying, this is a lying spirit! And he has declared disaster! The choice is still there! O the grace of God to a hardened sinner! He did not have to go! He could of repented right there and then. Even today the warning goes out. This vision is given for our benefit. If you will not listen to the word of God destruction will come!
When people read this section a lot of questions come up on the intersection between good and evil, but I think the main point quite clear, and it is also very comforting. A good God is absolutely sovereign over evil. There is no doubt about that. This is a comfort of the people of God that even evil will be turn toward Good. And indeed, it will lead the destruction of evil, to a just punishment. At the same time the fact that this prophet shared the vision, is extra support that what he is saying is true!
But he gets slapped in the face for it, by a fellow prophet, and slapped in prison, but not before he shouts out! “Hear! All you peoples!” Shema! That famous word which starts the most popular passages for the Jews! HEAR o Israel the LORD your GOD is one! He is not divided! One or the other prophet is true! Both cannot be!
And we find out in the conclusion which prophet spoke the word of truth. I am not sure why Jehoshaphat kept going with the plan after hearing the word of the Lord. Even Good Christians lack discernment in a certain area of life. They can be a good Christian but seem to lack all discernment. It’s like when we hear our parents say something and say that it will turn out bad for us, but sometimes we just do it anyways.
Ahab is sneaky. He doubt his own prophets and try to disguise himself as if he could hide from God. Almost as Adam and eve tried to do. But instead of hearing the voice of God calling him, he was struck with an arrow of God.
Verse 33 says, “but a certain man drew his bow at random and string the king of Israel between the scale armor, and the breastplate.” Some random guy. We don’t know his name. Pointed his bow into the air and just shot an random arrow and it found the exact spot where it would kill Ahab. You think you can hide from God? you think God’s word will not come true? We can listen to what we want and ignore the truth. But then truth will seek you out and kill us. For our God is sovereign over the random guy shooting a random arrow randomly.
And Jehoshaphat? He cries out the Lord graciously comes to his recuse! And drew him away. And as Ahab lies dying, he returned to the safety or shalom of his house in Jerusalem. The peace of the house of David in Jerusalem. Yet he was rebuked for his foolishness and told that judgement would come, and yet encouraged, because God is the perfect judge. And saw that this man had good in him and had set his heart on seeking the Lord!
And indeed, it does look like he learned his lesson. He had learned how to judge rightly, through the Lord’s judgement, and now he wanted all of Israel to do the same! He returns home and appoints judges. Who judge for the LORD, under the fear of the LORD, in the Name of the LORD.
So? How does the church find unity? In the truth of God’s word. That is the deepest bond that you can share with anyone. The love of Christ.
Who do you listen to? Why? Do you like flattery? Do you hate being rebuked? Sometimes a rebuke is the most gracious thing anyone can ever do for another. Listen to those who are not afraid to speak the truth.
What are you trusting in today? Do you honestly believe that the Lords words are true and certain, and they are true beyond any shadow of a doubt because he is sovereign? His word will come true. Trust him. Always and forever. Not one of his words will fall to the ground, just like that arrow could not fall till it found its target!
The way of peace and unity is found in the God of truth and Justice.
Amen.