In fact, many, including myself, would say
that in 1948, 1967 and 1973 Israel was actually in a situation where they were
weaker than their enemies. They were in
the situation Jehoshaphat faced. And
they may or may not have prayed Jehoshaphat’s prayer but God did come to their
aid as He did in the former days.
The prophets (esp. Ezekiel, 36-39) speak of a
time in the future when the King of the
North will invade Israel and move easily through the country from north to
south. Others adversaries will then come
to the land. And Israel will be in that
situation of being weaker than their enemies.
They will face the armies of the world.
At that time the saved nation,
the remnant, will finally pray this
prayer of Jehoshaphat. The result in
that future time will be what it was before: the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries when they
heard that the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel. Then the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet for
his God gave him rest all around (20:29-30).
But the days of Jehoshaphat were not exactly
as it will be in the days of the Messiah.
Jehoshaphat did not remove the high places. He did not completely eradicate the
opportunity for idolatry. While the King
turned to the LORD the people did not.
Go back and read 2 Chron. 19:4. Jehoshaphat
did a lot to eliminate idolatry from Judah, as far south as Beersheba and up
into the mountains of Ephraim, to the edges and beyond of his kingdom. Several years ago we visited Tel Arad near
Beersheba. There was discovered a cultic center (worship area) that had
the same ration of dimensions as the temple in Jerusalem. The belief was that this had been in use up
until the time of Jehoshaphat, people worshiping there instead of going to
Jerusalem as the law required. Jehoshaphat,
they believed, destroyed this.
The days of Jehoshaphat were not the days of
the Messiah but they were good in many ways.
Jehoshaphat’s problem was his occasional cooperation with the wicked kings of the northern kingdom of Israel
(e.g. 20:37). The two kings had a plan
to get rich; but their ships were wrecked.
Ahaziah lost out because he was a wicked king; Jehoshaphat lost out
because he allied himself with a wicked king.
Moses prayed, Establish the work of our hands for us (Ps. 90:17). In other words, “You are the eternal LORD; we
are temporal; after we die continue the good things we have begun!” Jehoshaphat’s works were not established (i.e
the ships were destroyed) because he had a flaw: he helped the wicked and loved
those that hated the LORD. Let us
consider this remarkable King of Judah. Through
him let us learn Christ. In that way let
us establish a valuable work to be seen by those who follow us.
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