Jehoshaphat: The road of compromise

And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the LORD. 2 Chronicles 19:2

"Jehoshaphat was a godly king of Judah who faithfully served the

Lord, but he made the tragic mistake of forming an alliance with ungodly king Ahab of Israel in fighting against their common enemy Syria.

After all, he reasoned, they were “brothers,” both descended from Abraham, so they could join together in battling the Syrians.

As a result, although God continued to bless Jehoshaphat during his lifetime, this compromise eventually resulted in great tragedy in his family when his son and successor, Jehoram, married Ahab’s wicked daughter Athaliah and then slew all his own brothers, and soon he himself died of a loathsome disease.

The road of compromise eventually ends in a precipice, 

especially in matters regarding the integrity of God’s Word 

and His saving gospel.

The timeless principle for Christians today is given in 2 Corinthians 6:14-15: “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?...or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?” 

ICR

Close Look at Ahab & Jehoshaphat 's Reaction to Mass Prophecy

"The king of Israel (Ahab) is preparing for war against Aram, to repatriate captured Israelite territory. He invites King Jehoshaphat of Judah to join the campaign, who agrees, but adds a stipulation:

And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day.

1 Kings 22:5

 

Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

1 Kings 22:6 

Q: Which “king” is it? 

---Its ambiguity allows for the possibility that “king” here refers to
the Aramean king, and therefore portends Ahab’s defeat rather than Aram’s.

---Ahab does not notice that the answer isn’t definitive, deafened to the prophecy’s nuance by his self-absorption.

 

Jehoshaphat is unimpressed with this mass prophecy, and pushes for further clarification:

And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might enquire of him?

1 Kings 22:7 

---Jehoshaphat specifically requests “a prophet” in the singular, which may point to a level of suspicion against the mass prophecy."

JamesDiamond