THE COMPROMISING KING JEHOSHAPHAT (2 KING 3:20-27) – PART 3: MIRACULOUS DELIVERY OF AN OBSTINATE PEOPLE

Dear Members in Christ,                                                                                                                   

The Compromising King Jehoshaphat (2 King 3:20-27) – Part 3: Miraculous delivery of an obstinate people.

The ministry of a prophet is to speak the word of God to the people. The prophet conveys God’s message according to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God. Sometimes the word of God comes as a sharp and stinging rebuke for recalcitrant offenders like the King of Israel, Jehoram the son of Ahab. Jehoram was described as one who “cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.” 2 Kings 3:3.

For such a man, the word of God from His prophet Elisha expresses disgust for his idolatry and rejection of the apostacy, with such words as, “what have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother.” 2 Kings 3:13a.

The desperation of the King of Israel can be detected in his rather demure tone. “And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay: for the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab.” 2 Kings 3:13b. King Jehoram said “Nay” this was a phrase which in today’s language would sound like saying, “please do not say so.” The King of Israel was pleading with Elisha the prophet not to shun him because all three kings (including Jehoshaphat the King of Judah) will be in jeopardy if this military expedition fails. King Jehoram was an idolater, but that does not prevent him from appealing to God on the basis of all three kings, reminding the prophet of God that two other kings will also perish with him if God does not deliver them.

A. Merciful deliverance from God, the thirst of three armies quenched

In such a situation, we witness an alliance of three kings. One is an evil idolatrous king who is described as following the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat. The second is the Edomite king, from a foreign nation, and the third is the compromiser King Jehoshaphat. This alliance surely deserves a just desertion. Instead of dishing out a stern punishment for all three Kings and their armies, God is  merciful and gracious. The scriptures describe God’s gracious attribute, that He is longsuffering and willing that none should perish. Under such circumstances, the human mind like ours would consider that harsh punishment is in order. But God is not man and neither does he deal with man in the same way as man would in their fleshly weakness.

In this instance, we see the mercy of God at work. After seven day’s march in the dry wilderness, the armies of Jehoram’s alliance could find no water for themselves or their livestock. This spells a certain death for the hundreds if not thousands of men in these three armies. Elisha’s prophecy was a display of God’s mercy upon the lost and thirsty combatants.       

“And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Make this valley full of ditches. For thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts.” 2 Kings 3:16, 17

God’s word for them was both miraculous and merciful. They were told to dig ditches, and in an act of miracle, the ditches will be filled without any rain having fallen! By morning, the prophecy was fulfilled. The authority of Elisha as God’s servant is authenticated once again! This should have turned Jehoram from his idolatrous ways, the Edomite king should have been soundly converted by this miracle of mercy. King Jehoshaphat should have repented of his compromise with the son of Ahab and start building himself and his nation to be faithful to the Lord God. Truly God’s hand dealt them a merciful portion.

B. Gracious deliverance from God - the defeat of the Moabites

In addition to God’s mercy, God also dealt graciously with armies of Jehoram’s alliance. The prophet Elisha had a piece of good news when he prophesied,

“And this is but a light thing in the sight of the LORD: he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand. And ye shall smite every fenced city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all wells of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones.” 2 Kings 3:18, 19

Elisha tells them that God’s mighty hand is not done yet, for if this was “a light thing in the sight of the Lord.” The miracle of thirst-quenching water filling the ditches is but an easy thing in the hands of the Omnipotent God. God will now show these kings truly undeserved graciousness, God will grant them victory and rid them of the Moabites.

At a time when the Northern kingdom had sunken into the cesspool of idolatry, and the kingdom of Judah had a compromising king, God’s people had lost their testimony to the nations. The purpose of miracles is to authenticate the message of God’s prophet. God will not let the enemies extinguish the nation that he had promise to call His people. Thus we see God’s mercy, grace and faithfulness in the deliverance of this alliance. Brothers and sisters, let us pray for God’s mercy upon those who profess to know Him, but yet live a slothful and unfruitful spiritual walk. May those who foolishly stray from the ways of God awaken to know and love God’s will. May they repent of their lethargic spiritual lives and serve God anew with zeal and fervor. All praise and thanks to God. Amen.

In Christ,
Rev. Lim Seh Beng