HIS WAYS ARE SUBTLE, AND HIS DISGUISE IS REAL…..

Who remembers the story about Jehoshaphat and Ahab? Can a person living for God truly become friends with a man living for the world, and their be no deceit?

The story of Jehoshaphat is about a godly, good king who got connected to the wrong person, a king that was not for God at all King Ahab. Jehoshaphat made an alliance with Ahab of Israel and Jehoshaphat’s daughter and Ahab’s son became married. (2 Chron. 18:1-3)

King Ahab was one of Israel’s most powerful rulers He was King of the Northern Ten Tribes of Israel. People considered him the WORST ruler that ancient Israel ever had.

He was the husband of Jezebel; his wife Jezebel was so evil that she had come to symbolize revengeful, malicious, immoral and cruel women throughout history. Ahab didn’t become King until after he married Jezebel. Jezebel was known as a pagan princess. What Ahab wanted, he got, especially with the help of his evil wife Jezebel.

 One day he offered his neighbor, Naboth, two choices, either a better vineyard somewhere else or money for the land he owned. Naboth refused, he wanted neither. When Ahab could not buy Naboth’s land from him he went home mad because Naboth refused his offer. When Jezebel found out what happened she “arranged” for her husband to own the land by having the land owner killed (1Kings 21:7 – 10, 15).

So, back to the story of Jehoshaphat.

 Ahab enticed Jehoshaphat to join forces with him to recover Ramoth-gilead.In 2 Chron. 18:3 King  Ahab of Israel asked King  Jehoshaphat of Judah –

 “Will you go with me to Ramoth-gilead?” 

 Ramoth-Gilead was one of the cities of refuge ordained by God. It had fallen into the hands of the king of Syria, So Jehoshaphat pledged his allegiance to Ahab. It almost got him killed!

 The next thing we hear is Jehoshaphat promising the godless Ahab, “I am as you are, and my people as your people, and we will be with you in the battle” (18:3)

That’s how Satan operates. He’s not usually honest and upfront, he’s tricky. He finds tricky manipulative ways to lure you into his den.

Why did Jehoshaphat get entangled with Ahab? Did he think being friends with this pagan would help him reunite the Southern and Northern kingdoms?

Jehoshaphat was one of the godliest kings ever to reign in Judah, and Ahab was one of the wickedest Kings on the throne of Israel. Why did they get together?

I’m sure Jehoshaphat was thinking of good the whole while Ahab was thinking evil.

That’s how Satan ensnares believers. He’s not up-front about the disastrous consequences of compromise with the world. He makes it look good. He makes it seem wholesome and even right, but in the end there is nothing but death.

 Satan doesn’t approach you, and ask, “Would you like to marry this abusive pagan who will abuse you and your children and make your life a living hell?”

 Instead he presents you with a nice man who treats you right and tells you what you want to hear. He’s just what you’ve always wanted–well, that’s what you tell yourself anyway: Oh, Yeah He’s also not a Born again Christian, But he attends church with you, and he’s promised to get saved after you two are married??? 

Come on Satan doesn’t walk up to you with pitchfork in hand, and ask with a Joker’s grin, “How would you like to become a drunk or a dope addict? And become a thief and a liar to support your habit, by the way it’ll ruin your health and you won’t be able to hold down a job, and we can’t forget that because of these addictions you’ll ruin your relationships with your family and friends. You wanna sign up?”

Instead he says, “Hey,come on you’re your own person and it’s okay to relax and feel good. You’ve been under a lot of stress lately. All of your friends are doing it. One time won’t hurt. Don’t be a party pooper. Smoke a joint, pop a pill, and take that drink! Have unprotected sex” This is how he ensnares you.

He doesn’t come up and say, “How would you like to get HIV / AIDS or have a baby out-of-wedlock, or maybe kill one through abortion?” Or, “How would you like to destroy two families by committing adultery?” Rather, he says, “Sex is exciting! it’ll make you feel good, come on you know You’re in love! How can it be wrong if it feels so right?”

That’s how even godly people get lured into compromising positions with the world–through subtlety. That’s how he works.

