04.1.7.2. Four Kings In Judah - Jehoshaphat
FOUR GOOD KINGS IN JUDAH SUBSEQUENT TO THE DIVISION OF THE KINGDOM Chapter 7ii - Jehoshaphat
Jehoshaphat (the name means Jehovah is judge) (spelled Josaphat in Matthew 1:8), Asa’s son, was the second good King of Judah (1 Kings 15:24; 1 Kings 22:41-49; 2 Chronicles 17:1-19; 2 Chronicles 18:1-34; 2 Chronicles 19:1-11; 2 Chronicles 20:1-37; 2 Chronicles 21:1). He walked in both the good and bad ways of his father throughout his twenty-five years of reign. Jehoshaphat’s reign in Judah was during the time of Ahab and Ahaziah, Kings of Israel. His walking in “the first ways of his father David” revealed the character of this second good King.
The first ways include the strengthening of himself against Israel, seeking the God of his fathers, and sending his princes and Levites to teach the people of the kingdom of Judah (2 Chronicles 17:1-9). The first ways of David cannot be commended without a warning subsequent to the eulogy. This reminds the student of Scripture of what Christ said to the assembly in Ephesus:
Remember therefore from whence thou are fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. —Revelation 2:5
Retrogression in the Christian life is a deviation from the normal way. Apart from repentance, the just punishment by God will come upon the assembly by the removal of the lampstand, or punishment like the sickness that God sent upon Asa (2 Chronicles 16:11-14). The reason God records the shortcomings of His people, and His public servants in particular, is to warn all believers that men at their best must never be viewed as anything but men. The Lord Jesus Christ is the only perfect example for the people of God. The first ways of Jehoshaphat, plus the teaching of the people by the rulers and Levites, caused the fear of the Lord to come upon all the kingdoms around Judah. In the third year of Jehoshaphat’s reign, he sent his rulers Ben-hail (the name means “son of valor”), Obadiah (the name means “serving Jehovah”), Zechariah (the name means “remembered of Jehovah”), Nethaneel (the name means “given to God”), and Michaiah (the name means “who is as Jehovah”) to teach in all the cities of Judah. The king sent with them the Levites Shemaiah (the name means “heard of Jehovah”), Nethaniah (the name means “given of Jehovah”), Zebadiah (the name means “endowed of Jehovah”), Asahel (the name means “wrought of God”), Shemiramoth (the name means “name of heights”), Jehonathan (the name means “Jehovah is giver”), Adonijah (the name means “my Lord is Jehovah”), Tobijah (the name means “goodness of Jehovah”), and Tobadonijah (the name means “good is my Lord Jehovah”). With the Levites, the King sent the priests Elishama (the name means “my God is a hearer”) and Jehoram (the name means “Jehovah is exalted”). Thus the character of the men Jehoshaphat sent with the “book of the law” to teach the people throughout all the cities of Judah was revealed in the meanings of their names (2 Chronicles 17:7-9). The same principle was applied by Paul in his exhortation to Timothy to commit what he had heard from Paul through many witnesses to faithful men who shall also be capable to teach others (2 Timothy 2:2). The people of Judah became spiritually strengthened so that the fear of the Lord was upon the surrounding kingdoms to the extent that they did not make war with Jehoshaphat. The Philistines and Arabians brought gifts to Jehoshaphat, and he grew greater and greater; therefore, he built fortresses and store cities in Judah. However, his greatest strength was spiritual. The principle of spiritual fortification by means of Biblical doctrine is the lesson for God’s people in every age. Although Satan is already judged and condemned, his execution is stayed until the consummation of time. Satan is not only the ruler of demons (Matthew 9:34), but he is also the ruler of this world’s system (John 14:30). He has his secrets of human government, ministers of state, and mysteries of iniquity. Not feeling danger is the greatest danger to God’s people. The whole armor provided by God must be put on by every believer if he expects to win the hand to hand combat. This armor is not to be used as a cover for but as a defense against sin. When the whole armor is used against sin by the assembly, fear will come upon the assembly; and those outside will not be bold enough to unite with the assembly (Acts 5:1-13). The first verse of 2 Chronicles 18:1-34 is indeed sad:
NOW Jehoshaphat had great riches and honor; and he allied himself by marriage with Ahab. (NASB)
Riches and honor are more to be feared in the Christian life than poverty and contempt. Daily watching, studying, and praying are as necessary to the experienced as to the inexperienced believer. Alliance with evil prevents victory over evil. Jehoshaphat’s faithfulness to Ahab meant his unfaithfulness to God. The record states that after some years Jehoshaphat “went down to Ahab”
(2 Chronicles 18:2), which proved to be a spiritual decline for the King of Judah. Ahab had manifested his lack of spirituality by saying to Elijah: Have you found me, O my enemy? And he answered, I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the LORD.
—1 Kings 21:20 (NASB)
Jehoshaphat not only joined himself with Ahab who had sold himself to do evil, but he also made peace with him (1 Kings 22:44). Subsequent to wicked Ahab’s request that Jehoshaphat go up to Ramoth-gilead, Jehoshaphat made a statement to him that should be contrasted with Ruth’s statement to Naomi:
I [Jehoshaphat] am as you [Ahab] are, and my people as your people, and we will be with you in the battle. —2 Chronicles 18:3 (NASB)
But Ruth said, Do not urge me to leave you [Naomi] or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. —Ruth 1:16 (NASB) Jehoshaphat’s alliance was evil, but Ruth’s alliance was spiritual. In every age, God calls His people to a life of separation (2 Corinthians 6:14-18).
