Jehoshaphat Made Ships of Tharshish
Jehoshaphat's failure serves as a warning to God's people to avoid being unequally yoked with unbelievers and to cultivate a love for Jesus that leads to holiness.
C.H. Spurgeon reflects on the story of Jehoshaphat, whose ships failed to reach their destination due to his alliance with a sinful family, contrasting this with Solomon's successful ventures. He emphasizes that God's providence can lead to both success and failure, and encourages believers to bless the Lord even in disappointment. Spurgeon warns against being unequally yoked with unbelievers, as it can lead to suffering and broken works. He urges the faithful to seek holiness and separation from sin, drawing lessons from Jehoshaphat's experience. Ultimately, the sermon calls for a deeper love for Jesus to avoid the pitfalls of worldly alliances.
Text
Solomon's ships had returned in safety, but Jehoshaphat's vessels never reached the land of gold. Providence prospers one, and frustrates the desires of another, in the same business and at the same spot, yet the Great Ruler is as good and wise at one time as another. May we have grace to-day, in the remembrance of this text, to bless the Lord for ships broken at Ezion-geber, as well as for vessels freighted with temporal blessings; let us not envy the more successful, nor murmur at our losses as though we were singularly and specially tried.
Like Jehoshaphat, we may be precious in the Lord's sight, although our schemes end in disappointment.
The secret cause of Jehoshaphat's loss is well worthy of notice, for it is the root of very much of the suffering of the Lord's people; it was his alliance with a sinful family, his fellowship with sinners. In 2 Chron. 20:37, we are told that the Lord sent a prophet to declare, "Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the Lord hath broken thy works." This was a fatherly chastisement, which appears to have been blest to him; for in the verse which succeeds our morning's text we find him refusing to allow his servants to sail in the same vessels with those of the wicked king.
Would to God that Jehoshaphat's experience might be a warning to the rest of the Lord's people, to avoid being unequally yoked together with unbelievers! A life of misery is usually the lot of those who are united in marriage, or in any other way of their own choosing, with the men of the world. O for such love to Jesus that, like Him, we may be holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners; for if it be not so with us, we may expect to hear it often said, "The Lord hath broken thy works."
Sermon Outline
- Introduction
- The secret cause of Jehoshaphat's loss
- A warning to the Lord's people
- Avoid being unequally yoked with unbelievers
- A life of misery results from worldly relationships
Key Quotes
“The secret cause of Jehoshaphat's loss is well worthy of notice, for it is the root of very much of the suffering of the Lord's people; it was his alliance with a sinful family, his fellowship with sinners.” — C.H. Spurgeon
“Would to God that Jehoshaphat's experience might be a warning to the rest of the Lord's people, to avoid being unequally yoked together with unbelievers!” — C.H. Spurgeon
“O for such love to Jesus that, like Him, we may be holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners;” — C.H. Spurgeon
Application Points
- We must avoid being unequally yoked with unbelievers to prevent suffering and misery.
- A love for Jesus that leads to holiness is essential for a life of joy and peace.
- God's people must be separate from sinners and cultivate a holy lifestyle to please Him.