Jehoshaphat(Yahweh has judged), a good king of Judah whose influence was remembered after he died.
He was a son of Jehoshaphat, WHO SOUGHT THE LORD WITH ALL HIS HEART. 2 Chron 22:9
When Jehoshaphat began his reign the Word says he ‘walked in the ways of David. He did not consult the Baals but SOUGHT THE GOD OF HIS FATHER DAVID’. 2 Chr 17:4
He did receive a rebuke from Jehu the seer, 2 Chr 19:3 after he went with Ahab, king of Israel, to fight with him at Ramoth Gilead. ‘Should you help the wicked and love those who hate God’? God had a low opinion of Ahab and Israel. But even in this rebuke, God’s seer said, ‘… and YOU HAVE SET YOUR HEART ON SEEKING THE LORD’. Jehoshaphat made mistakes in his allies/friends and suffered loss through it!! God however acknowledged that he had SET HIS HEART TO SEEK HIM, something that marked his life and reign.
Jesus replied, “LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND”. Matthew 22:37
Out of his heart to seek the Lord, in the third year of his reign, Jehoshaphat sent teachers of the Law of God throughout Judah to teach the people. 2 Chr 17:9 ‘He went out again among the people… and turned them back to the Lord, the God of their fathers’. 2 Chr 19:4 When we put God first in our own lives there will always be an OVERFLOW!! We don’t live in a vacuum, our families, friends and those around us are touched and affected by our lives.
Jehoshaphat, true to his name, also set up judges in Jerusalem and the cities outside. He told these judges to ‘judge in the fear of the Lord’ 2 Chr 19:6,7,9,10 and ‘warn the people not to sin’. HOW MUCH OF OUR OWN JUDGING WOULD CEASE, IF WE TOO WERE TO JUDGE IN THE FEAR OF THE LORD?
The story of Jehoshaphat’s life ends in 2 Chronicles 20:37 with the building of a fleet of trading ships with Ahaziah, king of Israel(an evil king). God told him through Eliezer the prophet, that because of his wrong alliance with the king of Israel(second time he’d done this with a king of Israel) that the ships would be destroyed and they were. He had a blind spot in relationship to Israel, his cousins, that caused loss in his life.
Interestingly the Bible talks about the Valley of Jehoshaphat (the Valley of Yahweh’s judgement) where God will gather the nations for judgement. It’s also known as the ‘Valley of Decision’ Joel 3:14-21
Set our hearts to SEEK THE LORD TODAY AND MAY THERE BE AN OVERFLOW TO THOSE AROUND US.
God bless and keep you today and every day.