(1) God said to Abraham: “Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred” (Genesis 12:1).
(2) God told Israel to get out of Egypt (Exodus 11:8).
(3) John the Baptist stood outside of organized Judaism (Matthew 3:1-17).
(4) Christ led His sheep out of Judaism (John 10:1-42).
(5) Peter told the converts at Pentecost to be saved from this perverse generation (Acts 2:40).
(6) The writer of Hebrews admonished Christians to go forth to Christ outside the camp (religious Jerusalem) (Hebrews 13:13).
(7) In the future, the call of God shall go forth to His people to come out of Babylon (Revelation 18:4).
Recorded in 2 Corinthians 6:14-16 are the following five spheres of separation:
1. COMMERCIAL—In the commercial sphere, there can be no partnership between righteousness and lawlessness: “...for what partnership [metoche] have righteousness and lawlessness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14 NASB). Men of the world often unjustly get commercial riches, but no one can unjustly get spiritual riches because God cannot be bribed. Furthermore, unsaved people often choose the god of mammon, but the mammon of iniquity is not gain but loss. Conversely, the man of God has the righteous principle in making money, and he uses his money with an eye on the future judgment seat of Christ. Therefore, a partnership that involves a believer and a nonbeliever cannot be successful, because the partners operate on two different principles—righteousness and lawlessness.
2. POLITICAL—In the political sphere, there can be no close relationship between light and darkness: “what fellowship [koinonia, close relationship] has light with darkness?” (2 Kings 6:14 NASB). Scripture tells us that a worldly master praised the wrongdoing of a worldly steward “because he had acted shrewdly; for the sons of this age are more shrewd in relation to their own kind than the sons of light” (Luke 16:8 NASB). Christ gave the disciples a lesson on how money should be used. The sons of this age use money to make friends, but their friends are restricted to their own generation for personal gain. “...But those who love the rich are many” (Proverbs 14:20 NASB). “Wealth adds many friends...” (Proverbs 19:4 NASB). Friends gained by wealth last only as long as they are its recipients. Hence, their thoughts are on this age without any concern for eternity. The sons of this age are “now” people; they give no thought to “then.” Conversely, the sons of light have a deep concern for “then,” but they must realize that they have a responsibility “now.”
Jesus Christ did not suggest to the disciples that they should be dishonest, but He taught them to wisely use what they had for the spiritual benefit of the elect. The sons of this age are wise for a little while, but they shall be fools forever. On the other hand, the sons of light are fools for a short time for Christ’s sake, but they shall be wise in Christ for eternity.
3. SOCIAL—In the social sphere, there can be no agreement between Christ and the Devil: “What harmony [sumphonesis, which means harmonious with or agree with] has Christ with Belial [the Devil]” (2 Corinthians 6:15 NASB)? Paul was not suggesting isolation but separation in the sense of being insulated against anything in society that is contrary to Biblical principles. Christ associated with sinners, but He did not become their ally because sin does not exist in Him (1 John 3:5). Furthermore, inward separation results in outward separation. One is wrong to become affiliated with benevolent, cultural, or political organized social groups for community benefits. Moreover, Christians must never compromise Biblical principles in order to have a place to “serve” in a religious institution. Full obedience to God is more important than a larger sphere of service to men. Uncompromising Christians know that compromise limits God’s message, whereas no compromise limits their fellowship.
4. MARITAL—In the marital sphere the believer can have no part with the unbeliever: “What has a believer in common [meris, which means part, share, or portion] with an unbeliever?” (2 Corinthians 6:15 NASB). As in nature before the fall, by grace, “marriage in the Lord” surpasses everything human. Such a marriage finds what is of Jesus Christ in one another in spite of failures. The one who best knows his or her partner in marriage and seeks out of real love to correct his or her failings, gains a place in the spouse’s heart that cannot benefit a flatterer. Peter spoke to husband and wife as sharing together the grace of life (1 Peter 3:7). Paul spoke of marriage as man and woman becoming “one flesh” (Ephesians 5:31). Since man and woman become “one flesh” in marriage, the body of each belongs to the other, regardless of the shape or condition of it, until death parts them. How can a believer married to an unbeliever present his or her body (one flesh) a living sacrifice, holy, and well-pleasing to God? (See Romans 12:1.) Although the grace of God is sufficient for the believer, the unbelieving mate in a marriage relationship is a hindrance to the believer’s worship and service because of the unequal yoke.
