Lessons to Be Learned from Jehoshaphat
When reading about the different kings in the Bible, we may think that these sections only provide historical information. The Books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles all provide true historical accounts of the kings of Israel and, after the split, the kingdoms of Judah and Israel. However, these accounts also provide relevant lessons about faith and following the Lord. We can read and learn from the lives of those mentioned in the Bible. As Paul told the Roman Christians in his letter, “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope” (Romans 15:4). One example of a king we can learn from is Jehoshaphat, who is commonly known for his faith. When we look closer, though, the narrative accounts of his life present us with other lessons based on both his spiritual strengths and weaknesses.
Understanding Jehoshaphat
Jehoshaphat’s name means “Jehovah judged.” This is similar to Daniel’s name of “may God be my judge.” Both were very godly men. What may come as a surprise to readers is we run into Jehoshaphat’s name more than once in the Bible, and the instances don’t always refer to the king of Judah. Let’s explore some of these verses.
1 Chronicles 11:43: “Hanan son of Maakah, Joshaphat the Mithnite.” This chapter lists King David’s bodyguards, a variant form of the name Jehoshaphat within the mix.
1 Chronicles 15:24 “Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah and Eliezer the priests were to blow trumpets before the ark of God. Obed-Edom and Jehiah were also to be doorkeepers for the ark.” A number of priests move the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, including another Jehoshaphat. He blew a trumpet as they carried the ark of God toward the city.
Some other examples include a recorder for both king David and Solomon (2 Samuel 8:16) and a purveyor for Solomon (1 Kings 4:17). Unlike today, many mothers in Ancient Israel decided to name their children Jehoshaphat. But the one we want to focus on today reigns a little after the time of Solomon and David, long after the kingdom splits into two.
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Jehoshaphat, son of Asa, takes the throne about halfway through his life. He seeks after God’s own heart throughout his reign. Previous kings had sought the help of foreign gods such as Baal. Instead, Jehoshaphat removes places of worship to foreign gods such as Asherah poles, and he fortifies Israel’s defenses against their enemies. He builds many forts and attempts to help the kingdom prosper in a financial sense.
When Problems Arise, Turn to God and Trust Him
During Jehoshaphat’s rule, the Moabites, Ammonites, and men from Mount Seir declared war against him and the Kingdom of Judah (2 Chronicles 20:1). Previously, during their wilderness wandering, God told the Israelites not to attack these nations (Deuteronomy 2:9, 19). The Moabites and Ammonites came from the line of Lot, the nephew of Abraham, thus having close ancestry to the Israelites. However, in defiance, these nations intended to battle Jehoshaphat and take over the land (2 Chronicles 20:10-11).
When he heard the news that a large army was coming against him, the Bible says that “Jehoshaphat was afraid, and he resolved to seek the LORD. Then he proclaimed a fast for all Judah” (2 Chronicles 20:3, CSB). Although he was afraid, Jehoshaphat demonstrated strong faith in the face of fear. Instead of allowing the news to overwhelm him, he sought the guidance of the Lord. Scripture records the king’s prayer as he cried out to the Lord for help (2 Chronicles 20:6-12). Like other kings in the world, Jehoshaphat could have trusted in his strength or sought the help of other nations, but he knew that only God could rescue them. Acknowledging his inability to defeat the invading forces, he looked to the Lord to preserve the people and kingdom (2 Chronicles 20:12).
God did save them from the forces of the Moabites and Ammonites. When they went out to the battlefield, singing praises to God, they found the armies of the opposing forces defeated (2 Chronicles 20:21-24). Truly, the battle did not belong to them but to God (2 Chronicles 20:15).
From this account in Scripture, Christians can learn about the need to have faith in God during times of trouble. Too often, when we encounter problems and hardships, we turn to other solutions instead of first going to God in prayer. In contrast to the saying, “when all else fails, pray,” our first thought should be to turn to the Lord in prayer and trust in Him.
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When faced with overwhelming odds, King Jehoshaphat set a powerful example by seeking the Lord. "Jehoshaphat was afraid, and he resolved to seek the LORD" (2 Chronicles 20:3). This teaches us that in moments of fear and uncertainty, our first response should be to turn to God in prayer and seek His guidance. By doing so, we acknowledge His sovereignty and invite His intervention in our lives. Jehoshaphat called all of Judah to come together and seek the Lord. "So the people of Judah gathered to seek the LORD, and indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek Him" (2 Chronicles 20:4). This unity in seeking God reminds us of the power of community prayer and fellowship. When we come together in faith, we strengthen each other and create an environment where God’s presence is welcomed.
