Sunday, June 3, 2012

The rest of Jehosophat's reign (2 chronicles 20)

Jehosophat faced an invasion from a coalition of the armies of the Ammonites, Edomites, and Moabites.

He responded by pleading to God for deliverance, asking the people to fast, and then leading the people in a group prayer before the temple. The spirit of God fell on one of the people who prophesied that God will destroy the army before they even have to fight it. The next day, the God caused the coalition of armies to start fighting amongst themselves to the point that the entire army died. Jehosophat's troops went out to find a field full of dead bodies and wealth that it took them 3 days to plunder it.

The rest of his reign was peaceful. He had another blemish in that he agreed partner with Ahaziah (Ahab's wicked son) go build a trading fleet. God did not like this partnership with the wicked king so God destroyed the trading fleet before it set sail.

I am not sure why God did not like the trading fleet idea. I would think God would want to encourage southern and northern kingdom partnership and reconciliation. But maybe not if one of the kings is bad.

He also was not able to completely remove the pagan shrines from the land.

He became king when he was 35 and ruled for 25 years.

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