5. SPIRITUAL—In the spiritual sphere, there is no agreement between the temple of God and idols. “What agreement [sugkatathesis, which means agreement, approval, or in company with] has the temple of God with idols?” (2 Corinthians 6:16 NASB). Paul used the Jewish temple as an analogy of the Christians in Corinth. He said that we are the temple of the living God; and that God said He will lie in us, walk in us, live among us, and be our God, and we shall be His people (2 Corinthians 6:16). As the beauty, fragrance of the incense, or the order of the service of the temple, which were outward appearances, did not reveal God’s presence, the human understanding of some Biblical principles, or the assembling of ourselves together does not prove that God is living within us. The Shekinah demonstrated God’s presence, and the Spirit of Christ being in us proves we have passed from spiritual death to spiritual life. As Christ would not tolerate any worldly merchandise in the temple in Jerusalem, Christians will cleanse themselves from all defilement of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God (2 Corinthians 6:17-18; 2 Corinthians 7:1). The unholy alliances of Jehoshaphat included military, commercial, and family affiliations. The military alliance between Jehoshaphat and Ahab resulted in both taking refuge in human inventions rather than in Divine principles. Ahab disguised himself; and Jehoshaphat, dressed in his royal robes, was thought to be the King of Israel. Their inventions brought death to Ahab and trouble to Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 18:1-3; 1 Kings 22:1-40).
Jehoshaphat committed the same sin that he had perpetrated with Ahab, Ahaziah’s father, subsequent to the death of Ahab, when he joined himself with Ahaziah. But this time the union was for commercial reasons
(2 Chronicles 20:35-37).
Jehoshaphat’s son, Jehoram (spelling is Joram in Matthew 1:8), married the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. Her name was Athaliah, and her character proved the commonplace saying, “like mother, like daughter.” The marriage of Jehoram and Athaliah was the fruit of Jehoshaphat’s union with Ahab.
Jehoshaphat’s alliance with Ahab was a compromise which led to serious consequences. Although Ramoth-gilead belonged to Israel, undertaking its recovery by going to war with Ahab was a sin for which Jehoshaphat must pay. His affinity with Ahab, who sold himself to do evil, affected his whole reign as king. Association with wicked people is always harmful to Christians. The company believers keep is important because bad associations corrupt good habits (1 Corinthians 15:33-34). Since the righteous cannot change the unrighteous, unholy alliances weaken the righteous. It has been said that disease, not good health, is contagious. Hence, the believer who compromises in his Christian life, thinking that some good will come from it, will learn that he loses on both ends. He sins by compromise, and the person with whom he has banded in his compromise loses respect for what he claims to believe. As soon as Jehoshaphat said to Ahab, “I am as you are, and my people as your people, and we will be with you in the battle” (2 Chronicles 18:3 NASB), he asked Ahab to “please inquire first for the word of the LORD” (2 Chronicles 18:4 NASB). Ahab called the first ecumenical council when he gathered the four hundred prophets (2 Chronicles 18:5). Although the prophets promised the King victory, Jehoshaphat was not satisfied without an answer from a prophet of the Lord. With all the opinions of false teachers today, no greater request can be made than the one by Jehoshaphat: “Is there not yet a prophet of the LORD here that we may inquire of him?” (2 Chronicles 18:6). The word “prophet” has a twofold meaning:
(1) telling forth the word of truth, and
(2) foretelling what will take place. Since the prophetic message has been completed, the man of God today can only tell forth what God through inspired men has already given.
Ahab told Jehoshaphat that he knew one prophet of the Lord:
There is yet one man, by whom we may inquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he never prophesied good unto me, but always evil: the same is Micaiah [the name means “who is as Jehovah”].... —2 Chronicles 18:7
One who hates the man who tells him the truth must remember what happened to Ahab (2 Chronicles 18:13-28). Ahab’s statement about Micaiah’s prophecy against him was an indictment against himself. Did the King think that if he had not been told the truth, the word of God through the prophet would have been divested of its authority? Many today deceive themselves to think that if they are ignorant of Scripture, they may take the liberty to do what seems good to them. Furthermore, they assume that since God judges them according to the light they have, they would be better to remain ignorant and say, “We did not know that.” However, the truth is that people will be judged according to the opportunities created for them by Divine providence. Therefore, our duty is to find the true teachers who have been provided by God’s providence that we may learn as much about the truth of God as possible at all cost.
Although the God-appointed minister is nothing in himself, the measure of his authority is determined by the measure of his knowledge of truth. Micaiah lived in God and spoke only what God spoke. Ministers must seek to emulate Micaiah’s independence of “the establishment”—the school of the prophets—but experience total dependence on God. The false prophets, like false ministers in the twentieth century, accommodated themselves to the spirit of the times. Furthermore, the sad commentary of our day is that rulers like Ahab and Jehoshaphat are inventing tricks to surprise the enemy rather than taking refuge in the sanctuary of Biblical principles. The messenger who was sent to summon Micaiah told him that the four hundred prophets with one voice predicted that God would give the King victory. Since the four hundred unanimously approved Ahab’s going up to Ramoth-gilead, the messenger requested that Micaiah also give his approval (2 Chronicles 18:5-12). A popular cry should be feared because “everybody” is a fearful tyrant. A fact of human nature is that it drifts with the tide because dead things and refuse drift with the stream. The grace of God and a knowledge of Biblical principles are necessary for one to go against the tide of human nature which is under the direction of the god of this age. Micaiah is a demonstration of one with grace and conviction to contradict the majority, but his speaking the truth of God was not without a personal price (2 Chronicles 18:23-27). The following examples confirm that this is a fact of Scripture: Ahab accused Elijah of being a troublemaker— “Art thou he that troubleth Israel?” (1 Kings 18:17). The man of God is an intruder upon the peace and order of society. Like Elijah, he traces evil to its proper source. Elijah said to Ahab:
...I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father’s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim. —1 Kings 18:18
Paul was forsaken but not forsaken by God (2 Timothy 4:10; 2 Timothy 4:16-18). The apostle did not die in a blaze of glory and praise, but his complete self-sacrifice for Christ’s sake was evidenced.
