2 Chronicles 17-19: Unpopular Opinion

We trace Jehoshaphat’s early faithfulness, his risky alliance with Ahab, Micaiah’s brave truth-telling, and the reforms that follow a needed rebuke. The thread is clear: alignment with God outruns any alliance, and wise leadership guards justice and worship.

• Jehoshaphat’s early reforms and teaching mission across Judah
• Peace, tribute, and strength grounded in obedience
• Alliance with Ahab and the pressure to conform
• Micaiah’s lone voice against four hundred prophets
• Ahab’s death and the sovereignty behind “random”
• Prophetic rebuke and course correction at home
• Judicial reforms that reject partiality and bribes
• Practical wisdom on friendships, partnerships, and alignment

Hear it. Love it. Live it.

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome And Why Chronicles Matters
• 1:10 God’s Heart Through Old Testament Highs And Lows
• 2:11 Jehoshaphat’s Early Reforms And Teaching Tour
• 5:01 Wealth, Peace, And Rising Power
• 5:22 Alliance With Ahab And The Prophets’ Showdown
• 8:27 Micaiah’s Vision And Ahab’s Fall
• 11:00 Rebuke, Judicial Reforms, And Justice
• 13:12 Lessons On Alliances And Alignment With God

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:23

Hey, welcome to the Out Loud Bible Project Podcast. This is Mike. Thanks for joining me here. I recorded last episode and this episode together in the same sitting, as I'll often do. And I was wrapping up that one. I was like, oh man, that was a good one. That's that's some good stories there. That's some good stuff. And then I'm looking ahead, all right, what's next? Here, 2 Chronicles 17 through 19. Oh, Jehoshaphat. I like Jehoshaphat. Oh yeah, no, this is a good one. This is a good one. I'm like, man, I'm such an old testament nerd. Thanks for thanks for being with me here. Uh, I think we're in for a great another dive into what the Bible is saying here. Uh, let's hear it, let's love it, let's live it. It's hard to live the Old Testament stories, I think, sometimes, because it's like, well, we feel so far removed from it. But uh man, we he we see God's heart because God is the same as he was thousands of years ago when these things happened. He's the same today. He has the same heart, and we get to see this heart played out in a number of different situations. And I think that really allows us to see God's heart in our lives as we go through a number of different situations. Our lives feel like ups and downs, and the good things happen and bad things happen, and all sorts of like, and we just live what, a few decades? And yet we see these same up and downs over the course of thousands of years in the Old Testament. We can see how God interacts with his people, the kinds of promises he makes. Sometimes we have to admit they're conditional promises that rely on us to do what's right and to be loyal to him. And we see the the benefits and the blessings that comes with that, and we see the consequences if we don't. And uh Second Chronicles here is uh a wonderful example of this played out through the lives of the kings of the southern kingdom of Judah, which is the southern kingdom of Israel, but it's called Judah. And uh right here we jump into the story where uh now after King Asa, who was a a good king, he did a lot of good things, he lost his way, he lost his faith and his reliance on God. But he has a son, Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat now takes the scepter and has to choose for himself, is he going to follow the Lord through the rest of his reign, the rest of his life, or not? Well, let's see it pan out here in 2 Chronicles 17 through 19 in the New English Translation. His son, Jehoshaphat, replaced him as king and solidified his rule over Israel. He placed troops in all Judah's fortified cities and posted garrisons throughout the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim that his father Asa had seized. The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he followed in his ancestor David's footsteps at the beginning of his reign. He did not seek the Baals, but instead he sought the God of his ancestors and obeyed his commands, unlike the Israelites. The Lord made his kingdom secure. All Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he became very wealthy and greatly respected. He was committed to following the Lord. He even removed the high places and Asherah Poles from Judah. In the third year of his reign he sent his officials Ben Hal, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah to teach in the cities of Judah. They were accompanied by the Levites Shemiah, Nathaniah, Zebediah, Asahel, Shemeramath, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobajah, and Tob Adonijah, and by the priests Elishamah and Jehoram. They taught throughout Judah, taking with them the scroll of the law of the Lord. Oh, it's like the Outloud Bible Project Live. They traveled to all the cities of Judah and taught the people. The Lord put fear into all the kingdoms surrounding Judah. They did not make war with Jehoshaphat. Some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat