2Ch 18:2-3 | KingComments | STEP | In this chapter we see – in picture – the results of a compromise with the religious world. We also receive the lessons God wants to teach His people to prepare them for religious compromises. When Jehoshaphat has wealth and honor in abundance (cf. ), he allies himself by marriage with the wicked Ahab ( ). Here Jehoshaphat abandons obedience to the Word, to which he owes his wealth and honor, and connects with the house of the wicked Ahab. His son Jehoram marries the daughter of Jezebel, Athaliah. In the eyes of some people this may be a great choice, but Jehoshaphat in arranging this brings evil in his house and in Judah. This is the first indication of a sinful trait with the God-fearing Jehoshaphat. That sinful trait is the making of an alliance with an unbeliever. He did so with Ahab, with Ahaziah, and with Jehoram, three wicked kings of the ten tribes realm. The fact that he does this up to three times seems to indicate that he is a slow learner at this point. For us, this contains a serious lesson. That lesson is that we get entangled in evil again and again if we do not radically condemn it. God has forbidden His people to make an alliance with Syria or other God hostile surrounding peoples. Such alliances are causing great damage. However, an alliance with apostate Israel is an even greater evil. Israel is not just one of the heathen peoples. They know the LORD, but have turned their back on Him. They serve the golden calves and imagine serving Him with them. This is a treacherous mixture. It is worse than idolatry by those who do not know the LORD. Israel is a more dangerous enemy because of its wrong example, rather than its strength. This is not an alliance with unbelievers in general – that also is not allowed ( ) – but an alliance with nominal Christians. What Jehoshaphat does can be found in the ecumenical movement, where Christians find each other without any question of obedience to God’s Word. There is only one safe path we can go when we are faced with something that wrongly claims to be in touch with God and to acknowledge Him. That safe path is to keep separate from what appears to acknowledge God, while not taking His will into account, and regard it as an enemy. There are about nine years between the marriage ties and Jehoshaphat’s visit to Ahab. Then the moment comes when the seed that has been laid ( ) grows into a common interest. Jehoshaphat visits Ahab ( ) and thus enters a social environment from which he does not know how to escape ( ). Ahab is greatly honored by Jehoshaphat’s visit to him. In 1 Kings 22, a chapter almost identical to this chapter, the case is viewed from the point of view of Ahab. There the emphasis is on the fact that it is smart of him to seek a connection with a man as God-fearing as Jehoshaphat. Here it is seen from the side of Jehoshaphat and then the connection he seeks with a man as wicked as Ahab is reprehensible. It is a big stain on his reign. In the previous chapter Jehoshaphat has strengthened his cities, but here it appears that he has not strengthened his heart. The many sheep and oxen that Ahab slaughters for Jehoshaphat ( ), are a bigger snare for Jehoshaphat than the armies of Ahab. What Jehoshaphat does, does not fit in with a walk in the ways of his father David, with what he pronounced in some psalms ( ). The feast Ahab is making in honor of Jehoshaphat is only meant to win him for his plans. The kisses of the enemy are deceptive. The enemy never gives anything for nothing. The slaughter of sheep and oxen means sacrificing them. It represents a sacrificial meal. Thus, in our time an apostate church will go very far to agree with the faithful to keep or draw them into an alliance with itself. Ahab has the plan to recapture Ramoth in Gilead from the king of Aram or Syria. For that he wants the help of Jehoshaphat ( ). The latter agrees. He does so with words that are almost unbelievable. He makes himself equal to Ahab, and also includes his whole people in this equality. He not only falls into the trap himself, but also leads others into it. With this he drags his people on the road down. How often do we say to the world, ‘I am like you’? Look at our participation in social life. Do we attend the same events; do we talk about the things of the world in the same way? If that happens, it is almost impossible to see the difference between the ‘Jehoshaphats’ and the ‘Ahabs’ in such situations. Only personal attachment to Christ will preserve us from identification with and inclusion in the world. Jehoshaphat’s alliance with Israel against Syria is no better than his father Asa’s alliance with Syria against Israel ( ). Of what Jehoshaphat does as a leader, others will say: ‘What kind of evil can there be in such a cooperation if a God-fearing man like Jehoshaphat participates in it? If there was something wrong in it, would Jehoshaphat join in?’ This is also the way the Christian world is talking today. Many of them agree with Jehoshaphat’s attitude by saying that he is a broad-minded man.

‏ 2 Chronicles 18:2-3

Introduction

In this chapter we see – in picture – the results of a compromise with the religious world. We also receive the lessons God wants to teach His people to prepare them for religious compromises.

