2 Chronicles 19:1-11

There are no perfect kings just like there are no perfect men this side of heaven besides Christ.  We all sin and are guilty of failing to obey the Lord on various occasions.  The question that determines our character is how we respond when we are confronted with our failures.  Many times leaders consider themselves to be above the Law of the Lord or even the law of the land and they do not accept rebuke or repent when they are confronted.  Jehoshaphat was not one of these men.  He did sin, but he was responsive to the Lord and was faithful to repent of his sin.  God is not looking for perfect people; but He is looking for repentant people to use in the work of His kingdom.

JEHOSHAPHAT RECEIVES REBUKE FROM THE LORD: The nation of Israel had abandoned the ways of the Lord many years ago.  They were in the process of being judged by God, and yet Jehoshaphat, a king who feared the Lord, made a marital alliance with the king of Israel and then went into battle with him to protect him from the advance of their enemies.  The problem was that Jehoshaphat never once inquired of the Lord as to what he should do before he was already committed to the alliance.  God protected him in the battle, but rebuked him when he returned home.  Fortunately, he received the rebuke with humility, did not try to make excuses and simply continued to go about reforming the spiritual well-being of the nation.

JEHOSHAPHAT RESTORES RULERS FOR THE LORD: Jehoshaphat went out to the cities that were outside of the capital and established judges that were responsible to rule over the Land.  He instructed them to be just in their rulings and not be willing to take bribes or be partial to certain classes of people.  He wanted the Law of the Lord to reign supreme in the land and he established judges who would be willing to judge righteously.  He could have become bitter or discouraged because of the rebuke that he received; instead he was repentant and became motivated to continue the work to which the Lord had called him.  God continues to look for men whose hearts are humble before Him and desire that obedience to the Lord be spread to every house and family on the face of the world.

JEHOSHAPHAT RETURNS RIGHTEOUSNESS BEFORE THE LORD: Jehoshaphat was not satisfied to just instill reforms in the cities of Judah.  He also wanted to return righteousness to the city of Jerusalem.  He gathered the Levites together and instructed them to be righteous judges before the Lord.  He blesses them in their work and prays that the Lord will give them wisdom to be able to judge correctly.  God is pleased when His people hunger and thirst after righteousness.  We must be promoters of the ways of the Lord in the people who are around us and challenge them to be faithful to help others do the same.

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