tribute, including a load of silver. The Arabs brought him 7,700 rams and 7,700 goats from their flocks. You know you're a good king when the Philistines and the Arabs are bringing you tribute. Jehoshaphat's power kept increasing. He built fortresses and storage cities throughout Judah. He had many supplies stored in the cities of Judah and an army of skilled warriors stationed in Jerusalem. These were their divisions by families. There were 1,000 officers from Judah. Adna, the commander, led 300,000 skilled warriors, Jehokanon, the commander, led 280,000, and Amesiah, son of Zikri, who volunteered to serve the Lord, led two hundred thousand skilled workers. From Benjamin, Eliada, a skilled warrior, led two hundred thousand men who were equipped with bows and shields, and Jehoshabad led a hundred and eighty thousand trained warriors. These were the ones who served the king, besides those whom the king placed in the fortified cities throughout Judah. Jehoshaphat was very wealthy and greatly respected. He made an alliance by marriage with Ahab, and after several years went down to visit Ahab in Samaria. Ahab slaughtered many sheep and cattle to honor Jehoshaphat and those who came with him. He persuaded him to join in an attack against Ramat Gilead. King Ahab of Israel said to King Jehoshaphat of Judah, Will you go with me to attack Ramoth Gilead? He replied, I'll support you, my army is at your disposal and will support you in battle. Then Jehoshaphat said further to the king of Israel, First, please seek an oracle from the Lord. So the king of Israel assembled four hundred prophets and asked them, Should we attack Ramoth Gilead or not? And they said, Attack. God will hand it over to the king. But Jehoshaphat asked, Is there not a prophet of the Lord still here that we may ask him? The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, Ah, there's still one man through whom we can seek the Lord's will, but I despise him because he doesn't prophesy prosperity for me, but always disaster. Mekiah, son of Imlah. Jehoshaphat said, The king should not say such things. The king of Israel summoned an officer and said, quickly bring Mekiah, son of Imlah. Now the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah were sitting on their respective thrones, dressed in their royal robes at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria. All the prophets were prophesying before them. Zedekiah, son of Kenana, made iron horns and said, This is what the Lord says. With these you will gore Syria until they're destroyed. All the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, Attack Ramoth Gilead, you'll succeed, the Lord will hand it over to the king. Now the messenger, who went to summon Micaiah, said to him, Look, the prophets are in complete agreement that the king will succeed. Your words must agree with theirs, you must predict success. But Makaiah said, certainly as the Lord lives, I will say what my God tells me to say. Makaiah came before the king, and the king asked him, Makaiah, should we attack Ramoth Gilead or not? He answered him Attack, you'll succeed, they'll be handed over to you, yea. The king said to him, How many times must I make you solemnly promise in the name of the Lord to only tell me the truth? Makai replied, I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains like sheep that have no shepherd, and the Lord said they have no master, they should go home in peace. The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Didn't I tell you he doesn't prophesy prosperity for me but disaster? Mekiah said, That being the case, listen to the Lord's message. I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and the heavenly assembly standing on his right and on his left. And the Lord said, Who will deceive King Ahab of Israel so that he will attack Ramoth Gilead and die there? One said this, another said that, and then a spirit stepped forward and stood before the Lord. He said, I'll deceive him. The Lord asked him, How? And he replied, I'll go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets. The Lord said, Deceive and overpower him. Go out and do as you've proposed. So now, look, the Lord has placed a lying spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours, but the Lord has decreed disaster for you. Zedekiah, son of Kanana, approached, hit Mekiah on the jaw, and said, Which way did the Lord's spirit go when he went from me to speak to you? Makiah replied, Look, you'll see in the day when you go into the inner room to hide. Then the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah and return him to Amon, the city official, and Joash the king's son, and say, This is what the king says, put this man in prison, give him only a little bread and water until I return safely. Makiah said, If you really do return safely, then the Lord has not spoken through me. Then he added, Take note, all you people. The King of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah attacked Ramoth Gilead. The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, I'll