Micaiah valued the truth of God above all the sayings of men: “As the LORD lives, what my God says, that I will speak” (2 Chronicles 18:13 NASB). Micaiah’s faithful proclamation of truth caused Ahab to express his hatred for him: “I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me but always evil” (2 Chronicles 18:7 NASB). Although Ahab did not intend to commend Micaiah, no greater commendation can be paid the man of God than the enemies of truth saying, “We hate him.” The wicked become angry because the word of God destroys human theories, annihilates prejudice, and unveils sin. Thus, speaking the truth causes the haters of truth, like those of Jeremiah’s day, to say:
Come and let us devise plans against Jeremiah. Surely the law is not going to be lost to the priest, nor counsel to the sage, nor the divine word to the prophet! Come on and let us strike at him with our tongue, and let us give no heed to any of his words. —Jeremiah 18:18 (NASB)
Festus, an example of haters of truth, did not denounce Paul as a hypocrite but as a brainless fanatic (Acts 26:24). The charge of madness against the proclaimer of truth requires no thought but only a mouth of cursing and bitterness, running with its depraved brain out of gear. Furthermore, religionists today are resolving among themselves, like the enemies of Jeremiah, what should be done. When they stand for their depraved opinions, they are as much opposed to God’s true servants as the Jews were to Jeremiah. Look at their vain, glorious self-confidence! The Jews had their priests, wise men, and prophets. Their law, counsel, and word meant more to them than the law, counsel, and word of God through the prophet. Jeremiah’s enemies hoped to stir up the anger of King Jehoiakim against him because he did not belong to them.
Micaiah, the prophet of the Lord, would not compromise for either the pleasure or displeasure of any person. Therefore, he told King Ahab that in going up to Ramoth-gilead the people would be delivered into his hand, but at the same time Israel would be scattered as sheep without a shepherd. Hearing this, the King reminded Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?” (2 Chronicles 18:17 NASB). Micaiah told Ahab that the Lord had put a deceiving spirit in the mouths of his prophets, because the Lord had proclaimed the King’s destruction (2 Chronicles 18:22; 2 Thessalonians 2:11). Hence, God declared through Micaiah what He decreed. The declaration of truth by God’s prophet caused Ahab to have Micaiah imprisoned with a diet of bread and water until he returned safely. But Ahab did not return safely; he died. Men of such heroism as that displayed by Micaiah often suffer for their principles. Micaiah told Ahab, “If you indeed return safely, the Lord has not spoken by me” (2 Chronicles 18:27 NASB).
Ahab pretended to honor Jehoshaphat while intending to save himself and avoid Micaiah’s prophecy. The King of Israel said, “I will disguise myself, and will go to the battle; but put thou on thy robes...” (2 Chronicles 18:29). The King of Syria had commanded his men to fight with only the King of Israel. Therefore, when they saw Jehoshaphat dressed as a king, the warriors of Syria thought he was the King of Israel:
It is the king of Israel. Therefore they compassed about him to fight: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD [Jehovah, the covenant Savior] helped him; and God [Elohim] moved them to depart from him. —2 Chronicles 18:31
While sparing the good King, Jehoshaphat, the God of heaven directed the arrow from the bow to its destined target. It went through the joint of Ahab’s armor and caused his death at sunset that day.
Following Jehoshaphat’s safe return to Jerusalem, the prophet Jehu pronounced judgment upon him:
Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the LORD. Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God. —2 Chronicles 19:2-3
Jehu was the brave prophet who reproved Baasha, King of Israel (1 Kings 16:1-6). God then sent him to Jehoshaphat to reprove him with the strongest language possible for his unholy alliance: “Shouldest thou...love them that hate the LORD...?” (2 Chronicles 19:2 NASB).
Ahab was an idolater who had introduced his own depraved religion into his kingdom (1 Kings 18:17-40). God’s altar and Baal’s altar, like free grace and free will, cannot stand side by side because there can be only one sovereign God. Moses challenged the necromancers of Egypt. Elijah challenged the false prophets of Baal. Jesus Christ challenged the Pharisees. The apostles challenged the false teachers. Christendom, like the religion of Baal, has many followers. Anyone who unites himself with a religion that denies the following truths is loving those who hate the Lord:
(1) God’s absolute sovereignty,
(2) the inerrancy of Scripture,
(3) man’s depravity,
(4) unconditional election,
(5) particular redemption,
(6) irresistible grace,
(7) perseverance of the saints,
(8) regeneration by the Spirit apart from man’s faith,
(9) conversion by the gospel,
(10) justification before God by the imputed righteousness of Christ,
(11) justification by God’s gift of faith before one’s consciousness,
(12) justification by works before men,
(13) sanctification,
(14) the impeccability of Jesus Christ,
(15) the future kingdom of Christ for which the assembly is being prepared and Israel shall be prepared, and
(16) eternal punishment for the nonelect. Since idolaters are haters of the Lord, they are to be hated. David declared that he hated his enemies:
Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men. For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain. Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies. —Psalms 139:19-22
Jehoshaphat exemplified the true spirit in which one should receive Divine reproof (2 Chronicles 19:4-11). He not only went out among the people and brought them back to the Lord, the God of their fathers, but he also sent out judges for the purpose of judging for the Lord rather than for man. Moses had instructed Israel:
You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small and the great alike. You shall not fear man, for the judgment is God’s. And the case that is too hard for you, you shall bring to me, and I will hear it. —Deuteronomy 1:17 (NASB)
Christ exhorted Christians: “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment” (John 7:24). Christ used two present active imperatives:
(1) The first was negative—"Be not judging by external standards."
