Welcome to Week 20 of Desiring the Kingdom and 2 Kings 3. This chapter covers another of Israel’s battles with a neighboring kingdom, last time it was Syria and this time it’s Moab. The cast of characters has changed a bit, too. Ahab and Ahaziah have both died and Ahab’s son Jehoram (Ahaziah’s younger brother) has taken over as king of Israel. Jehoshaphat is still the king of Judah and once again figures prominently here.
It plays out like the sequel to a horror movie, where the hero from the first film returns for the second and starts walking cluelessly toward the ramshackle barn from which you hear the sound of a chainsaw angrily buzzing. You’re shouting at the screen “No! Not again! Don’t go there!” That’s what you’ll be doing this week as you read about Jehoshaphat. Let’s get started!
Index to Days 2 through 5
Day 1
The Sin of Permission
Observe
After Ahaziah died, his younger brother Jehoram would take over as king of Israel, and here we are told that he did evil God’s eyes, but in a different way from Jezebel and Ahab. Yes, Jehoram did put away the pillar of Baal, but he also clung to the sin of Israel’s first king, Jeroboam. (We learned from our study in 1 Kings 12 and 13, that sin was a populist attempt to combine the worship of Yahweh and Baal.)
{2 Kings 3:1–3 ESV}
{1} In the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned twelve years. {2} He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, though not like his father and mother, for he put away the pillar of Baal that his father had made. {3} Nevertheless, he clung to the sin of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin; he did not depart from it.
{Galatians 6:1 ESV}
{1} Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.
{1 Corinthians 5:11 ESV}
{11} But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler–not even to eat with such a one.
{Ephesians 5:11 ESV}
{11} Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.
{1 John 3:4 ESV}
{4} Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.
{1 Corinthians 15:33 ESV}
{33} Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”
It may be true that Jehoram did not encourage the worship of Baal to the exclusion of Yahweh, as his father Ahab and mother Jezebel had done, and while it is possible that he did not worship Baal himself Jehoram also did nothing to discourage the worship of Baal. God does not want us to worship him in part, alongside anything else. God wants our full devotion. The New Testament is packed with verses warning us about guarding ourselves against those who would lead us to worshiping the gods of this world (pleasure, wealth, fame, political power, etc.).
- Why do you think it is easier for our enemy to add the worship of false gods to our worship of God rather than turning us away from him altogether?
- What habits and practices do you employ to guard yourself against this happening?
Heavenly Father, we are kings and queens of rationalization. We can easily justify the things our flesh desires, sometimes without even being conscious of doing so. Open our eyes to the things we worship alongside you that prevent us from giving you our whole hearts. Give us the power of your Spirit to cast them aside and fully give ourselves to you. We ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Day 2
Motives Matter
Observe
Moab was a vassal state to Israel, paying tribute in order to avoid conflict. When trouble sprang up between them, the king of Israel reached out again to the king of Judah, Jehoshaphat, who behaves as though he can’t recall having virtually the same experience with Jehoram’s father Ahab during the war with Syria.
{2 Kings 3:4-8 ESV}
{4} Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and he had to deliver to the king of Israel 100,000 lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams. {5} But when Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. {6} So King Jehoram marched out of Samaria at that time and mustered all Israel. {7} And he went and sent word to Jehoshaphat king of Judah: “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to battle against Moab?” And he said, “I will go. I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” {8} Then he said, “By which way shall we march?” Jehoram answered, “By the way of the wilderness of Edom.”
{Proverbs 16:2 ESV}
{2} All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the spirit.
{James 4:3 ESV}
{3} You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
{Philippians 1:17 ESV}
{17} The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.
{Proverbs 21:27 ESV}
{27} The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; how much more when he brings it with evil intent.
{1 Thessalonians 2:4 ESV}
{4} but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.
Jehoshaphat seems committed to bonding Judah and Israel. We can know that from both his words (“I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses”) and his actions (going to war alongside Israel twice now). We don’t know his motives, of course, and motives matter to God. That’s what Proverbs 16:2 means by “the LORD weighs the spirit”—God weighs our motives. No matter how intensely one might desire something, if that desire is born out of wrong motives, it will not find God’s blessing.