In his prayer, Jehoshaphat recalled God’s past deeds and promises. "Are You not our God, who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel?" (2 Chronicles 20:7). Remembering how God has been faithful in the past can bolster our faith in the present. It’s a reminder that the same God who delivered us before is still with us today. Jehoshaphat admitted their powerlessness against the vast army. "For we are powerless before this vast multitude coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You" (2 Chronicles 20:12). Recognizing our limitations and turning our eyes to God is a powerful act of humility and trust. It’s an acknowledgment that we need His strength and wisdom to overcome our challenges.
God spoke through Jahaziel, assuring the people of His deliverance. "Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s" (2 Chronicles 20:15). This highlights the importance of being attentive to God’s voice, whether through Scripture, prayer, or the counsel of others. His guidance can bring peace and direction in the midst of chaos. God instructed them to stand firm and see His salvation. "You need not fight this battle. Take up your positions, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf" (2 Chronicles 20:17). Standing firm in faith means trusting God’s promises and being steadfast, even when circumstances seem daunting. It’s about holding onto His word and believing in His deliverance.
Jehoshaphat appointed singers to praise the Lord as they went out before the army. "Give thanks to the LORD, for His loving devotion endures forever" (2 Chronicles 20:21). Worship is a powerful weapon in spiritual battles. It shifts our focus from the problem to the Problem Solver and invites God’s presence and power into our situation. As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against their enemies. "The LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir who had come against Judah, and they were defeated" (2 Chronicles 20:22). This demonstrates that when we trust and obey God, He fights on our behalf, often in ways we could never imagine. After the victory, the people of Judah collected an abundance of plunder. "There was so much plunder that it took three days to collect it" (2 Chronicles 20:25). God’s blessings often follow our faithfulness. When we trust Him and follow His lead, He provides abundantly, sometimes in unexpected ways. The chapter concludes with peace in the land. "And the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side" (2 Chronicles 20:30). True peace comes from God, and it is a gift that follows our reliance on Him.
As Christians, we go through seasons. Sometimes we are in a season of peace, and our lives can roll with very little friction. Other times the battle gets hot, and the hits start coming one after another. Whether it’s conflict on the job, issues with health, problems at home, concern about the news, or just our own thoughts that seek to torment us, the enemy would have us feeling helpless and frustrated. But we were never meant to face this life alone. God is with us, and He is waiting for us to call upon Him for help. But how do we do that? How do we pray prayers that God will hear and be moved to answer?
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Jehoshaphat was the king of Judah from 873-849 BC. He was one of the few Israelite rulers who “did what was right in the sight of the Lord.” He was a good king in a bad situation when he got the news that the Moabites, Ammonites, and others gathered their armies against his people. See, God had told the Israelites not to invade those very nations at one point (Deuteronomy 2:19). But here they were working together to attack God’s people instead. Jehoshaphat was outnumbered and outmatched in the natural. He was afraid, but he didn’t panic. He didn’t try to send women and children to safety or get their weapons ready for one last stand. He began his prayer with praise for the God who was much greater than any problem or enemy they could face. He reminded Him of all the times when God had fought on behalf of His people. And he stood firmly on the fact that God was their God, that He was with them and would hear them and save them. He also reminded God that He had kept the Israelites from invading the exact people who were about to destroy them in the very land God had given them to possess. Finally, he admitted to God that he was powerless to fight this army. Instead, Judah was counting on God to protect them.
God soon sent word through Jahaziel the prophet that the people of Judah did not need to be afraid. He would fight for them. All they had to do was to meet the invading armies and watch what God would do. Jehoshaphat believed God. He sent his people into battle, not with swords and chariots, but with their voices lifted high in praise to God. The people of Judah watched in awe as the invading armies fought against themselves to the death. But the spoil belonged to the to the people of Judah. For three days, they collected more precious jewels and valuables than they were able to carry away.
The first thing we notice from Jehoshaphat is that when he realized that he was in over his head, he called upon the Lord. But he didn’t do it alone. Matthew 18:20 says, “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” God gives us our brothers and sisters for a reason. Yes, we are there for support and encouragement, but we are also told to pray together. We must be willing to lay down our pride and self-sufficiency and say, “I need God to help me.
