Read: 2 Chronicles 17:1-18:34; Romans 9:22-10:13; Psalm 20:1-9; Proverbs 20:2-3
Asa died and his son Jehoshaphat became king of Judah. He began his kingship obeying the Lord. He fortified and cleansed the cities and made them strong and he sent priests throughout the land to teach the people the law. The fear of the Lord fell on all their enemies and they left them alone. His downfall began when he aligned himself with Ahab, king of Israel by marriage. Then he went to visit him. Ahab was about to engage in battle with Ramoth Gilead and asked Jehoshaphat if he would join him. He agreed to join him without asking God but he wanted to know if God would give them victory. Ahab called in all his false prophets and they did their rituals and dances. They all agreed he would win. Jehoshaphat asked for a prophet of God and was reluctantly presented with Micaiah who was not popular with Ahab. He sarcastically agreed with Ahab’s prophets but when asked to speak the truth, he told them they would not win and that Ahab would die. This was not what Ahab or Jehoshaphat wanted to hear so they rejected his word and went to war anyway. Everything that Micaiah had prophesied happened. They lost the battle and Ahab died a slow death. He had plenty of time to contemplate his errors.
In Romans, we see that salvation has always been by faith. The law brought the knowledge of sin but it still took faith to believe the law. Hebrews 11 is full of all the people that understand that works was not what it took to follow God; they needed faith. Salvation is for everyone who will put their faith in the Lord and believe he was who he said he was and that Jesus was the way to him.
Lord, help us to remember to seek you in everything we do. May our faith go before us into victory.
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