- How do you go about uncovering your motives for a given desire or action?
- How has becoming aware of your motives changed something in your experience?
Dear Lord, you are the only one who knows our truest and deepest motives. We are so good at deluding ourselves. Reveal those motives that do not please you and replace them with ones that do because we want to align our desires with yours. When we do this, we naturally ask for the things you already want to give us, which will best accomplish your purpose in us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Day 3
Lost Without Him
Observe
The path to Moab that was chosen by the armies of Israel, Judah, and Edom took them on a circuitous route through some rough terrain. After a week of marching they found themselves in a valley where they expected to find a brook, but it was dried up. Jehoram and Jehoshaphat react to the situation quite differently.
{2 Kings 3:9-12 ESV}
{9} So the king of Israel went with the king of Judah and the king of Edom. And when they had made a circuitous march of seven days, there was no water for the army or for the animals that followed them. {10} Then the king of Israel said, “Alas! The LORD has called these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab.” {11} And Jehoshaphat said, “Is there no prophet of the LORD here, through whom we may inquire of the LORD?” Then one of the king of Israel’s servants answered, “Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who poured water on the hands of Elijah.” {12} And Jehoshaphat said, “The word of the LORD is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.
{James 4:13-17 ESV}
{13} Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”– {14} yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. {15} Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” {16} As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. {17} So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
The right time to seek the Lord’s wisdom and guidance on something is before you set out to do it. Jehoshaphat knew this, in fact that was a major point in our study of 1 Kings 22, how Jehoshaphat wanted to seek the word of the Lord before deciding to go with Ahab into battle. (Notice he didn’t seek the word of the Lord first, this time.) When they are on the brink of disaster, only then does Jehoshaphat suggest they consult a prophet of God—while Jehoram is busy declaring they’re all going to die. Of course, you should not only seek the Lord’s wisdom and guidance before setting out to do something, but when you receive it you should follow it! (Remember that while Jehoshaphat may have asked first before going out to battle last time, he did still go into battle alongside Ahab’s army despite the prophet Micaiah’s warning.)
- Why do we sometimes fail to seek the wisdom and guidance of the Lord before setting out to do something?
- Has God ever told you to reverse course on something you were planning to do? What happened?
God, the psalmist writes that your word is a lamp for his feet and a light for his path. That’s a powerful image, because the light from a lamp you might carry in those days would not reveal more than a few steps at a time. Keep us from discouragement that you won’t show us the road as far ahead as we’d like. Remind us that you guide our steps and make our paths straight, you don’t give us the destination and tell us you’ll meet us there. We ask these things in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Day 4
Quiet, Please
Observe
The three kings come to Elisha (which is a sign of respect, that they came to see him instead of commanding him to be brought to them). Elisha’s response is blunt to say the least. Then he does an interesting thing. Before he seeks the word of the Lord on behalf of the kings, he calls for a musician to come play for him, after which he hears from the Lord.
{2 Kings 3:13-20 ESV}
{13} And Elisha said to the king of Israel, “What have I to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father and to the prophets of your mother.” But the king of Israel said to him, “No; it is the LORD who has called these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab.” {14} And Elisha said, “As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, were it not that I have regard for Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would neither look at you nor see you. {15} But now bring me a musician.” And when the musician played, the hand of the LORD came upon him. {16} And he said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘I will make this dry streambed full of pools.’ {17} For thus says the LORD, ‘You shall not see wind or rain, but that streambed shall be filled with water, so that you shall drink, you, your livestock, and your animals.’ {18} This is a light thing in the sight of the LORD. He will also give the Moabites into your hand, {19} and you shall attack every fortified city and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree and stop up all springs of water and ruin every good piece of land with stones.” {20} The next morning, about the time of offering the sacrifice, behold, water came from the direction of Edom, till the country was filled with water.