Next, if we look at the words of Jehoshaphat’s prayer, we see a definite focus: God. He didn’t tell God how scared he was, how unprepared and undermanned his armies were, or how great the enemies were that gathered against him. No. Jehoshaphat glorified God. He praised Him for who He is and what He has done. He reminded Him that they had a relationship, that they were His people, and He was their God. Instead of coming to God with the greatness of our enemy, we should face our enemy with the greatness of our God. When Jesus showed us how to pray in Matthew 6:9-13 (The Lord’s Prayer), He modeled for us a prayer that begins with praise. In fact, God inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3). We can stand on the promises that God has made to us in His Word by praying His own Words back to Him. We can remind Him that we belong to Him and count on Him to take care of us.
Finally, we see that when Jehoshaphat received the answer that God would fight for them, he didn’t waste time asking questions about “how” or “when.” He simply believed God. But he didn’t just believe with his mind. He believed with his actions. He sent the singers to the front of the battle and praised God for what He was about to do. When we pray to God for help, many times He will answer us with specific instructions about what we should do. He does that by having the Holy Spirit bring Bible verses to our attention, giving us a knowing in our spirit, or speaking through other people and events. King Jehoshaphat of Judah was facing forces that were much stronger than he could fight alone. A lot of us have faced or are facing that kind of battle today. And when those battles come, we can choose to panic, run, or fight in or own strength. Or we can choose to pray and to get others to pray with us. Praise God and admit that we need Him and can’t do it without Him. And believe Him and act on the guidance He gives us through the Holy Spirit. We must remember the lessons from Jehoshaphat.
Life often presents us with challenges that leave us feeling overwhelmed and uncertain. In those moments when we don’t know what to do, seeking guidance from ancient wisdom can provide profound insights. In 2 Chronicles 20:1-22, we find a timeless story of King Jehoshaphat facing a formidable enemy alliance. Jehoshaphat’s immediate response was to seek the Lord. Faced with the threat of battle, he proclaimed a fast, bringing the people of Judah together to seek help from God. In his prayer, Jehoshaphat acknowledged God’s supreme authority. He recognized that God is not only in heaven but also rules over all kingdoms of the nations. Jehoshaphat reflected on God’s faithfulness in the past. Recounting the ways in which God had delivered His people from crises served as a source of strength and reassurance. Admitting powerlessness, Jehoshaphat declared, “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” This acknowledgment of vulnerability coupled with unwavering focus on God is a powerful lesson. The message delivered by the Spirit of the Lord emphasized a crucial truth - the battle was not theirs but God’s. The message concluded with a promise: “You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf.” Jehoshaphat and his people were encouraged to trust in God’s provision and deliverance. The story of Jehoshaphat’s response to crisis in 2 Chronicles 20 teaches us invaluable lessons about navigating uncertainty. Seeking the Lord, proclaiming His sovereignty, remembering His faithfulness, keeping our focus on Him, acknowledging that the battle is the Lord’s, and ultimately trusting in God’s deliverance - these principles offer a roadmap for finding strength and direction when we don’t know what to do.
Do Not Side with Those Who Oppose the Lord
Although Jehoshaphat was a man of faith who followed the Lord, he did have weaknesses and failures. Multiple times in his life, he aligned himself with the kings of Israel, who did not love or follow God. He made an alliance with the wicked king Ahab. As 2 Chronicles 18:1 says, “he allied himself with Ahab by marriage.” Furthermore, he willingly helped Ahab attack Ramoth Gilead (2 Chronicles 18:2-3). Jehoshaphat acted foolishly in working with a man who actively opposed God. As Jehu the seer told Jehoshaphat, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? Because of this, the wrath of the Lord is on you” (2 Chronicles 19:2).
Regardless of this rebuke, Jehoshaphat made the same mistake by allying himself with Ahab’s son, king Ahaziah (2 Chronicles 20:35-36). Like Ahab, Ahaziah was a wicked king and did not follow the Lord (2 Chronicles 20:35). Just as God did before, He rebuked Jehoshaphat through the words of a prophet (2 Chronicles 20:37). The Lord also wrecked the ships that Jehoshaphat and Ahaziah intended to send out (1 Kings 22:48; 2 Chronicles 20:37). In response to God’s message, Jehoshaphat refused to cooperate with Ahaziah any longer (1 Kings 22:49).
He was right to listen to the Lord’s rebuke, but he failed to learn that followers of God should not side with those who oppose and hate the Lord. The author of 1 Kings mentions Jehoshaphat’s peacemaking with the king of Israel as a failure (1 Kings 22:44). As the Apostle Paul later explained in the New Testament Book of 2 Corinthians: “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14).
