Our Choices 2 Chron

Our Choices    2 Chron. 17:3-5    EBC   Sunday School   10/19/08

  Bad choices people make- Michael Vick, 90 major league baseball players- make bad decisions. Life is all about the choices we make.  Good choices bring joy and blessing, poor choices bring grief.

  Most people make bad decisions because they reject  true wisdom which comes form God – James 1:5.

  When ancient Israel was divided in two  the northern Kingdom (Israel) had bad kings only.  Each one did “evil in the sight of the Lord”.  The southern kingdom (Judah) had 20 kings and 8 of them did “what was right in the sight of the Lord”.  Jehoshaphat was one of them.

  Jehoshaphat ruled for 25 years, through he loved the Lord, he will go down in history as an example of someone who failed to lean of godly wisdom and consequently made several dreadful decision that cost him and his kingdom greatly.

I.        His Positive Actions ( 2 Chron. 17:1-2)

A.      This is teaming with the enemy.

B.      Judah was surrounded by Moab, Ammon and Israel. Jehoshaphat  knew the importance of having and maintaining a strong and well positioned military.

1.       17:14-19- he fortified his borders and increased his troop strength.

2.       17:7-9- he sent Priests throughout the land to teach the Law.  

C.      Jehoshaphat was a minority among the Kings because he did that which was “right in the sight of the Lord”

II.      His Unholy Alliance (18:1)

A.      Yet, despite his zeal Jehoshaphat played the fool by trying to walk two roads at once.

B.      On the one hand he loved God but on the other he wanted to make sure that he had all bases covered so he formed an unholy alliance with King Ahab (King of Israel). He seemed to want an insurance policy in case the Lord failed him.

C.      2 Cor. 6:14-

D.      Matt. 6:24-

III.    The Ramoth Gilead Fiasco (1 Kings 22:1-4)

A.      In another blunder now Jehoshaphat agreed to join Ahab in battle.

B.      He sought counsel as to how they should go, Ahab produced 400 prophets of Baal. Jehoshaphat recognized they didn’t serve God and asked V.7.

C.      2 Chron. 18:28-34- they go into battle and Ahab is killed

D.      19:1-2- God’s judgment is made known.

IV.    The Tarshish Situation (2 Chron. 20:37)

A.      After all this had happened he still didn’t get it. He now teams with Ahab’s son to send trade ships to Tarshish. But look what happened.

1.       Person we know was in business a long time and doing well. Went into business with unbeliever and lost his shirt inside of two years.

2.       When believers reject God’s wisdom they play the fool and often end up mired in terrible circumstances.

V.      Another hardship (2 Chron. 21:1,20)

A.      Jehoram took over after the death of his father.  He ruled according to the bad things he has seen his father do.

1.       He killed his kin (21:4)

2.       He followed the leading of the ungodly (21:6).

3.       He caused his subjects to commit fornication (21:11)

4.       He was condemned by the Lord (21:16-20).