Notice how Jehoshaphat got sucked in deeper and deeper. First he gave his son in marriage, probably for a good cause (to reunite the two kingdoms). Next he gave Ahab his word about going into battle. But at that point his conscience was tugging at him, so he asked for a prophet so they could inquire of the Lord. But even after the godly Micaiah prophesied against Ahab’s mission, Jehoshaphat felt locked in–he had given his word. And even as the prophet spoke to them what the Lord was speaking Jehoshaphat stood by while the Godly prophet was hauled off to jail. Jehoshaphat couldn’t back out because he had already given his word.

Next he stupidly agreed to Ahab’s scheme where Jehoshaphat would wear his kingly robes into battle, while Ahab went in disguised. Christians are generally trusting people who are supposed to use their discernment at all times. When Christians start running with the world, they will always get outsmarted real quick! If discernment is not in operation.

And so Jehoshaphat went into battle with the godless Ahab against the word of God’s prophet. Without God’s grace saving Jehoshaphat he would have been killed! during that battle.

People get lured by the subtlety of the world and then get locked in by forming wrong relationships that get one entangled even deeper. Jehoshaphat’s experience reveals several areas where we as believers must be on guard against forming wrong relationships: no matter how right we think they are or could end up to be.

Speaking on forming wrong relationships you must be very careful because a lot of times people are out for our demise and not our best interest..

 If Jehoshaphat had not been there enjoying Ahab’s hospitality, he wouldn’t have been so ready to join Ahab on his military mission that almost got him killed.

 It is not wrong and in fact, it’s right to form social relationships with unbelievers for the purpose of leading them to Christ.  Jesus was a friend of sinners – Matt. 11:19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds. But you must be clear on your purpose, and you must not compromise your standards as a follower of Jesus Christ. “Do not be deceived,” Paul warns. “Bad company corrupts good morals” (1 Cor. 15:33).

Jehoshaphat finds himself lined up with 400 false prophets against the lone prophet of God. How do you think Jehoshaphat felt as he watched this Godly prophet boldly speak for God, get hit in the face and get thrown into jail as he marches off to battle on Ahab’s side?

I have seen that compromise with this world is a great danger even for the most Godly of believers. Satan is subtle; and He ensnares us through wrong relationships.

Compromising with the world brings disastrous results.

It may not happen overnight, but sin always has its consequences. Sometimes the consequences affect future generations more than your own. It’s your children and their children’s children that will be affected by your wrong choices.

 Just remember if you sow compromise with this world, you won’t reap God’s blessings. Jehoshaphat himself, apart from God’s grace, would have lost his life in battle. He later did lose financially in his ungodly business alliance with Ahab’s son.

Jehoshaphat’s sin affected God’s people When Jehoshaphat went into war alongside Ahab, the army of Judah went with him, and no doubt some lost their lives. We never sin alone. Our sin always affects others in the body of Christ, especially the sins of a leader.

 Jehoshaphat’s sin helped the enemies of God in their wickedness (19:2). What if Ahab had won? Would he have fallen on his face before God? (Not!) He would have thanked his godless prophets and continued in his evil ways. We are never supposed to help sinners by compromising our standards to help them accomplish their purposes. That is not God’s Will.

The Moral of this story is the devastating effect that Jehoshaphat’s compromising with the world had on his children, his grandchildren, and his great-grandchildren, as well as on the whole southern kingdom. In chapters 21 and 22 you can read that after Jehoshaphat’s death, his son Jehoram (married to Athaliah) slaughtered all his brothers and then turned the nation to idolatry (see 21:6). God struck him with a terrible disease of the bowels and he died after eight years in office. His son Ahaziah became king and lasted one year before he was murdered (see 22:3-4). Ahaziah’s wicked mother Athaliah then killed all his sons (her own grandsons!), except for Joash who was rescued and hidden from her. And then the wicked Athaliah ruled the land for six years. All this was the result of Jehoshaphat’s compromise with the wicked Ahab!

Please take some time and read the 2 Chronicles Chapter.18, 19, 20 that is a story that will make you think twice about your choices against God.

So, let’s remember to consider those we surround ourselves around and why. Satan is always thinking of ways to take more and more people to Hell with him.  If it is not of God or for God it is for and of Satan.

 

Be Blessed………….