(2) The second was positive—"Be judging righteous judgment." The principle on which all issues are to be settled is subjection to God’s will. However, the flesh always wants to be vindicated; therefore, people motivated by the flesh go to persons who will take their side of an issue. On the other hand, the person motivated by the Spirit looks for adjustment to the will of God. A righteous judgment must be based on Biblical principles before two or three witnesses (Deuteronomy 17:6; Matthew 18:16; 1 Timothy 5:19). The repentant King told the judges to “let the fear of the LORD be upon you”
(2 Chronicles 19:7). Furthermore, “he charged them, saying, Thus shall ye do in the fear of the LORD, faithfully, and with a perfect heart” (2 Chronicles 19:9). The word “perfect” means with a heart of pure intent. When the heart is fixed on a Biblical principle one will strive wholeheartedly to reach the goal. In 2 Chronicles 19:7, the Hebrew word for “fear” is pachad, and it refers to the object of fear: “let the fear of the LORD be upon you.” In 2 Chronicles 19:9, the Hebrew word translated “fear” is yiraw, which means reverence. Since God’s people are representatives, their representation must be worthy of God: “I THEREFORE, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called ” (Ephesians 4:1). As the result of Jehoshaphat’s affinity (marriage) with Ahab, God’s wrath (great displeasure) came on him. Having experienced God’s great displeasure, the King warned his judges that they must perform their work in awe of God because God will have no part in unrighteousness. Therefore, in reverence of God to whom they were accountable, they must warn the people that disobedience brings God’s great displeasure on them.
Professing Christians seem to have no place in their vocabulary for God’s wrath (displeasure). Their common language is “God loves you” or “God love you.” The power of positive thinking supposedly gets people through any problem or condition, regardless of the reason for these situations. Many professing believers emphasize God’s love to the exclusion of His wrath. Knowing nothing about the ways the word fear is used in Scripture, they represent fear as pertaining to the realm of slavery. There are several Hebrew and Greek words translated fear in the Old and New Testaments. Hence, the English word fear translated from either the Hebrew or Greek can mean terror, horror, alarm, cowardice, fear, reverence, respect, worship, godly fear, etc.
Scripture affirms that fear is an essential part of the Christian life: “But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared” (Psalms 130:4). God cannot be reverenced where there is no forgiveness. Paul’s list of horrible indictments against the unforgiven concludes with “There is no fear [phobos, reverence for God] of God before their eyes” (Romans 3:18). The person who has been convinced of sin fears God: “...And by the fear [Hebrew for reverence] of the LORD one keeps away from evil” (Proverbs 16:6 NASB).
Fear is a permanent principle wrought in the heart by the Spirit of God in regeneration (Jeremiah 32:40), and it is a manifestation of Divine election. This principle is constantly stimulated by the name, word, and worship of God, all of which are fearful:
If you are not careful to observe all the words of this law which are written in this book, to fear this honored and awesome name, the LORD your God, then the LORD will bring extraordinary plagues on you and your descendants, even severe and lasting plagues, and miserable and chronic sicknesses. —Deuteronomy 28:58-59 (NASB)
The one who despises the word will be in debt to it, But the one who fears the commandment will be rewarded. —Proverbs 13:13 (NASB)
But as for me, by Thine abundant lovingkindness I will enter Thy house, At Thy holy temple I will bow in reverence for Thee. —Psalms 5:7 (NASB)
Very few today have a true Biblical concept of love and fear. Many quote Scripture without understanding its true meaning. For example, some quote 1 John 4:18 as a proof text that love casts out all fear: “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love” (NASB). Since the unregenerate person neither fears nor loves God, he often mistakes the absence of fear for the presence of love. The Greek noun phobos (fear, terror, reverence for God, or respect for persons) is used twice, and the participial form of the verb phobeo (to fear, be afraid of, to reverence) is used once in this verse. How are we to understand this verse in the light of the immediate text and the overall context of Scripture? An isolated feature of God never gives a true picture of His character; therefore, all the attributes and characteristics of God are required to give a true perspective of the sovereign Lord. When the characteristics of God are separated, each feature may be presented as something that does not portray His true character. Hence, the Bible speaks of God as the God of love, hate, righteousness, holiness, judgment, wrath, omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence, justice, severity, mercy, forgiveness, goodness, etc. Reverence for such a God is the alphabet of Christianity. As one cannot acquire knowledge without the alphabet, he cannot acquire spiritual knowledge without reverence for God, which is the fruit of regeneration. The one attribute of God which can be said to be the beauty of all His attributes and characteristics is holiness: Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? —Exodus 15:11
God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness. —Psalms 47:8
There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. —1 Samuel 2:2
Contrary to those only professing to be Christians, no Christian will emphasize one attribute of God at the expense of another. A person does not have to listen very long until he hears one who is only a professing believer say, “I have no use for religious dogma; it is enough for me to know that God loves me.” The oversimplification of “God is love” has resulted in a dislike for both doctrine in general and doctrine that is distasteful to oneself in particular. Any system of doctrine built on the oversimplification of “God is love” leads to affinity with modernism and socialism. Hence, the final outcome will be a denial of eternal punishment because if God is essentially love, one cannot believe in eternal punishment. When John said, “There is no fear in love...” (1 John 4:18 a), he was not saying the believer has no filial fear of God. The word filial pertains to a son or daughter having parental fear or respect. Scripture teaches that we are to live in fear during the time of our staying in a strange country (1 Peter 1:17; 1 Peter 2:17; Php 2:12; Hebrews 12:28; 2 Corinthians 7:1; 2 Corinthians 7:11). The fear the Christian has as he sojourns in an alien country is that of displeasing his heavenly Father by failing to either work out his salvation properly or cleanse himself from all defilement of the flesh and spirit. Filial fear gives positional confidence: “In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge” (Proverbs 14:26). Reverential fear drives out slavish fear, and that gives confidence.
