Bible Study - 2 Chronicles 19:1-3

Jehoshaphat Returns from the Battle

Please turn to 2nd Chronicles chapter 19, we're beginning 2nd Chronicles 19 this evening, let's see. Got a couple of new folks here. Oh, we've got a Hand out. All right 2nd Chronicles 19 Verses 1 through 3 Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned in safety to his house in Jerusalem.

But Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him and said to King Jehoshaphat Should you help the wicked and Love those who hate the Lord because of this wrath has gone out against you from the Lord.

Nevertheless some good is found in you for you destroyed the Ashtaroth out of the land and have set your heart to seek God. Amen. All right verse 3 begins with in Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem remember he was at war with Syria to get back Ramoth Gilead Ahab had suckered him into Doing that they had a marriage alliance with one another their son and daughter marriage alliance and Jehoshaphat went out to war.

Now if you remember what was the prophecy That they had received from Micaiah what was the prophecy that Ahab had received it was specifically that Let's see If you return in peace the Lord has not spoken by me that was verse 27 If you return in peace the Lord has not spoken by me and says in verse 1 here Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned in safety to his house in Jerusalem.

He does return in peace so It is very gracious of God that that only fell on Ahab and not on Jehoshaphat. Because Ahab and Jehoshaphat and joining himself with Ahab did invite that same judgment upon himself and then a Next question we have here.

Does it mean that he returned in peace right that he's not being pursued in enemies by enemies. So when you leave battle, it can be the case that the enemies just pursue you afterwards, but he's returning in peace.

And Yeah, this is the Report of what happens after this battle. So the prophecy is fulfilled against Ahab but not against Jehoshaphat. Then in verse 2 it begins and Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him and Said to King Jehoshaphat.

Jehu's Rebuke and the Prophecies Against Judah's Kings

All right, so let's go ahead and read this parallel passage here in first Kings first Kings 16 verses 1 through 7. And the word of the Lord came to Jehu the son of Hanani Against Baasha saying since I exalted you Out of the dust and made you a leader over my people Israel and you have walked in the way of Jeroboam.

And I have made my people Israel to sin provoking me to anger with their sins behold I will utterly sweep away Baasha and his house and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

Anyone belonging to Baasha who dies in the city the dog shall eat and anyone of his who dies in the field the birds of the heavens shall eat. Now the rest of the acts of Baasha and what he did and his might are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel and Baasha slept with his fathers and was buried in Tirzah and Elah his son reigned in his place.

Moreover the word of the Lord came by the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha and his house. Both because of all the evil that he did in the sight of the Lord provoking him to anger with the work of his hands.

And being like the house of Jeroboam and because he destroyed it. Also because he destroyed it it being the house of Jeroboam. So if you remember Baasha intruded where Jeroboam was the king of Israel.

And Baasha took over the throne but then continued in the same idolatry. So he suffers on on both counts. And all that came by the prophecy of Jehu son of Hanani who we're looking at here so this is a prophet of Israel Who is now coming across lines to Judah prophesying to him, but of course Jehoshaphat had Crossed lines to Israel.

So, you know, he goes up north to where he's not supposed to be. But then as he's coming back or maybe sometime later Jehu comes and confronts him with this rebuke. Now the prophecy to Baasha of course was that his line would be cut off and indeed it was.

And yes, he goes out here to to meet Jehoshaphat in order to rebuke him this is somewhere between. Once you put together the data somewhere between 34 and 55 years have passed since that first Prophecy to Baasha.

So there's a substantial period of time that's different here. But this is the same person now also. We should note that There's a relationship here to Hanani's prophecy if you remember that so let me Look that up that is in second chronicles 16.

So at the very beginning of second chronicles 16 in the 36th year of the reign of asa Baasha king of israel went up against judah and built ramah that he might permit no one to go out. Or to come in to asa king of judah.

