2 Chronicles 20:31-37: a reflection

31So Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he began to reign. He reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. 32He walked in the way of Asa his father, and didn’t turn away from it, doing that which was right in the LORD’s eyes. 33However the high places were not taken away, and the people had still not set their hearts on the God of their fathers. 34Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, behold, they are written in the history of Jehu the son of Hanani, which is included in the book of the kings of Israel. 35After this, Jehoshaphat king of Judah joined himself with Ahaziah king of Israel. The same did very wickedly. 36He joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish. They made the ships in Ezion Geber. 37Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have joined yourself with Ahaziah, the LORD has destroyed your works.” The ships were wrecked, so that they were not able to go to Tarshish.

Jehoshaphat was, on the whole, a good king. He walked in the ways of his father Asa and did what was right in the Lord's eyes. The record is honest about his limits, the high places were not fully removed and the people's hearts were not yet wholly set on God, but his direction was godly. And yet the chapter ends with a costly misstep. He allied himself with Ahaziah, king of Israel, a man who acted wickedly.

The two kings joined together to build a fleet of trading ships. A prophet came to Jehoshaphat with a hard word: because you have made an alliance with Ahaziah, the Lord has broken down your work. The ships were wrecked and never sailed. A good man's partnership with someone set against God brought his enterprise to ruin. His faithfulness in most things did not shield him from the consequences of this one unwise union.

The warning is pointed and practical. It is possible to walk faithfully with God in general and still entangle yourself in a partnership that undermines everything. Be thoughtful about whom you bind yourself to in your ventures, your commitments, your close alliances. A shared project with someone whose heart runs against God can bring even good work to wreckage. Ask God for wisdom about your alliances, and do not assume that your overall faithfulness makes any partnership safe.

Lord, Jehoshaphat served you faithfully in much, yet an unwise alliance brought his work to ruin. Give me wisdom about whom I bind myself to in my ventures and commitments. Keep me from entanglements that would undermine my walk with you, however promising they seem. Let my partnerships be ones you can bless, and guard me from those that would wreck good work. Amen.