LEARNING FROM GOD’S LESSONS ON LIFE

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In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem, and he went out again among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim and turned them back to the Lord, the God of their ancestors. He appointed judges in the land, in each of the fortified cities of Judah. He told them, “Consider carefully what you do, because you are not judging for mere mortals but for the Lord, who is with you whenever you give a verdict. Now let the fear of the Lord be on you. Judge carefully, for with the Lord our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery.”

In Jerusalem also, Jehoshaphat appointed some of the Levites, priests and heads of Israelite families to administer the law of the Lord and to settle disputes. And they lived in Jerusalem. He gave them these orders: “You must serve faithfully and wholeheartedly in the fear of the Lord. In every case that comes before you from your people who live in the cities—whether bloodshed or other concerns of the law, commands, decrees or regulations—you are to warn them not to sin against the Lord; otherwise His wrath will come on you and your people. Do this, and you will not sin.”

“Amariah the chief priest will be over you in any matter concerning the Lord, and Zebadiah son of Ishmael, the leader of the tribe of Judah, will be over you in any matter concerning the king, and the Levites will serve as officials before you. Act with courage, and may the Lord be with those who do well.”

2 Chronicles 19:4-11

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

The words from the seer Jehu had to strike Jehoshaphat at his core.

“Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? Because of this, the wrath of the Lord is on you.” 2 Chronicles 19:2b-3

The wrath of the Lord is on you. Six words none of us should ever want to hear.

In the case of Jehoshaphat, he knew that he should always partner with God first in all matters but he chose to compromise his relationship with God by siding with the sinful King Ahab of Israel to fight the Arameans at Ramoth Gilead (2 Chronicles 18). This decision, choosing to help the wicked and those who showed a hatred for the Lord through their pagan behavior, brought Jehoshaphat from God’s favor to His wrath. It only took one poor choice to do it.

Friends, how often have we done likewise in our lives? How often have we chosen to side with sin and evil behavior and turn away from the God who made us and saves us? And how many times have we then been convicted in some way, whether through a messenger of God or through His Holy Spirit or through His Holy Word?

I don’t know about you but it happened a lot to me over my lifetime. It only underscores how deep and wide God’s mercy and grace and love as I am still around although I don’t really deserve to be.

Perhaps, this is because of heartfelt efforts to repent and correct sinful inclinations. For we all will sin, no one is immune from the affliction brought to all mankind through Adam. That is a fact and God knows it. He knows we can, do, and will error. It’s how well we show Him we have learned from His lessons on life that makes the difference.

To that end, we should look at Jehoshaphat and use him as a model for what we should do after our sins are exposed.

Yes, he did choose to align himself with someone who had shown himself to be an enemy of God and, yes, he was called out for it.

But did Jehoshaphat stop living? Did he give up and resign himself to never being anything in the eyes of God again? 

No, he did nothing like this. Instead, he went to work setting things right with God by getting back to the basics of righteousness. Look at some of the things he did as documented in our scripture passage:

1. He went out with an evangelical purpose and turned people back to God.

Jehoshaphat went out again among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim and turned them back to the Lord, the God of their ancestors.

2. He set things in place to ensure people stayed loyal to God’s laws and decrees through appointing judges who would have the Lord with them when they had to render verdicts.

Jehoshaphat appointed judges in each of the fortified cities of Judah, giving them the following orders:

“Consider carefully what you do, because you are not judging for mere mortals but for the Lord, who is with you whenever you give a verdict. Now let the fear of the Lord be on you. Judge carefully, for with the Lord our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery.”

3. He reestablished the Levites to administer the laws of the Lord and turn people from sin.

Jehoshaphat appointed some of the Levites, priests and heads of Israelite families to administer the law of the Lord and to settle disputes. And they lived in Jerusalem. He gave them these orders: “You must serve faithfully and wholeheartedly in the fear of the Lord. In every case that comes before you from your people who live in the cities—whether bloodshed or other concerns of the law, commands, decrees or regulations—you are to warn them not to sin against the Lord; otherwise His wrath will come on you and your people. Do this, and you will not sin.”

Indeed, Jehoshaphat did not waste any time in showing the Lord he was ready to make restitution for his mistakes and return to the place where he not only placed God first in his own life but also put measures in place to ensure all the people he led refrained from sin as well.

Through his actions, Jehoshaphat demonstrates to us an important step in our spiritual walk with the Lord. When we fail and fall, we should return to righteousness and holiness, more acutely tuned into staying faithful and true to the God who is so faithful and true to us.

Then and only then can God see that we have learned from His lessons of life.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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