2 Chronicles 17,18 - Good rule, and the downfall of a bad king

Asa was followed by another good king, Jehoshaphat. He strengthened the fortified cities but more importantly, he sought the Lord rather than seeking after false gods, such as the Baals. Note that he also followed the Lord's commands. As the old hymn says, we need to trust and obey. The result of this was that the Lord established the kingdom in Jehoshaphat's hands. We need to keep in mind the Lord's active involvement in the world.

After this he sent out teachers into all the land to instruct the people in the Book of the Law. Despite what the secularists say, it is good to teach a nation how to obey the ways of the Lord. This will bring favour on a nation.

This then had an effect on the nations around them. The fear of the Lord fell upon them and they even brought gifts to Judah. Even so, Jehoshaphat still built up the army.

Jehoshaphat then went to see Ahab and Ahab succeeded in getting Jehoshaphat involved in one of his battles. Now Ahab was the worst king that Israel ever had. He wanted to go to war and Jehoshaphat urged him to consult the Lord. So first of all Ahab consulted his tame prophets who told him what he wanted to hear. Then, after Jehoshaphat's urging, he sought Micaiah, whom he didn't like because he told the truth. Note that one of the false prophets, Zedekiah, makes a big show of his false prophecy (18:10). We need to be careful today with "showy prophets". The Bible is the guide we are to use to test the veracity of any prophecies.

Micaiah, after an initial couldn't care less attitude, gives Ahab the truth. Now see that even though he heard the truth Ahab went to war anyway. He believed he could get round the word of God by his trickery. It also says that God caused Ahab to be deceived. So we at work the will of God, evil spirits, and the heart of man. All three are involved. We so often want to take a one dimensional view of things. Is it God? Is it man? Is it the devil? Sometimes the answer is yes to all three! God's will was being done, namely judgement upon Ahab. So Ahab died.

Note also that people often say "what about those who have not heard?". Well Ahab did hear and it did him no good. He tried to get round the word of God.