Excuse me verse 7 jump down to verse 7 at that time hanani the seer came to asa king of judah. And said to him because you relied on the king of syria and did not rely on the lord your god. The army of the king of syria has escaped you.

Okay. So remember what happens here? Hanani confronts asa. Says to him You relied on the king of syria. You made an alliance with syria. So later on you're going to get in trouble with with syria and They're not going to be conquered by you.

They're going to escape you now what's happening? Okay, asa's son Jehoshaphat has just been in war with syria hanani's son jehu. Is confronting him? So you have father father? Confronting and saying you made an alliance with syria now, they're going to escape uh, and then son son.

You made an alliance with israel, that's why they escaped it's a fulfillment of that prophecy as well as just a continuation here with um, yeah the prophet's son and also the king's son. Yes Israel yeah israel is.

Judah and Israel's Unequal Worship and Alliances

Are you talking about judah also? Okay. Yeah. Israel has made their golden calves, etc. God does seem to distinguish between false worship to him with the golden calves and then completely pagan things so, uh.

They're not quite like the other nations and that they still ostensibly worship. Yahweh but. Yes, yeah, it's bad condition. All right continuing on here uh to be. Should you help the wicked and love those who hate jehovah?

All right. So the wicked here are people of israel and those who Hate the lord once again are the people of israel. So what does it mean to love them to assist them in their battles? He's Talking about loving them in the sense of helping assisting them in their wickedness.

So judah is god's chosen people remember that's one of the themes of Chronicles is that judah is the true israel? Okay, judah is the true israel and they should not be partnering with this wicked nation israel.

Being Unequally Yoked with the Wicked

All right, second corinthians 6 14 through 18. Let us Read that passage. Yes, second corinthians 6 14 through 18 do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness.

Or what fellowship is light with darkness. What accord has christ with belial? Or what portion does the believer share with an unbeliever. What agreement has the temple of god with the idols? For we are the temple of the living god.

As god says I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them and I will be their god and they shall be my people. Therefore go out from their midst and be separate from them says the lord and touch.

No, unclean thing then I will welcome you and I will be a father to you. And you shall be sons and daughters to me says the lord almighty all right, so that passage describes not Uniting with the wicked not being yoked with them now.

A lot of people apply this to marriage and it certainly does have application to marriage. But I believe that if you look at all the contexts, especially what was going on in first corinthians Chapters 8 and 10.

I believe this is just talking about worshiping idols. This is this is. It's not being metaphorical when it's talking about Agreement what agreement does the temple of god have with idols? I believe this is addressing actual idolatry that's happening by Eating food sacrifice to idols or whatever the case may be.

But uh regardless it has application to a lot of different things including uh this alliance that joshua made and any kind of Partnership we would have with the world. So why does jhu ask about helping the wicked?

Well, certainly because joshua has just returned from helping the wicked and what is the answer to his question? Should you help the wicked? No, you should not help the wicked and Yeah, second corinthians gives the reason what fellowship can light have with darkness.

Loving Enemies and Ordering Our Affections

Now a lot of people would be very surprised by some of this stuff because it's Describing. It's asking whether you should love those who hate jehovah. And if you read matthew 5 and have heard preaching on love your enemies.

Seems like the answer is yes. Yes. You should love those who who hate jehovah. You should love everybody. If you remember that hate is a probation of love. Right, so if you think of Hate as not something that's entirely different than love, but rather it is just a statement describing less love then It makes sense you you should love those who hate jehovah far less than you love Brothers and sisters in christ there's going to be a vast chasm of difference.

Such that in some ways it can be said that you're supposed to love them in order to positively commend those those behaviors that you should have towards them that are You know positive in posture. However, you want to say it and then on the same at the same time.

It can be said that you're supposed to hate them when it is talking about those things those Kindnesses that you're supposed to withhold from them that would be right to give to another. Those affections that it would right be right to give to a brother and sister.

