The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1904-07-21

4, JeuOsuhpudt IlVspoiiIy'
Chron. II. Our lesson is the entire
reign Of Jehoshaphat, king Of Judah.
Jehoshaphats name means "Jeho.
yah hath Judged"
Hk parents were Asa. the good
king, and Azubah, about whom moth
ing more Is known.
His age at his accession was IS
years, and he reigned for rs years.
II. Jehoshaphat's sln.-2 Chron.
1874; 1918. When Jehoshaphat
was at the height Of his prosperity
and power he committed his great sin
by marrying his son Jehoram to Atha'
liah, daughter Of Ahab, the wicked
king Of Israel, and Of Jezebel, his still
more wicked and idolatrous wife
The misfortune that followed most
closely, however, came from Jehosha-
phat's consent to join Ahab, his new
ally, in winning back Ramoth-Gilead
Ia city east Of the Jordan, opposite
Shechem) from the king of Syria, Ben
hadad II. Before venturlng on the ex-
petition, Ahab consulted 400 prophets,
who foretold a successful issue, in &C.
cordance with his known wishes. But
Jehoshaphat insisted upon Ahab's CON
sulting a prophet he hated because he
always prophesied evil" Micaiah, a
true prophet Of Jehovah. True to
Gods promptings, in spite OF allure
ment and threat Micalah foretold that
the expedition would end in Ahab's
death and disaster to Israel.
Making light Of this solemn warning
Ahab went up against Ramoth-G ilead'
and Jehoshaphat deepened his sin by
accompanying him with the forces Of
Judah. The result was the utter de-
feat Of the allies, the death of Ahab as
had been prophesied, and Jehosha'
phat's bare escape with his life.
l. "Jehoshaphat returned"
from the lost battle at Ramoth-Gilead
'in peace" Literally whole; as we
would say, safe and sound. Wood
2. Jehu "A prophet of the northern
kingdom who predicted the downfall
and destruction Of the dynasty Of
Baasha Il Kings 1911 12)."-Hast.
ings. "The son Of Hananl," the
prophet who had rebuked Asa. Went
out to meet him." "The monarch was
thus rebuked at the earliest possible
moment, and in the most effective
way, when he was entering his capt.
tai at the head Of his returning army"
Cook. "shouldest thou help the I'M
godly" The prophet truly considered
that victory could have been expected
only from Jehovah, and that God
would never bless an alliance with
idolatry. Therefore is wrath upon
thee" Showing itself in an inglori-
GUS return home; in invasion, from
which only prayer and fasting deliv-
cred !; in disappointed commercial
hopes."-Wood.
3. Nevertheless" Our Judge will
estimate with perfect fairness the
good in us as well as the evil. Good
things found in thee" These good
things were (1) a righteous rule,
whose climax was the removal of the
chief temptation to idolatry, the
"groves" Of Ashcroft, shrines sacred
to the licentious worship of the
Phoenician Venus; and (2) a pure pur-
sonal life, the kings heart being pre-
pared to seek God" through study OF
Scriptures, prayer, and meditation.
Lessons from Jehoshaphat's Sin. 1t
sprang from his helping the ungod-
ly." The Christian may associate
with sinners as Christ did, to help
them, but not for his personal advan-
tage, and certainly not to help them
do wrong.
God always Furnishes sin. If you
thrust your hand into the fire, nothing
can prevent Its being burned. If fire
did not burn, it would BIO useless, and
80 would Gods spiritual laws be use
less If we could break them with i'm
punity.
But Gods mercy always tempers his
| Justice. He counts all our good de-
sires and deeds at full value, as he did
l
Jehoshaphat's.
III. Jehoshaphat's Repentance and
Reform.-Vs, Ali. Jehoshaphat show
ed his repentance by practical reform
atoms. Three steps in the reforma-
lions are to be noted.
First, avoidance Of the sin. d. "And
Jehoshaphat dwelt at Jerusalem" He
minded his own business at home and
would not expose himself by making
any more such visits as he had made
to Ahab." Matthew Henry.
Second, personal labors, the re-
ligious reform. "He went out again"
On the former occasion he had sent
out sixteen commissioners q Chron,
1870 to teach in his name This
time he emphasized his repentance by
going himself. From Beer.sheba," a
city on his southern frontier, ITO
Mount Ephraim," R. ", "the hill coun'
try Of Ephraim." "And brought them
back" in some cases from the wor-
ship Of idols, and in other cases from
carelessness regarding Jehovah, unto
the Lord God Of their fathers"
Third, setting others at work, the
judicial reform. 5. "And he set Judges
in the land" Probably Jehoshaphat
found corruption widely spread ". y,
and the magistrates in some places
tainted with the prevailing idolatry.