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Bible reading: 2
Chronicles 20:31-37
31 And
Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah: he 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. 32 And he walked in the way
of Asa his father, and departed not from it, doing that which
was right in the sight of the LORD. 33 Howbeit
the high places were not taken away: for as yet the people had
not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers. 34
Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last,
behold, they are written in the book of Jehu the son of
Hanani, who is mentioned in the book of the kings of
Israel. 35 And after this did Jehoshaphat king of
Judah join himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who did very
wickedly: 36 And he joined himself with him to make
ships to go to Tarshish: and they made the ships in Eziongeber.
37 Then Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied
against Jehoshaphat, saying, Because thou hast joined thyself
with Ahaziah, the LORD hath broken thy works. And the ships were
broken, that they were not able to go to Tarshish.
Jehoshaphat kept
close to the worship of God, and did what he could to keep his
people close to it. But after God had done such great things for
him, given him not only victory, but wealth; after this, to go and
join himself with a wicked king, was very ungrateful.
What could he expect but that God would be angry with him? Yet it
seems, he took the warning; for when Ahaziah afterward pressed him
to join him, he would not, (1Ki.22:49).
Thus the alliance was broken, and the Divine rebuke had its
effect, at least for a season. Let us be thankful for any losses
which may have prevented the loss of our immortal souls.
Let us praise the Lord, who sought after us, and left us not to
perish in our sins. |
