2 Chronicles 17 – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Chronicles+17&version=ESV

In chapter 22 of 1 Kings which we spoke of yesterday, we were introduced to one King Jehoshaphat of Judah who, besides for having a funny name, was king of Judah during most of the reign of Ahab. And what a difference between the two! It’s no wonder that God scolded Jehoshaphat for making an alliance with Ahab in battle. The two were polar opposites.

While Ahab was bringing in more idolatry, more false gods, more false prophets, Jehoshaphat was tearing those things down and shipping them out. In Israel, the prophets of the Lord had to be hidden from Ahab’s wrath. In Israel, Micaiah was warned to the tell the king what he wanted to hear, not what God had declared. But in Judah, Jehoshaphat was sending officials out to teach the people the word of the Lord! What a blessing! What a contrast with Israel.

Jehoshaphat, by God’s grace, was focused on the right thing – learning, teaching, spreading the Word of God. The word which brings conviction for sin and peace in forgiveness. The word which gives us all we need for all we face. The Word which is sufficient for everything. May our focus be as Jehoshaphat’s, not piling up false gods like Ahab, not spending our time plotting how we can get more for ourselves and get other people to give us what we want but rather to learn, to teach, to spread the Word of our God.

In Christ
Pastor Ude