Further Measures of Reform.
Jehoshaphat Reproved by the Seer Jehu
1And Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, after the unfortunate campaign against the Syrians, returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem. Cp. chap. 18, 16. 2And Jehu, the son of Hanani, the seer, went out to meet him, the same prophet who had been active in the northern kingdom under Baasha, 1 Kings 16, 1, and had probably been exiled for his fearless rebuke of idolatry, and said to King Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, literally, “Is it to help the wicked,” and love them that hate the Lord? Ahab was God’s open enemy, 1 Kings 22, 2, and therefore Jehoshaphat’s league with him was an unholy alliance. Therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord, God was displeased with him to the point of anger and punishment. 3Nevertheless, there are good things found in thee, which the Lord also freely acknowledged, in that thou hast taken away the groves, the wooden pillars sacred to the goddess Astarte, out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God, his personal character and life showed that he was still loyal to Jehovah. 4And Jehoshaphat dwelt at Jerusalem; and he went out again through the people from Beersheba, on the extreme southern boundary, to Mount Ephraim, where the northernmost cities under his jurisdiction were situated, and brought them back unto the Lord God of their fathers, by reappointing the commissioners of religious instruction and thus renewing the people’s knowledge of the Lord and of His holy Law. It is a most dangerous thing for the children of God to make friends with ungodly, wicked people. If any one loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. The damage done by such forbidden friendship is usually corrected only by a repentance which is zealous to return to the Lord and to perform His holy will.
Judges and Levites in Judah
5And he set judges in the land throughout all the fenced cities of Judah, cp. Deut. 16, 18–20, establishing local courts in every fortified city, after the manner of our county-seats with their court-houses, city by city, 6and said to the judges, in reminding them of the instructions which had been given them, Deut. 1, 17, Take heed what ye do; for ye judge not for man, but for the Lord, who is with you in the judgment, as a supreme Guardian of justice and right. 7Wherefore, now, let the fear of the Lord be upon you, keep them in the way of justice. Take heed and do it; for there is no iniquity with the Lord, our God, He is never guilty of perverting justice, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts, no bribery of judges is found with Him, and the judges representing Him should avoid all these sins. 8Moreover, in Jerusalem did Jehoshaphat set of the Levites and of the priests and of the chief of the fathers of Israel for the judgment of the Lord, to decide cases pertaining to the religious law, and for controversies, civil matters, when they returned to Jerusalem, when a case was appealed from a lower court. 9And he charged them, saying, Thus shall ye do in the fear of the Lord, which is the motive for all true service, faithfully and with a perfect heart, undivided in its allegiance to Jehovah. 10And what cause soever shall come to you of your brethren that dwell in their cities, appeals from the lower courts to this highest tribunal, between blood and blood, in deciding whether homicide was to be considered murder or accidental killing, between law and commandment, statutes and judgments, the various precepts having been given to Israel at different times, ye shall even warn them that they trespass not against the Lord, and so wrath come upon you and upon your brethren, if they should pervert justice in any way. This do, and ye shall not trespass. 11And, behold, Amariah, the chief priest, is over you in all matters of the Lord, he had the final decision in all religious questions; and Zebadiah, the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, for all the king’s matters; also the Levites shall be officers before you, as clerks in keeping the records and genealogical tables, which were so important in Israel. Deal courageously, their zeal was not to be deterred by any consideration of men, and the Lord shall be with the good, His blessing would rest upon all upright decisions and actions. Mark: If a believer has blundered into error and sin, he should lose no time in returning to the Lord and in serving Him with all diligence. In that case the evil which he has committed will be forgotten.