2 Chronicles 17 & 18: I Hate Him
Verse of the Day: (18:7) And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he never prophesied good unto me, but always evil: the same is Micaiah the son of Imla. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.
1. Heart (17:1-19)
And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the LORD: moreover he took away the high places and groves out of Judah. (17:6)
Jehoshaphat of Judah succeeded his father, Asa, and he was a godly king. Jehoshaphat humbled and purified his heart before God, and taught His Word to all his people, and God blessed and prospered them, so that no nation would dare to make war with them as God’s fear was throughout all the kingdoms. Indeed, let us humble and purify our hearts before God, and draw near to Him, and He shall bless and draw near to us. (James 4:6-10)
2. Hate (18:1-30)
Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined affinity with Ahab. (18:1)
The one fatal mistake that godly Jehoshaphat made was to associate himself with ungodly Ahab of Israel. It was the start of Jehoshaphat’s fall from God’s grace. Ahab was bent to do evil, and he hated God’s prophets and their prophecy. However, he reluctantly commanded Micaiah, God’s prophet, to come and prophesied to them when Jehoshaphat insisted upon consulting God. However, Ahab and Jehoshaphat still proceeded to battle against Syria at Ramothgilead even when Micaiah prophesied that they would surely be defeated. One of Ahab’s man then struck Micaiah’s cheek before Ahab threw him into prison just because he was God’s prophet speaking God’s truth. Indeed, let us be sober and vigilant as the world and the devil hate us because we are God’s people, and let us trust our faithful God who shall see us through all our life crises. (1 Corinthians 10:12-13)
3. Help (18:31-34)
And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they compassed about him to fight: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him; and God moved them to depart from him. (18:31)
During the battle, God allowed a soldier to randomly shoot an arrow at Ahab, and he subsequently died from his injury. Though Ahab disguised himself so that the Syrians would not recognise him, yet he was killed. Though Jehoshaphat wore his royal robe, yet he escaped death, because he called upon God. Our lives are in God’s hands, and let us call upon Him, and He shall deliver us, as He is our God and Helper. (Hebrews 13:5-6)
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, thank You that the world hates and rejects me, because I love You.