You should withhold from them. So Uh, it can be both said that you're supposed to love your enemies and also said that you're supposed to hate your enemies. Both of these things can be true. Once you understand the ways that you're supposed to love in the ways that you're supposed to hate that's why The bible can say love your enemies and then also at the same time Number of places say that you're supposed to hate those who hate jehovah like here and as well as psalm 139 21.

You know, I I hate them with a perfect hatred. That kind of a language that you see in the psalms. So they're so think of the wicked in general you should love them and that you should desire their own uh.

Good as far as repentance goes you should also Uh Here on this earth and the ways that you would be polite to one another. There are ways that you should be polite to the wicked. But then you should not of course assist them in any wickedness.

And you should also not give of yourself to wicked men in ways that would Deprive you of your ability to do so for good men because we're all we all have limited capacities right if you were to just spend all your time investing in friendships with unbelievers or investing in their good by giving to unbelievers and then not taking care of brothers and sisters you'd be missing the distinctions that the bible Gives in galatians 6 it says Uh so as uh.

As much as you are able to do good to everyone, especially to those who are of the household of faith. Right, you're supposed to be especially you are supposed to be good to everyone. But you're supposed to be especially good to those who are of the household of faith.

I don't I don't mind the term ordo moris. Yeah, that doesn't. Yeah, it's latin. I don't I don't know where that comes from. Uh as far as in history. But It's a pretty obvious Concept that you are supposed to love some people different than others.

You're supposed to love your wife more than you would love Uh another woman, you know that kind of thing. Okay, okay augustine Talks about all this so it's coming from pretty darn early. Yeah. Yeah, and this is uh, if anybody's heard my story.

This was a significant point for me when I realized this because I was I began studying in seminary to do missions. And I really wanted to do counter called apologetics but I realized in addition to other things that were Faulty with my plan that I had wrongly ordered loves.

I didn't really care that much about my own church. I cared a lot about unbelievers. Uh thinking that well unbelievers need me. The other people in my church already have jesus. What do they need me for and I didn't.

You know, I spent a lot of my time trying to work on my evangelistic bible study at work and things like that and I I cared very little about other folks at church relatively speaking and Once I started seeing those different passages and that kind of clicked I realized.

You know pretty early on that was wow, my my plans were not good. I needed to fix that and that's when I started, you know. Investing more in the in the local church realizing that that's more of what I was called to do.

Wrath for Jehoshaphat's Alliance and God's Regard for Good

All right. Let's keep going here. We are in To see for this thing wrath is on you from before jehovah. Before jehovah means, you know in his presence from from his presence is coming wrath god's anger and judgment and Hit this is on account of his alliance with jehoshaphat.

So because he has assisted the enemies of the lord there is going to be some Uh difficulty that he's going to face. Friendship with the world is enmity with god as it says in james 4 4. Okay, verse 3 nevertheless there are good things found in you.

Okay, yes good things. Good things found in him uh. We have in hanani's prophecy back in 16 verses 7 through 9. Said at that time hanani the seer came to ace the king of judah and said to him. Because you relied on the king of syria and did not rely on the lord your god.

The army of the king of syria has escaped you. Were not the ethiopians and the libyans a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen. Yet because you relied on the lord he gave them into your hand.

For the eyes of the lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to give strong support. To those whose heart is blameless toward him you have done foolishly in this. For from now on you will have wars.

Okay, it's a similar thing where god is watching and god recognizes when people are Turning against him and then he turns against them. Okay, and so there is a similarity between these prophecies and they both have to do with an ungodly alliance.

One was with syria and this one was with israel. And then in what ways is it different? Yeah, that that way that the nation that it's involved with one is with syria and the other is against syria. All right.

Jehoshaphat's Reforms and Seeking the Lord

3b in that you have put away the ash Asheroth out of the land and have set your heart to seek god. Okay, some good things some good things found in him. All right, he has some zeal for worshiping the lord he has destroyed idols.

