2 Chronicles 18:1-5: a reflection

1Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance; and he allied himself with Ahab. 2After some years, he went down to Ahab to Samaria. Ahab killed sheep and cattle for him in abundance, and for the people who were with him, and moved him to go up with him to Ramoth Gilead. 3Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me to Ramoth Gilead?” He answered him, “I am as you are, and my people as your people. We will be with you in the war.” 4Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for the LORD’s word.” 5Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear?” They said, “Go up, for God will deliver it into the hand of the king.”

Jehoshaphat was a godly king of Judah, rich in honor; but he made a fateful choice: he allied himself with Ahab, the wicked king of Israel. Drawn in by Ahab's lavish hospitality and pressed to join him in war, Jehoshaphat agreed before he had even sought God's will: I am as you are, and my people as your people; we will be with you in the war. Only afterward did he think to say, Please inquire first for the LORD's word. The compromising alliance with Ahab drew Jehoshaphat into a wrong course, entangling him in another's schemes before he had thought to seek God, so that his seeking came only after he was already committed.

Notice how the alliance drew Jehoshaphat in before he sought God. He allied himself with wicked Ahab, and the alliance, with its hospitality and pressure, drew him into agreeing to Ahab's war before he had inquired of God at all. His seeking of God's word came only after he had already committed himself, almost as an afterthought. The compromising alliance had entangled him, pulling him into a wrong course before his better judgment could seek God. The alliance did not lead him toward God, but drew him into another's wrong, and his seeking of God came too late to keep him free. Entanglement with the wrong company had already committed him before he thought to seek God.

That is worth taking to heart, for compromising alliances can draw us into wrong courses before we think to seek God. We can form alliances, partnerships, close ties with those whose ways are not God's, and find ourselves drawn into their schemes and pressures, committed to a wrong course before we have thought to seek God, as Jehoshaphat was drawn into Ahab's war. The entanglement commits us before our better judgment can act. Be careful of compromising alliances that can draw you into wrong before you think to seek God; seek God's will before you commit, not after you are already entangled. Be wary of compromising alliances that draw you into wrong courses before you seek God, and inquire of him before you commit rather than after, as Jehoshaphat sought God's word only after he had already agreed to Ahab's war; for entanglement with the wrong company can commit us to a wrong course before our better judgment acts, and it is wiser to seek God before we ally ourselves than to find ourselves already drawn in.

Lord, Jehoshaphat was a godly king of Judah, rich in honor; but he made a fateful choice: he allied himself with Ahab, the wicked king of Israel. Drawn in by Ahab's lavish hospitality and pressed to join him in war, Jehoshaphat agreed before he had even sought your will: I am as you are, and my people as your people; we will be with you in the war. Only afterward did he think to say, please inquire first for the LORD's word. The compromising alliance with Ahab drew Jehoshaphat into a wrong course before he had thought to seek you. Show me how the alliance drew Jehoshaphat in before he sought you. He allied himself with wicked Ahab, and the alliance, with its hospitality and pressure, drew him into agreeing to Ahab's war before he had inquired of you at all. His seeking of your word came only after he had already committed himself. The compromising alliance had entangled him, pulling him into a wrong course before his better judgment could seek you. Take that to my heart, for compromising alliances can draw me into wrong courses before I think to seek you. I can form alliances, partnerships, close ties with those whose ways are not yours, and find myself drawn into their schemes and pressures, committed to a wrong course before I have thought to seek you. Keep me wary of compromising alliances that draw me into wrong before I seek you; help me inquire of you before I commit, Lord, not after I am already entangled, as Jehoshaphat sought your word only after he had agreed to Ahab's war.