How distinct and how serious is the difference between what is said of King Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 17 and 18. In the one it is said—that he “strengthened himself against Israel”; and in the beginning of the other it is stated that he “joined affinity with Ahab.” This signifies a fall, and is not without its warning to ourselves. In chapter 20, Jehoshaphat is assailed by enemies. “The children of Ammon, and with them other besides the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle.” The king is cast upon God—his language breathes a true spirit of dependence and real humility. He prays thus, “O our God, wilt Thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us: neither know we what to do but our eyes are upon Thee.”
All this teaches us that we have greater reason to fear Satan as a flatterer than as an open foe. The serpent is subtle, the lion ferocious, and Satan is likened to both. He deceives, and he also seeks to devour. King Ahab did not come against Jehoshaphat as an enemy, but rather as a friend. It is here that we need to be on our guard. Jehoshaphat is by no means comfortable, however liberal he was in offering to be one with Ahab in retaking Ramoth-gilead. Who had ordered Ahab to undertake such a service? He was like certain prophets of whom we read, “I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.” (Jer. 23:2121I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. (Jeremiah 23:21).) Jehoshaphat felt this.
Moreover, Ahab was for madly rushing into battle with the Syrians without asking counsel of God or of anyone else. Now we come to a solemn matter for consideration. When men have made up their minds to do evil, like Ahab, “who sold himself to do evil,” God in His judgment may allow them to be deceived. Our Lord said in His day, “I am come in My Father’s name and ye received Me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.” Blindness from God is terrible indeed. Ahab and his wicked wife Jezebel had four hundred prophets—they were numerous, but false—and the Lord permitted an evil spirit to deceive them all. “There came out a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will entice him. And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets, and the Lord said... go out and do even so.” (Chapter 19:21.)
One might have supposed that what was said by so many must be true, but this shows how we may be misled by the Devil with a cloak of sanctity. The four hundred prophets prophesy before the deluded king, and say, “Go up; for God will deliver it unto the king’s hand.” This is, as I have said, very serious, and shows the need of prayer and acquaintance with the mind of God as revealed in His Holy Word. The writer remembers reading of a servant of the Lord who had been preaching to a somewhat indifferent congregation of people. He returned home weary and discouraged, and retired to his study. It seemed to him that if he preached of eternal judgment, people sat unmoved, and if he dwelt upon a sweeter theme, even the love of God to sinners, it was the same thing. As the preacher sat thinking of these things he fell asleep and dreamed. He dreamed that he was in the council chamber of hell, and Beelzebub was at the head of the council. The arch-fiend asked who would go into the world and deceive it. “I,” said one. “And what will you tell the people?” “I will tell them there is no hell; they can eat, drink and be merry.” “That won’t do,” said Satan. Then another spoke, “Let me go and deceive the world.” “And what will you tell the people?” “I will tell the people that there is a hell, but I will whisper in their ears, ‘There is plenty of time yet.’” “You may go,” said man’s enemy. The preacher woke and saw how Satan blinded people by helping them to put off day after day, year after year, the salvation of their souls. Young people are not always so alive to Satan’s deception as older people are, and therefore are more likely to be deceived.
But to return, Jehoshaphat was not satisfied with the four hundred prophets. Poor Jehoshaphat! one cannot but pity him; he was in a false position from which it was not easy to escape. He was like the poor fly that gets entangled in the web of the spider. “Is there not here a prophet besides, that we might inquire of him?” said Jehoshaphat. “Yes, there was one more—Micaiah, true, but persecuted. Ahab says, “But I hate him.” He was hated because he was faithful. Wicked men and women do not like to be told the truth, they love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil. But soon it was shown that this solitary and persecuted prophet was right, and the four hundred fawning prophets were wrong. Ahab went to battle (and Jehoshaphat with him), but not to prosper, as the false men had said he would. God did not deliver Ramoth-gilead into his hand. On the contrary, a man drawing a bow at a venture sent the arrow unerringly through an opening in Ahab’s armor and fatally wounded him, “and about the time of the sun going down he died.”
Poor, but true-hearted Jehoshaphat cried out to the Lord; he knew where to look in danger and distress, and of his deliverance and restoration we will write (D. V.) next month.