We open our reading today with an overview of Jehoshaphat’s reign ‘doing what was right in the sight of the Lord’. Jehoshaphat walked in the legendary ways of this godly father Asa (1 Kings 22:43). He dealt with sin in the land that remained over from the days of Asa. He walked a straight path before God, but like every child of God, he was not perfect. When considering the life of Jehoshaphat, he strikes me as a man who was considerate of others. But he seemed to make alliances that were detrimental to himself and the Kingdom of Judah. Verse 35 reads ‘Jehoshaphat king of Judah allied himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who acted very wickedly.’ Business partnerships with Ahaziah were not wise decisions. We get the sense in the wreckage of the ships of God having a direct hand in preventing disaster falling upon this righteous king. This reminds us that in our daily lives we make decisions that may not be wise or good, and God may intervene very directly or use other means to prevent us from being hurt.
Certainly, the most destructive alliance Jehoshaphat allowed was the marriage of his first-born son, Jehoram, with Athaliah. Athaliah was the daughter of wicked king Ahab and Jezebel. At the time of Jehoshaphat’s death, Jehoram is given the kingdom of Judah to reign in his father’s place. I have no doubt that because of the influence of his wife, Athaliah that suddenly our reading sounds like a mix of Macbeth and Game of Thrones. Jehoram had his 6 brothers and other princes of Israel murdered to strengthen his position (21:4). Yet, Jehoram only reigned 8 years. He turned Edom against Judah’s authority (21:8). ‘Moreover, he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit harlotry, and lead Judah astray’ (21:11). After a stern letter of rebuke from Elijah the prophet, the Lord struck Jehoram with an incurable disease of the intestines. He died in severe pain, and to no one’s sorrow.
Proverbs 13:20 advises that ‘He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.’ This is often something that takes time to learn. When we are young, we can feel we want to be friends with everyone. I know it was like that for me in University, and almost to my detriment on many occasions. But if we ask, the Lord can teach us how to recognise the individuals He brings into our lives, versus the people the enemy sends to sow destruction.
***
Lord Jesus, please give wisdom to know who to let in as my ‘inner circle people’. And please give courage to let go toxic relationships. Amen.