Following John’s statement “There is no fear in love” in 1 John 4:18 a, the superordinating conjunction alla is used to introduce his next statement, “...but perfect [teleia, from teleios, which means perfect, full grown, or mature] love casteth [ballei, present active indicative of ballo, which means throw, throw down, or as it is used here, drive out fear] out fear....” This signifies that mature love exerts its influence on the elect. According to 1 John 4:17, “love has been permanently matured [perfect passive indicative of teleioo] with [meta, genitive of association] us in order that we may have confidence in the day of judgment” (1 John 4:17 a —translation). The recipient of love has filial fear, but he is not governed by this fear “because fear hath [echei, present active indicative of echo, which literally means is having] torment [kolasin, accusative feminine singular of kolasis, which means punishment]” (1 John 4:18 b). This is the only place in the New Testament where the noun kolasis is used. Thus, the statement that “fear is having punishment” (1 John 4:18 b —translation) is something presently taking place in the believer who has not reached maturity in his Christian life. Since there are no degrees of God’s love to the elect, the passage is discussing the growth and maturity of our love to God and His people. 1 John 4:18 concludes, “The one fearing has not been matured in [en, locative of sphere] the sphere of love” (translation); therefore, he lacks conditional confidence.
Mature love lifts from the heart of the Christian the burden of fearing to meet his Judge at the judgment seat of Christ. Although reverential fear of God exists in every believer, regardless of his growth and maturity, he is governed by mature love when it comes to judgment. As the judgment of the Savior for the sins of the elect is behind Him, it is also behind the elect; and matured love is made conscious of this truth. Hence, as Christ the Savior “is [estin, present active indicative of eimi), so are [esmen, present active indicative of eimi] we in this world” (1 John 4:17b). We are in this world not as Jesus Christ was in it but as He is now in it in reference to judgment (Romans 8:1-3). The judgment seat of Christ has nothing to do with our position, but it does have something to do with our condition before our Judge. The love of God shed abroad in our hearts cannot exist as a subordinate (secondary) principle. True love admits no rival, allows no allurements of the world to alienate it from it’s object, and permits no comparison. Furthermore, God’s love, according to 1 John 4:18, has been permanently brought to completion with Christians in order that we may have confidence before the judgment seat (bema) of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10). This love is constant because it has not been ignited by the things of time but by the eternal flame of God’s purpose in the salvation of the elect. John added that “We are loving him, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19—translation). Therefore, our love for God is the reflex of His love “which has been poured out [ekkechutai, perfect passive indicative of ekcheo] in our hearts by the Holy Spirit” (Romans 5:5—translation).
“The one fearing has not been brought to completion [teteleiotai, perfect passive indicative of teleioo] in the sphere of love” (1 John 4:18 b—translation). Love is like honey, but love brought to completion is like honey with all the comb and wax strained out. The condition of Christians will vary from believer to believer. Some have fear without matured love; thus, their lack of growth and development in Biblical doctrine causes them to lack the conditional confidence that comes with maturity. Others have grown to a greater degree in doctrinal teaching, but their condition contains fear and love when they contemplate the judgment. Love has not matured to the degree that they are not apprehensive about the judgment. Finally, there are Christians whose condition is without fear of the judgment because their love is mature. This is what John was talking about when he said the following: By this our love has been perfectly matured with us, in order that we may have confidence in the day of judgment. —1 John 4:17 (translation)
And now children, you be abiding in him; in order that when He may be made visible, we may have confidence before Him in His presence.
