1 Kings 22.
THIS chapter brings us to the close of Ahab’s life. In the last years there was peace with his northern neighbor, Syria, and during this time the king of Judah came down from Jerusalem to visit Ahab. Jehoshaphat was the godly son of a godly king, of the lineage of David. and until his occupation of the throne of Judah there had been no peace between the two parts of the divided nation. There should indeed never have been an agreement between them, for the kings of Israel, all of them godless men had banished the testimony of God, and brought in idol worship and the associated evils practiced by the heathen nations who were on their borders, while Judah at least made a profession of the worship of the true God.
We shall not find in the Books of Kings the explanation of Jehoshaphat’s changed behavior toward Ahab, but turning to the Books of the Chronicles, which tell of God’s dealings in grace with the house of David, we may quickly find what we seek. Compare 2 Chronicles 17 verses 1 to 5 with the next chapter, verse 1, and it will be seen that Jehoshaphat’s heart became so attached to the riches and honor God had given- him, that his later life was a good deal like that of his great predecessor, king Solomon. So, no longer whole hearted for God, Jehoshaphat made light of Ahab’s evil was and his marriage with Jezebel, daughter of the king of the Zidonians, and he set aside the principles of the Word of God (see Exodus 22:20 and Deuteronomy 7:3-6) so that his son Jehoshaphat’s son and heir — married Jezebel’s daughter, Athaliah. He did this at his peril.
God is not mocked, and as there was a sowing by Jehoshaphat, there was a reaping even by himself, though the damage was borne mostly by his children.
Jehoshaphat, who knew God, was now on good terms with Ahab, a rebel against God, slighted the plain purpose of God that His people should be separate from those who walked not according to His Word, (see Exodus 19:5, 6; 1 Kings 5:53).
Many a Christian, to his own great loss, is in similar case, forgetting the sharp sword of the Spirit in James 3:4,
“Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?”
Jehoshaphat betrayed himself when he said to Ahab (verse 4), “I am as thou art, my people as thy people my horses as thy horses,” but he was nevertheless not quite at rest in Ahab’s company, for he asked (verse 5) that the will of God be sought. It then appears that Ahab’s religion had changed its name; the false prophets he recognized were now professedly the prophets of the Lord. Modernism had appeared in some of its features. (But the worship of Baal had not ceased; see 2 Kings 10:18-28). Jehoshaphat therefore, not satisfied with these professed prophets of God asked for another, seeking a genuine one who knew God, and might be expected to know His mind. Such there was in Micaiah the son of Imlah, whom Ahab hated.
Micaiah gave a remarkable testimony (verses 19-24) which discloses how God makes use of the power of Satan in the case of a man given up to judgment, but Ahab will have none of his testimony, his day of mercy over. Even the king of Syria was in the battle carrying out God’s will (verse 31), so that Ahab’s effort to conceal himself added only to Jehoshaphat’s danger. In mercy God permitted his escape. And so Ahab died, seemingly as godless as he had lived. The dogs licked his blood, as he had been told would be the case.
The ships Jehoshaphat made to go to Ophir, after the fashion of king Solomon, were broken by an act of God, as he was told by Eliezer the son of Mareshah (2 Chronicles 20:37). This must give the explanation of Jehoshaphat’s refusing to let Ahaziah’s servants go with his in the ships, —i.e., that he feared to go on with an undertaking in which God had shown his displeasure.
Ahaziah, Ahab’s son was king of Israel not more than two years, and he followed his father’s and mother’s, and Jeroboam’s sinful ways.
ML 09/18/1927