disguise myself and then enter the battle, but you are your royal attire. So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they entered the battle. Now the king of Syria had ordered his chariot commanders, do not fight common soldiers or high-ranking officers, fight only the king of Israel. And when the chariot commander saw Jehoshaphat, they said, Well, he must be the king of Israel. So they turned and attacked him. But Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him, and God lured them away from him. When the chariot commanders realized he was not the king of Israel, they turned away from him. Now, an archer shot an arrow at random, and guess what happened? It struck the king of Israel between the plates of his armor, and the king ordered his charioteer, turn around and take me from the battle line, I'm wounded. While the battle raged throughout the day, the king of Israel stood propped up in his chariot opposite the Syrians, and he died in the evening as the sun was setting. When King Jehoshaphat of Judah returned home safely to Jerusalem, the prophet Jehu, son of Hanani, confronted him. He said to King Jehoshaphat, Is it right to help the wicked and be an ally of those who oppose the Lord? Because you've done this the Lord is angry with you. Nevertheless you have done some good things, you removed the Ashra Poles from the land, and you were determined to follow God. Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem. He went out among the people of Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim, and encouraged them to follow the Lord God of their ancestors. He appointed judges throughout the land and in each of the fortified cities of Judah. He told the judges, Be careful what you do, for you're not judging for men, but for the Lord who will be with you when you make judicial decisions. Respect the Lord, make careful decisions, for the Lord our God disapproves of injustice, partiality, and bribery. In Jerusalem, Jehoshavat appointed some Levites, priests, and Israelite family leaders to judge on behalf of the Lord, and to settle disputes among the residents of Jerusalem. He commanded them, carry out your duties with respect for the Lord, with honesty and with pure motives. Whenever your countrymen who live in the cities bring a case before you, whether it involves a violent crime or other matters related to the law, commandments, rules, and regulations, warn them that they must not sin against the Lord. If you fail to do so, God will be angry with you and your colleagues. But if you obey, you'll be free of guilt. Take note, Amariah the chief priest, will oversee you in every matter pertaining to the Lord, and Zebediah son of Ishmael, the leader of the family of Judah, in every matter pertaining to the king. The Levites will serve as officials before you. Act courageously. May the Lord be with those who do well. Man, I love that chunk of scripture right there. I like Jehoshaphat, I love that story with him and Ahab, and Micaiah, the sarcastic prophet, just gets me every time. I think one important takeaway here is we need to learn from Jehoshaphat. Be careful who you align with, be careful who your friends are. Like, look, he had a good intention to try to unify with the king of Israel, right? Like he he had a vision of our kingdom shouldn't be divided. We should be one nation. And if I can establish a good relationship with the king, then that's good. And his heart may have been in the right place, but he was not wise when it came to his alliance with King Ahab and marrying into him. That has a whole whole bunch of implications that were not aligned with God's heart. Yes, unity and friendship is good unless you're yoking yourself up with someone who is not lined up with the Lord. That's what unequally yoked is talking about, where one person's trying to follow the Lord and the other person is not. And guess what happens? The person who is not is going to like 99% of the time gonna be the one that calls the shots of where to go. And sure enough, Jehoshaphat ended up going into a battle that the Lord had warned him not to go against. He sought the Lord and then kind of preferred his relationship over Ahab to the relationship he had with God. And that resulted in not as much punishment as Ahab experienced, but it did displease the Lord, and he was rebuked for it. So let's let the Bible be a mirror again. Let's hear it, let's love the story, but not just leave it there, let's live it and consider who are our friends that we spend time with? What relationships are we maintaining? What business partnerships are we finding to be prosperous and beneficial? Do they line up with the Lord? Or are we ignoring the word of God and the commands of God and the warnings of God in favor of maintaining these relationships? If we see anything that doesn't line up with the Lord, maybe we need to take some time, go to the Lord with it, and see what plan He would have to be able to get things back into alignment with the way He sees them. That's the thinking Out Loud thought for the day.