Jehoshaphat Allies Himself With Ahab

When Jehoshaphat has wealth and honor in abundance (cf. 2Chr 17:5), he allies himself by marriage with the wicked Ahab (2Chr 18:1). Here Jehoshaphat abandons obedience to the Word, to which he owes his wealth and honor, and connects with the house of the wicked Ahab. His son Jehoram marries the daughter of Jezebel, Athaliah. In the eyes of some people this may be a great choice, but Jehoshaphat in arranging this brings evil in his house and in Judah.

This is the first indication of a sinful trait with the God-fearing Jehoshaphat. That sinful trait is the making of an alliance with an unbeliever. He did so with Ahab, with Ahaziah, and with Jehoram, three wicked kings of the ten tribes realm. The fact that he does this up to three times seems to indicate that he is a slow learner at this point.

For us, this contains a serious lesson. That lesson is that we get entangled in evil again and again if we do not radically condemn it. God has forbidden His people to make an alliance with Syria or other God hostile surrounding peoples. Such alliances are causing great damage. However, an alliance with apostate Israel is an even greater evil. Israel is not just one of the heathen peoples. They know the LORD, but have turned their back on Him. They serve the golden calves and imagine serving Him with them. This is a treacherous mixture. It is worse than idolatry by those who do not know the LORD. Israel is a more dangerous enemy because of its wrong example, rather than its strength.

This is not an alliance with unbelievers in general – that also is not allowed (2Cor 6:14) – but an alliance with nominal Christians. What Jehoshaphat does can be found in the ecumenical movement, where Christians find each other without any question of obedience to God’s Word. There is only one safe path we can go when we are faced with something that wrongly claims to be in touch with God and to acknowledge Him. That safe path is to keep separate from what appears to acknowledge God, while not taking His will into account, and regard it as an enemy.

There are about nine years between the marriage ties and Jehoshaphat’s visit to Ahab. Then the moment comes when the seed that has been laid (2Chr 18:1) grows into a common interest. Jehoshaphat visits Ahab (2Chr 18:2a) and thus enters a social environment from which he does not know how to escape (1Cor 15:33). Ahab is greatly honored by Jehoshaphat’s visit to him.

In 1 Kings 22, a chapter almost identical to this chapter, the case is viewed from the point of view of Ahab. There the emphasis is on the fact that it is smart of him to seek a connection with a man as God-fearing as Jehoshaphat. Here it is seen from the side of Jehoshaphat and then the connection he seeks with a man as wicked as Ahab is reprehensible. It is a big stain on his reign. In the previous chapter Jehoshaphat has strengthened his cities, but here it appears that he has not strengthened his heart.

The many sheep and oxen that Ahab slaughters for Jehoshaphat (2Chr 18:2b), are a bigger snare for Jehoshaphat than the armies of Ahab. What Jehoshaphat does, does not fit in with a walk in the ways of his father David, with what he pronounced in some psalms (Psa 26:5 ; Psa 141:4). The feast Ahab is making in honor of Jehoshaphat is only meant to win him for his plans.

The kisses of the enemy are deceptive. The enemy never gives anything for nothing. The slaughter of sheep and oxen means sacrificing them. It represents a sacrificial meal. Thus, in our time an apostate church will go very far to agree with the faithful to keep or draw them into an alliance with itself.

Ahab has the plan to recapture Ramoth in Gilead from the king of Aram or Syria. For that he wants the help of Jehoshaphat (2Chr 18:2-3). The latter agrees. He does so with words that are almost unbelievable. He makes himself equal to Ahab, and also includes his whole people in this equality. He not only falls into the trap himself, but also leads others into it. With this he drags his people on the road down.

How often do we say to the world, ‘I am like you’? Look at our participation in social life. Do we attend the same events; do we talk about the things of the world in the same way? If that happens, it is almost impossible to see the difference between the ‘Jehoshaphats’ and the ‘Ahabs’ in such situations. Only personal attachment to Christ will preserve us from identification with and inclusion in the world.

Jehoshaphat’s alliance with Israel against Syria is no better than his father Asa’s alliance with Syria against Israel (2Chr 16:7-9). Of what Jehoshaphat does as a leader, others will say: ‘What kind of evil can there be in such a cooperation if a God-fearing man like Jehoshaphat participates in it? If there was something wrong in it, would Jehoshaphat join in?’ This is also the way the Christian world is talking today. Many of them agree with Jehoshaphat’s attitude by saying that he is a broad-minded man.