{1 Kings 19:11-13 ESV}
{11} And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. {12} And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. {13} And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
{Hebrews 3:12-15 ESV}
{12} Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. {13} But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. {14} For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. {15} As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
God could choose to make himself heard whenever he speaks. He can shake the foundations of the world if he chooses! But we see time and again in the Bible that God speaks to us quietly. He wasn’t in the storm, the earthquake, or the fire when he spoke to Elijah. He was in the low whisper (KJV “still small voice”). Elisha needed to block out distractions to hear God’s voice and he chose music as the way to do it. Before we can hear from God we must quiet ourselves.
- What distracts you from hearing God’s voice?
- What do you find helpful in blocking out those distractions?
Lord God, you created music and gave it to your world as a gift. It calms, inspires, consoles, and yes, blocks distractions. You’ve chosen that we must quiet ourselves before we can hear from you, and that’s a lesson none of us has yet learned perfectly. Forgive us for all the times we’ve talked over the top of you, Lord, and for any times where we’ve heard from you, but rebelled in our hearts. Let us learn and do better. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Day 5
Never Right to Do Wrong
Observe
The Moabites prepared for battle and mistook sunlight reflecting off the water for blood. Believing that strife had broken out between the armies of Israel, Judah, and Edom, the Moabites charge and are soundly defeated. The combined armies press forward, driving the Moabites back until they are trapped in their capital city of Kir-haraseth. When an elite strike force fails to break through even the smallest of the combined army’s lines, the king of Moab resorts to a great wickedness that, incredible as it may seem, has the desired effect as the siege is abandoned.
{2 Kings 3:21-27 ESV}
{21} When all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them, all who were able to put on armor, from the youngest to the oldest, were called out and were drawn up at the border. {22} And when they rose early in the morning and the sun shone on the water, the Moabites saw the water opposite them as red as blood. {23} And they said, “This is blood; the kings have surely fought together and struck one another down. Now then, Moab, to the spoil!” {24} But when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose and struck the Moabites, till they fled before them. And they went forward, striking the Moabites as they went. {25} And they overthrew the cities, and on every good piece of land every man threw a stone until it was covered. They stopped every spring of water and felled all the good trees, till only its stones were left in Kir-hareseth, and the slingers surrounded and attacked it. {26} When the king of Moab saw that the battle was going against him, he took with him 700 swordsmen to break through, opposite the king of Edom, but they could not. {27} Then he took his oldest son who was to reign in his place and offered him for a burnt offering on the wall. And there came great wrath against Israel. And they withdrew from him and returned to their own land.
{Deuteronomy 12:31 ESV}
{31} You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way, for every abominable thing that the LORD hates they have done for their gods, for they even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods.
{Leviticus 20:2-5 ESV}
{2} “Say to the people of Israel, Any one of the people of Israel or of the strangers who sojourn in Israel who gives any of his children to Molech shall surely be put to death. The people of the land shall stone him with stones. {3} I myself will set my face against that man and will cut him off from among his people, because he has given one of his children to Molech, to make my sanctuary unclean and to profane my holy name. {4} And if the people of the land do at all close their eyes to that man when he gives one of his children to Molech, and do not put him to death, {5} then I will set my face against that man and against his clan and will cut them off from among their people, him and all who follow him in whoring after Molech.
It is never right to do the wrong thing, nor is it ever right to cause someone else to do the wrong thing. The sacrifice of children to pagan gods was an abomination in Israel. Although Israel hadn’t done it, Moab had, this was still a line too far that had been crossed. Commentaries are divided on what is meant by “And there came a great wrath against Israel,” with at least three different interpretations. But the technicalities don’t matter in this case. The reason is still the same. The siege had brought about a terrible sin, so it was abandoned.
- What is the difference between God using someone’s sinful acts to bring about his divine will and his people doing (or allowing others to do) “whatever it takes” to reach a desired goal?
- How far does this go? Can a wrong act ever become righteous? (For instance, one person killing another is bad. A soldier killing someone in battle is…what? Why?)
Lord, it is never right for me to sin or cause someone else to sin, but there are times when I am indeed tempted to tear up the rule book. Usually, this is my own misguided desire for vengeance. I confess that I forget you have reserved the right of vengeance for yourself. You are neither early nor late, Lord, but always right on time. Give me patience to wait on you, I ask in Jesus’ name, Amen!