While we need to build friendships with unbelievers, tell them the good news of Jesus, and pray for their salvation, we should not assist them in wrongdoing or approve of their sin. Furthermore, we need to guard ourselves against relationships that damage our spiritual walk. Just as a follower of the true God should not support or side with a worshiper of Baal, we do not need to align ourselves with those who oppose Christ.
Jehoshaphat may have needed a lesson on how to make smart political alliances. After all, the dangerous one he made almost got him killed. But we also know that only some good kings came from the Kingdom of Judah, Jehoshaphat being one of them.
Diligently Follow God to the End
When Jehoshaphat first became king, he followed in the footsteps of David and sought the Lord. He removed the detestable Asherah poles and high places of worship from the land of Judah (2 Chronicles 17:6b). Furthermore, 1 Kings tells us that he removed the male cult prostitutes from the land (1 Kings 22:46). These things were used as part of idol worship and had no place among the Israelites. To help instruct the people, Jehoshaphat sent his officials, along with Levites, into the towns to teach the people the book of the Law (2 Chronicles 17:7-9). In following God, he wanted others to know the commands and serve the Lord wholeheartedly. This was a natural extension of his love for God since he delighted in the ways of the Lord (2 Chronicles 17:6a).
While Jehoshaphat started strong in faith and zeal for the honor of God, he did not remain diligent about His walk with the Lord. By the end of his reign, the high places of worship had returned, and he had not tried to remove them again (1 Kings 22:43). The author of 2 Chronicles details this as well when he wrote that Jehoshaphat “failed to remove all the pagan shrines, and the people never fully committed themselves to follow the God of their ancestors” (2 Chronicles 20:33, NLT).
Jehoshaphat was not the only king who struggled with ending well. For example, Solomon, with all his God-given wisdom, fell into idolatry when he was misled by his many wives. He made a mistake by following the worldly practice of polygamy and having unbelieving women as his wives and concubines (1 Kings 11:1-3). He should have followed God’s command about marriage, which involves only one man and one woman as husband and wife (Genesis 2:24; Mark 10:7-8). Led astray by these women, Solomon followed false gods at the end of his life (1 Kings 11:4-6). Although Solomon started strong in worshiping God and building a temple for the Lord, he ended the “race” of life poorly.
The risk of ending poorly is not limited to people in high positions like Jehoshaphat or Solomon. If we are not diligent and careful about following God, we also can end life poorly. The Apostle Paul worried about this as well, anxious that he might lose a reward at the Judgment Seat of Christ (1 Corinthians 9:27). To finish the race of life well, Paul talked about the need for discipline (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).
Christians today also need to persevere in following the Lord. We need to throw off any sin that hinders us and diligently watch for any practices, habits, or attitudes in our lives that are harmful to our relationship with Christ (Hebrews 12:1-3). Instead of being negligent in our walk with the Lord, as Jehoshaphat did, we need to nourish our spiritual life and closely follow God.
The Valley of Jehoshaphat
When we hear the name of Jehoshaphat some of us may be thinking of the Valley of Jehoshaphat mentioned in Joel 3:2 and Joel 3:12. We’ll quote each of the verses below.
Joel 3:2: “I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will put them on trial for what they did to my inheritance, my people Israel, because they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land.”
Joel 3:12 “Let the nations be roused; let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit to judge all the nations on every side.”
It appears to be a judgment ground for any nation who came up against God’s people, in a plot of land situated between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives or Kidron Valley. Theologians have squabbled over this issue for centuries, and since the passage in Joel is prophetic in nature, we can’t definitely say we know what it means. But the Valley of Jehoshaphat does seem to be a judgment stomping ground for the enemies of God’s people. This makes sense given Jehoshaphat’s very name has judgment in the definition.
How Did Jehoshaphat Die?
King Jehoshaphat led a mostly prosperous life. He improved the military and financial prowess of the southern kingdom. More importantly, he undid the pagan rituals and monuments other kings who came before him had practiced and worshipped. He did have the best of intentions, only skewing wayward when it came to friendships. But how did he die, if God protected him in the war in which Ahab drew him into?
The Bible doesn’t really say, but we can assume he died of old age. “Wait a minute! He died at 60? That’s old?” Indeed, in ancient times, life expectancies didn’t really exceed much beyond the age of 50. We can assume, from the lack of gory details, that he ended his life in peace and passed away from natural causes.
This is significant if we compare this with how many other Israelite kings passed away. Many died in battle, or as is the case with King Asa, due to a painful foot disease. Considering Jehoshaphat lived for a long time, according to the standards of his day, this meant that God really wanted him to rule for a long period of time. Because this king had God's interests at heart, for the most part, his reign was prosperous.
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