—1 John 2:28 (translation) This lack of conditional confidence is due to insufficient growth and development in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. The Greek word for confidence is parresia, which means openness, boldness, fearless confidence, assurance, or freedom of speech. The noun is used 31 times in several different ways; but since our emphasis is fearless confidence or assurance, we shall restrict ourselves to this theme. No person can be fearlessly confident of his salvation by simply believing what is objectively contained in the Scriptures. There must be a subjective experience of objective truth. Hence, a subjective knowledge of “I believe,” apart from the Holy Spirit to mediate the objective and subjective elements to the consciousness of the believer, will not give assurance (Romans 8:14-16). Therefore, the character and not the strength of one’s conviction proves the validity of his fearless confidence.
Peter’s subjective experience had become reconciled to the objective truth of God when he replied to Christ’s question, “Do you desire to be going away?” by saying:
...to whom shall we go? you have the words of eternal life, And we believed [pepisteukamen, perfect active indicative of pisteuo, which means have permanently believed] and have known [egnokamen, perfect active indicative of ginosko, which means have permanently known] that you are the holy one of God. —John 6:67-69 (translation)
Most people think of reconciliation only as God being reconciled to a sinner. It is true that God is reconciled to the sinner, but the person dead in trespasses and sins must have his sins paid for before he can be reconciled to God. As freedom from condemnation in Romans 8:1 embraces more than freedom from the judgment of sin’s guilt, judgment of sin in the flesh by the believer embodies more than legal judgment of sin in the flesh. Persons engaged in the conflict between the spirit and the flesh must realize that the “power of sin” as well as the “penalty of sin” has been once-for-all judged, and the ruling power in the believer is the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1-3). In the natural world, matter does not form the life; but the life forms matter. In the spiritual world, the man does not form the Christian; but the Spirit of God forms the Christian. Flesh manifests itself in deeds of the flesh (Galatians 5:16-21; Colossians 3:9), confidence in the flesh (Php 3:4), fleshly religion (Galatians 1:14; Galatians 3:3; Php 3:4-7), fleshly worship (Galatians 3:3), fleshly service (1 Corinthians 11:22), and fleshly methods that are adopted by those who practice fleshly religion. Whereas the Spirit of God leads the Christian to manifest the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-24).
Doctrine, walk, and warfare are inseparable in the Christian life. The Epistle to the Ephesians begins with God’s election, predestination, foreordination, reconciliation, etc.; continues with the Christian walk; and concludes with warfare in the Christian life. If a person understands doctrine and this objective truth of God has been mediated by the Holy Spirit between the experience of these truths with the objective truths themselves, the experience of the person who says he believes these things will harmonize with the objective truths of God. This is the work of the Holy Spirit. Work of faith, labor of love, and endurance of hope distinguish God’s chosen ones (1 Thessalonians 1:3). The Spirit of God bears witness with the spirit of each Christian enabling us to know we are the sons of God (Romans 8:14-16). The only way we can know when we are led by the Spirit of God is by knowing the objective message of God. The objective message and the subjective knowledge become one in regeneration. Before his regeneration, Paul thought he knew and understood the law, but he did not. After his regeneration, he was made by the Spirit of God to see the spirituality of the law. The Holy Spirit mediated what Paul knew objectively and what he experienced subjectively on the road to Damascus. When one has been reconciled to Jesus Christ and then the Holy Spirit regenerates him, he knows that he and Christ are one. As the result of having been reconciled to Christ, the experience of the individual who has been regenerated will be reconciled to the objective truth of God; and the objective truth of God and his experience will be one. The regenerated person responds to truth. When there is no response, there is no mediating Spirit of regeneration in him.
God-given faith is not contented with an obscure and ill-defined understanding of anything pertaining to one’s relationship to God. From faith, the Christian derives confidence through the objective message of God; and from confidence in God’s word, he approaches with confidence the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16). Such confidence in approaching God stems from the believer’s assurance in what the Scripture says about the foundational truth of judgment for the believer’s nature of sin and his sins of nature in the death of Christ. Confidence is the result of knowing the following things:
(1) The fire of God’s judgment is ignited by man’s sin.
(2) Jesus Christ bore the judgment of God on behalf of the elect.
(3) The word of God assures everyone born of the Spirit that there is now no condemnation to those in Christ. The Son of God died not only for what the elect have done and have not done but also for what we were in Adam. The wrath of God due to both our sinful nature and the sins of our sinful nature was borne by the holy One who had neither sin nor sins. Since the wrath of God expended itself in Christ Jesus on behalf of the elect, we are positionally complete in Christ. What confidence! What assurance! What boldness!
Jehu’s warning stirred Jehoshaphat to make some compensation for the loss he had caused in Judah. Thus, his recovery from his declension was manifested. God not only reproved His backslidden King, but He also commended him for the good he had done. The reproved King received the rebuke and wasted no time in setting things in order.
(1) He appointed judges in all the cities to judge not for the benefit of man but for the benefit of God (2 Chronicles 19:6).
(2) Their judgments were to be in the fear of the Lord, because the Lord “will have no part in unrighteousness, or partiality, or the taking of a bribe” (2 Chronicles 19:7 NASB).
(3) He charged them to operate “in the fear of the LORD, faithfully and wholeheartedly” (2 Chronicles 19:9 NASB).
(4) He warned them “that they may not be guilty before the LORD, and wrath may not come on you and your brethren...” (2 Chronicles 19:10 NASB).
