Who was Jehoshaphat in the Bible?
Have you ever wonder if children are more likely to learn from their parents mistakes or to simply repeat them? In the Bible we find that the effects of parental examples are powerful and long lasting. For much of his life, Jehoshaphat seems to have been a son who learned from his father Jehoshaphat’s mistakes and followed his positive actions. But on several occasions, his decisions reveal the negative aspects of his father’s example.
When the challenges were obvious, Jehoshaphat turned to God for guidance and made the right choices. His dependence on God was consistent when the odds were clearly against him. It was in depending on God for day-to-day plans and actions that Jehoshaphat was weak. He allowed his son to Mary Athaliah, the daughter of the wicked Ahab and Jezebel, who did her best to be as evil as her parents. Jehoshaphat was almost killed when, without asking God, he made an alliance with Ahab. Later, he got involved in an unwise shipbuilding venture with Ahab’s son, Ahaziah, which was shipwrecked by God.
God’s faithfulness when the issues are clear and the enemy is overwhelming should be more than enough reason to seek God’s guidance when the issues are unclear and the enemy unseen. Jehoshaphat knew this, yet he made little use of that knowledge.
We repeat Jehoshaphat’s error when we place God in the background in the “easy” decisions in life. Then, when things get out of hand, we want Him to get us out of the mess we have got ourselves into. God wants us to give Him not only the major decisions, but also our daily life decisions. The things we are most often fooled into believing we can control.
Have you paused long enough to give your day to God? Do you know God? Do you know Jesus?
Are you certain that you are going to heaven? If the answer is no or your not really sure and there is something stirring inside you at this very moment to do this, then all you have to do is say a small prayer and you can be assured of your name being added to the Book of Life. Go to the prayer of salvation and pray the words out loud and believe in your heart and you will be saved.
Jehoshaphat’s story is told in 1 Kings 15:24 – 22:50 and 2 Chronicles 17:1 – 21:1. He is also mentioned in 2 Kings 3:1 – 14 and Joel 3:2, 12
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