Passing on Our Heritage - Part 2

Proverbs 13:22a.  Last week we began our topic on passing on our faith to our children. We saw the requirements and even the commandments of God that every Christian should bring up his children to know him (God). We were able to see that our families are our primary assignment where service for God is concerned. Proverbs 13:22a says "A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children..."  According to the divine plan of God, we should be able to leave a spiritual heritage even to our children’s children. We started examining the lives of God-fearing men in the bible, how they fared as parents as well as what we can learn from their successes and mistakes. We looked at King David last week and this week, we will look at King Jehoshaphat of Judah.

The Testimony Of King Jehoshaphat

Jehoshaphat was a descendant of David. His father Asa had also been a godly king. He carried on from where his Father left off. The testimony concerning him, particularly when the sister kingdom of Israel had gone into apostasy, was that, he '...sought to the Lord God of his father, and walked in His commandments and not after the doings of Israel' . 2 Chronicles 17:4. God was also with him because 'he walked in the first ways of his Father David and sought not unto Baalim'.    2Chronicles 17:3. Jehoshaphat was so committed to the people knowing God that he sent out Levites all over Judah to teach the people the law of God. The Lord consequently wrought great deliverance for the tiny nation of Judah when they were under attack by an alliance of enemies.

King Jehoshaphat As A Parent

Having looked at the personal and spiritual life of Jehoshaphat, we will now look at his family. One of the persistent mistakes this godly man made was to join himself to evil King Ahab of Israel. 'And he said unto Jehoshaphat, will thou go with me to battle to Ramothgilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses'. 1 Kings 22:4. He seemed to be moved by the sentimental idea that they were after all brothers (the idea that all Israel was one). He failed to realise that when a Christian joins himself to an evil doer (whether family or not), he also becomes accursed. As a result, he narrowly missed losing his life helping Ahab, and his business venture with him was also destroyed. 

Jehoshaphat had chosen the son whom he wanted to be king but unfortunately this son was married to a daughter of Ahab. This marriage choice was to have far reaching consequences for the lineage of Jehoshaphat. The scripture warns us not to have any fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them. King Jehoshaphat would have known the law of God concerning marrying idolatrous women. I can’t help wondering if his friendship with Ahab made him overlook this crucial commandment of God. Immediately Jehoshaphat died, this son killed all his brothers to strengthen his position in the Kingdom. 2 Chronicles 21:6 says of him ‘And he walked in the way of the Kings of Israel, like as did the house of Ahab: for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife: and he wrought that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord'. He undid in eight years what his Father had consolidated in twenty five years and he died without being desired. He had also almost wiped out all his father’s children. Tragically, the story did not end there. His son who reigned after him was influenced by his mother (the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel). We are told that ‘He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab: for his mother was his counsellor to do wickedly. Wherefore he did evil in the sight of Lord like the house of Ahab: for they were his counsellors after the death of his father to his destruction'. 2 Chronicles 22:3-4.  After the death of this son, his mother Athaliah went on to kill all her grandchildren so she could rule.

What can we learn from the life of Jehoshaphat?  First, this godly man made the mistake of an ungodly friendship. This mistake is so easily repeated by Christians today. When God says ‘Be not unequally yoked’ He does not make exceptions. His next mistake in not following or teaching his children the law of God concerning marriage made sure all the work he had done for God in bringing Israel back to Him was wiped out. His lineage was almost entirely destroyed. One wonders what a great legacy he might have left in his children if he had not been friends with Ahab, if he had followed God’s commandments to the letter and also instructed his children accordingly.

Remain blessed and highly favoured. 
Titi Obishai (MRS)