2 Chronicles 19:1-11
19:1 Jehoshaphat narrowly returned to his home in Judah. It was the precision of God which pulled him through the tumult. Our God is able to work through impossible circumstances; Jehoshaphat's poor decision making put him into a dangerous and vulnerable position. Subsequently, an enemy plotted against him and an entire army surrounded him. Yet God was able to disperse them all.
The beginning of this chapter begins with that simple sentence: Then Jehoshaphat returned safely to his house in Jerusalem. But the return was not simple at all, it was made simple by God's divine ability. We can trust God to pluck us out of impossible situations.
Jehoshaphat was not saved because he was perfect, in the next verse, we read that God was upset with Jehoshaphat. God saved Jehoshaphat because Jehoshaphat asked God to save him and trusted God to save him. Jehoshaphat was saved despite his imperfection because he had a loving-relationship with God.
19:2 God was unhappy with Jehoshaphat's decision to make an alliance with an evil man. Our associations have influence and impact in our lives. Without God's intervention, Jehoshaphat would have helped to further a corrupt cause. Most of us never intend to serve corruption, but we inevitably do when we align with the wrong people. For that reason, God wants us to be particular about what and who we let into our lives: media, social media, friends, ways of thought...etc.
19:3 God scolded Jehoshaphat as any good father would. God's discipline was intended to help Jehoshaphat become wiser about choosing his associations. Until we learn from our mistakes, we keep repeating the same level over and over again like in a video game.
Yet even though God disciplines us, He is never unaware of all of the things He loves about us. Once we learn from a mistake, it is erased. But our good deeds and wise choices are all recorded and imprinted into Him. Jehoshaphat loved God and sought Him with his whole heart. He worked to rid the kingdom of false idols in an effort to reestablish faith in our true God.
In Matthew 6:33, we are taught that if our primary focus is to seek God, everything else will be put into place by Him. Jehoshaphat exemplifies that truth.
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
God understands that we frequently become overwhelmed. It is difficult to consistently make the right decisions; it is impossible to avoid moments of fear, frustration, anger, hopelessness, despair, selfishness and desire. Because of that, God repeatedly calls our attention back to that verse. It is a reminder that if we can manage that one thing, He will take care of everything else.
Planted firmly in God's soil do we best grow. He will heal, comfort, calm, realign, and reassure us. When we seek God first, he fixes the mistakes we make during the exploration; He cleans the messes. He dissipates the doubts we have during the ascents and descents. He ensures that our hope is met by great blessing. If you are feeling overwhelmed by the accumulation of one thousand things remember that God only holds you responsible for one of them: seeking Him.
19:4 Jehoshaphat returned to seeking God, not just for himself but for the kingdom. As king of Judah, Jehoshaphat emphasized the importance of knowing and following God's philosophy. Jehoshaphat was not enforcing a meaningless religion for the purpose of securing his control. Rather, Jehoshaphat knew the joy that a life of righteousness created. He wanted the people in his kingdom to have personal relationships with God; he wanted people to benefit from the wisdom, justice and compassion it taught.
Jehoshaphat made a personal, emphatic, consistent effort to unite people with their benevolent creator. In that effort, Jehoshaphat looked for God through his own eyes and through the eyes of many more. Do not force or condemn people into faith; speak through a life of love for God. The euphoria and direction, hope and blessing, strength and courage your faith gives you will inspire others to begin their own exploration.
19:5-6 Jehoshaphat established a judicial system throughout Judah which would operate in alignment with God's system of justice. The position of the judge was not an opportunity to exert personal authority but serve God's for the benefit of the people.
19:7 Jehoshaphat charged the judges to be honest and impartial. The rest of the world may have performed as a chaotic circus of self-serving interest but a kingdom established under God would not. God is vehement about our adherence to true justice because He knows that no human or nation can make forward progress in quagmire or labyrinth.
19:8 The priests and Levites were charged to settle disputes with Godly-judgement. Jehoshaphat wanted the philosophy of God to be the foundation of every layer of the kingdom. Similarly should faith be the bedrock of each of the layers of our own lives. What we listen to, what we do, what we say... it should all be rooted in a place of righteousness.
19:9 Jehoshaphat impressed the importance of loyalty to God. The kingdom would (and did) suffer through fickle and frail faith. When we make a commitment to God, we must keep it. Our effort in faith must be full-force, full-time, full-heart.
19:10 Corruption could not go undisciplined. The people in positions of leadership in Judah were required to use their influence to grow people, to caution them from away corruption. If bribes were taken or personal interests were served, if the philosophy of God was abandoned, the kingdom would fracture. We fracture when we stop serving God's philosophy.
19:11 Amariah was placed as chief priest; he was trusted by the king to exclusively serve God's interests steadfastly.
Jehoshaphat spoke: Behave courageously, and the Lord will be with the good. Have the courage to follow God; we cannot see the destination or details of the journey but He can. Have the courage to trust that His leadership is good. God is with the good and leads them into goodness.