So he it includes both the negative and the positive. He's destroyed some idols. He's also positively sought the lord and. This is important if you remember seeking the lord is something that is a big theme in this book.

Solomon was commanded to seek the lord and People came to the temple in order to seek the lord that solomon built ray of bones split israel because he did not seek the lord. And then we got that command earlier if you seek the lord he'll be found of you.

Loving God's People While Engaging the World

All right. Reflection question. How do christians wrongly love those who hate god today? What are the consequences of such behavior and how can you avoid the sin of joshua? Okay, so that was I I gave one example from my life just uh an over emphasis on evangelism that doesn't Understand the way that god intends to build up his people and I think that's that's a really common thing there are a lot of people who think very little of the local church or their need to uphold the local church and they think very uh highly of the importance of evangelism evangelizing the unsaved and of course evangelism is very important, but uh.

Yeah, a lot of people will be kind of puffed up with pride about it, you know and they'll even detach themselves from the local church because they're they're so prideful about you know, uh. You'll see a lot of street evangelists like that right where they are.

Um they're not even associated with the local church in part because. They see the local church might not be evangelizing enough and rather than build the church up in the task of evangelism. They choose to puff themselves up and go separate.

Okay, any any other thoughts on this about ways that christians wrongly love those who hate god? Of course a lot of people have friendships with the world where they're not building up friendships in the church, but yeah.

Okay. Yeah. Yeah, so that would be like failing to love More than it is, uh wrongly loving but yeah, but one implies the other obviously brayden. Do you see any value in? Christian-centric political activism.

Partnering with Unbelievers in Political Causes

Are you asking if it's okay to partner with unbelievers and political things? No i'm saying.

Is there any particular greater value in doing it with solely other. Oh, yeah. Well if you make it.

There are things that you can do right if you if you partner with other christians about the Holocaust of abortion you can preach the gospel clearly. I mean there's a place for You know if others if non-believers also want to abolish abortion, that's great.

But you're not going to be able to preach the gospel with them and that's probably going to Inhibit you depending on what kind of things you might do. So, so yeah, there's a there's a place for it strategically uh given that god's kingdom is not of this world yet we are a part of King kingdoms in this world and we have to navigate those things but Yeah, once once you start making those alliances.

That limits your capacity within the alliance, yes. Yeah. Yeah, that's a good point. So hospitality that's Limited and so because it's limited it's not being sent to the church, but it is extended to whoever their old friends might be.

Yeah. Okay. Anything else? Consequences for such behavior. I think keeps the church unhealthy. That's a that's an important thing uh, and then It also keeps people from growing a lot of the ways that people grow is by Giving of themselves in good ways where they are trained in discerning How to serve the lord, but if you give of yourself in ways that aren't serving the lord.

You're losing on both ends, right? You're giving of yourself and you're losing and then you're not actually Being trained in the task of serving the lord. So it's uh. Yeah, it's not really beneficial.

Not to mention if you end up throwing in your lot with unbelievers. Then you might end up getting their lot so just like jehoshaphat almost ended up getting killed uh. Yeah, you could invite upon yourself the judgment of the wicked in as much as you partner with them in their wickedness.

Which can be in in ways that you might not think too, right? Because if you are if you are friends with an unbeliever and they are speaking of their wickedness. Or even just their godless lifestyle and you don't address that.

Then are you not complicit? In their behavior. Failing to warn the wicked like it calls us to in ezekiel right, uh. If I say to the wicked you shall die and then you do not tell them uh. They're they will die for their own guilt, but blood will be on your hands or blood will be on your head it's uh.

Yeah, you put yourself in a difficult position where um, if you are silent in those cases then There's a there's a penalty to be paid for that. Okay. Anything else? All right. Let's go ahead and end there.

Closing Prayer

Uh dear only father. We thank you for your word. Once again, we ask that you would direct us in prayer that our prayers would be guided by your word So that we would love what you love and hate what you hate in jesus name.

Amen.