I Want to Be Jehoshaphat

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There's a little-known king in Judah of David's line that gets far too little recognition for his contribution to the nation's well-being. His name is Jehosaphat, the son of Asa.

2 Chronicles 17:3–6 (ESV) The LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the earlier ways of his father David. He did not seek the Baals, 4 but sought the God of his father and walked in his commandments, and not according to the practices of Israel. 5 Therefore the LORD established the kingdom in his hand. And all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he had great riches and honor. 6 His heart was courageous in the ways of the LORD. And furthermore, he took the high places and the Asherim out of Judah.

Look at the description of Jehoshaphat's rule. He made it a point to walk in the ways of David. He rejected all other gods and worshipped Yahweh alone. He didn't take the bait of false worship according to the Northern kingdom. And the Lord made him strong. He was increased in riches and honor. His heart was strong in God. He took idolatry out of Judah. This man was powerful for the Lord. 

And I love this line:

Verse 6: "His heart was courageous in the ways of the LORD"

We speak of courage in matters of war and battle. We speak of courage in matters of industry and business. We speak of courage in daredevil behavior. But actions of Jehoshaphat did scripture describe as courageous? Look at the next paragraph:

2 Chronicles 17:7–9 (ESV) In the third year of his reign he sent his officials, Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah; 8 and with them the Levites, Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tobadonijah; and with these Levites, the priests Elishama and Jehoram. 9 And they taught in Judah, having the Book of the Law of the LORD with them. They went about through all the cities of Judah and taught among the people.

Do you see what he did? He made sure the scriptures were taught to the nation! That takes courage.

Consider how Asa's reign ended. The nation was surely on the downward trend of immorality. Israel to the north was abandoning the Lord heavily and seeking the Baals already. These were their countrymen and brothers. On top of this, some Northern tribe people had fled to Judah in the south. They surely would have brought some pagan practices and ideals along with them. Perhaps also, Jehoshaphat saw the cultural decay in his country and knew this had to be done. The best part is - he DID IT! He was not afraid of standing for and delivering God's Word to a nation surrounded everyday with neighbors who worshipped everything and everyone but the Lord. 

I'm a preacher and I know this to be true: It takes courage to stand in front of Americans in a church on Sunday and say what God's Word says. It's getting more and more challenging every year as our country turns increasingly hostile to the definitions of man and woman, the definitions of sex and sexuality, the embrace of drugs, and licentious behavior. It takes courage to stand for truth in an age of lies. 

I don't blame the world for becoming more worldly. They are the world. I think the blame lies squarely on the preacher in the pulpit who wants to be liked and so tells the people what they want to hear and not what they NEED to hear. I think the problem of our society is because we do not have enough Jehoshaphats who are courageous enough to challenge the errors in people's ears with the truth of God's Word. 

I want to be Jehoshaphat. I want to stand for truth in an age of lies. I want that kind of courage. Don't you?