(5) There were distinctions as well as order in the King’s appointments. First, spiritual matters were involved in the King’s appointment of Amariah (the name means “the saying of Jehovah”) over the people in all that pertained to the Lord (2 Chronicles 19:11 NASB). Second, civil matters were involved in his appointment of Zebadiah (the name means “endowed of Jehovah”) as ruler of the house of Judah. Third, the King appointed the Levites as officers to see that things were correctly carried out and good laws were executed. The ruler’s offering must be male (Leviticus 4:22-26) to show that a ruler or judge must be of masculine gender. The people’s offering, however, might be a female (Leviticus 4:27-35). This same principle is maintained in the New Testament. Our generation ignores God’s principle pertaining to the sexes, and we are paying for this rebellion.
(6) The King exhorted them to “Deal courageously, and the LORD shall be with the good” (2 Chronicles 19:11). “Act resolutely, and the LORD be with the upright” (NASB). The Hebrew word translated “courageously” in the King James Bible and “resolutely” in the New American Standard Bible is chazaq, which means strong, firm, undaunted, or courageous. The Septuagint uses the Greek word ischuo, which means to be able, win over, or be strong, to translate the Hebrew word chazaq. The English word “resolute” means firmly resolved or determined.
Few people in religious circles today consider the value and need of resolved or determined Christians. Hence, only a small number of believers are undaunted in their proclamation of the truth. These few are not forced by fear of man to abandon their purpose in declaring the whole counsel of God regardless of the consequences. Therefore, believers who will defend the truth thoroughly and boldly are rare. Many neglect such responsibility not because they lack sympathies, sentiments, and ideas but simply for lack of courage to take the first line trenches where the real warfare is being fought. This lack of courage is a manifestation of a want of confidence in what they really believe.
Some persons may have boldness without spiritual confidence. Many assume that they are acting spiritually when they are really acting from prejudice or sentimental feelings. Their actions may be classified as bulldog determination or intestinal fortitude (guts). Such resolve may attract uninformed believers, but it is soon detected by persons who have experienced Biblical principles. Persons having tasted that the Lord is gracious cannot remain silent:
We having the same spirit of faith, according as it has been written, I believed, therefore I spoke; we are also believing, for this reason we are speaking. —2 Corinthians 4:13 (translation)
It can be said that “...the righteous are as bold as a lion” (Proverbs 28:1). This, however, is not bulldog boldness. No Christian has ever been more bold than Paul, but his boldness had another side which was revealed in his admonition to the Ephesian elders: “Therefore, watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears” (Acts 20:31). Paul’s tears were not for public display or showmanship, but they were a manifestation of his tenderness that is inseparable from spiritual boldness. A minister was asked, “How could you be so calm while people were weeping as you preached?” He replied, “My weeping was done yesterday.”
Solomon restricted the proverbial statement “bold as a lion” to the righteous. Hence, distinction must be made between physical and spiritual courage. Natural courage is nothing more than self-confidence, but spiritual courage is Christ-confidence. The first is presumptuous; the latter is trust in God who cannot fail. Self-confidence cannot withstand the trials and exposures of life. Christ-consciousness enables the righteous to bid farewell to doubt and insecurity, because they are in Jesus Christ who gives a hope that is sure and steadfast. Righteous courage is manifested throughout Scripture in such men as Joseph, Moses, Caleb, Joshua, David, Elijah, Daniel, the three young Hebrew men, Paul, etc. (See. Hebrews 11:1-40.) The degree of courage depends on the spiritual level the Christian is living. Furthermore, the spiritual level is determined by the indoctrination one has experienced. Who can deny that Peter disgraced himself by denying that he was one of Christ’s disciples (John 18:17; John 18:27)? Peter should have been humbled to have had both his sin and restoration predicted. (See Luke 22:31-34.) Peter was like a glass filled with muddy water. Under normal conditions, the mud settles to the bottom, and the water looks clear. However, under abnormal conditions, the water is stirred, and the condition becomes realistic. Peter’s self-confident statement, “Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death” (Luke 22:33), was a manifestation of his flesh at its best before men. However, when he denied that he was Christ’s disciple, the muddy water of his flesh manifested his condition of life. Do not overlook the fact that Christ’s prayer, “I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not” (Luke 22:32), revealed Peter’s position. Our flesh will surely be exposed. Its untrustworthiness must be brought to light; and at the same time, the removal of the chaff causes faith to be more evident.
Although Peter, through lack of courage, lied about being Christ’s disciple, the cowardly Simon became the courageous Peter on the day of Pentecost. Satan’s desire was to do Peter harm, but Christ’s desire by means of Satan’s sifting was Peter’s spiritual profit. The sifting of wheat does not destroy the kernel of life in the wheat. Even though there was some chaff in Peter, he was not all chaff.
Although Jehoshaphat committed a heinous sin, Scripture records a “nevertheless [but]”:
Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God. —2 Chronicles 19:3
God distinguished a backslidden believer from an apostate. He preserves, reproves, and commends the Christian. Thus, in judgment, God remembers mercy. Jehoshaphat’s taking away the groves refers to his removing the idols worshipped in the groves. Even the good works done by God’s people are performed by grace.