Interview with Old Testament Figures – King Jehoshaphat: It gives me great pleasure to present one of my favourite kings in the Old Testament. He symbolises radical faith; in fact, the kind of faith that boggles the mind and stretches the imagination. He is none other than King Jehoshaphat, the son of Asa and the fourth king of Judah.
Shepherd Heart: We are delighted to have this time with you King Jehoshaphat. Thanks for honouring our invitation.
King Jehoshaphat: Thanks for having me.
Shepherd Heart: Kindly tell our readers whatever you want them to know about you and your reign.
King Jehoshaphat: I succeeded my father, Asa at age 35, and I ruled Judah from 873- 847 BC. I tried to model myself after my great-grand father, David. Consequently, I refused to consult the fake god, Baal; but instead sought the LORD God of Israel.
I also deployed Levites to many parts of the country to teach people God’s Law. God rewarded me for my commitments by establishing the kingdom under my control, so that I had great wealth and honour. My fame went far and near, and the surrounding nations feared me and brought me tribute.
Shepherd Heart: Your great act of faith in the face of an existential threat from an alliance of four nations was against all odds. Before we touch that aspect of your life, kindly explain to us why you saw it fit to join Ahab, a man who hated the God of Israel to fight against the Syrians for ownership of Ramoth Gilead.
King Jehoshaphat: As a student of history, I knew that God’s ultimate goal was not to have two separate nations representing Israel. We all understood that the division that led to the emergence of the Northern Kingdom was temporary, and that God would restore the nation of Israel in due course. That was not my motive for accepting to help Ahab. He was my brother after all, and I had the means to support him against the Syrians.
Shepherd Heart: Could you not have used your close relationship with him to discourage him from worshipping idols?
King Jehoshaphat: (Laughs). How many of your family members have you convinced to follow you to the cross of Christ? When it comes to religion, there is a limit to what you can do to help people see the light. Ahab chose his own path and I was not in a position to convince him otherwise.
Shepherd Heart: Did he ever invite you to any of his pagan feasts?
King Jehoshaphat: Ahab was not an ignorant worshipper of idols. He knew that he had turned his back on the God of Israel. Everyone understood that he was under the influence of his wife, Jezebel. He also saw the hand of God on my life and would not have dared to invite me to be part of his idol worship.
Shepherd Heart: Did the invitation for you to join him in the war against the Syrians come out of the blues?
King Jehoshaphat: Not really. I did not impute that we did not have a relationship. We did but we respected each other’s religious boundaries.
Shepherd Heart: Great! Now to the question I am sure everyone is waiting for. What motivated you to go against the alliance of four nations, namely Moab, Edom, Ammon and Meunite on the strength of a prophecy given by Jahaziel, the son of Zechariah?
King Jehoshaphat: When you enjoy an intimate relationship with God over the years, you get to understand that He is trustworthy. Trust is the greatest ingredient in any relationship. It is like a glue or bond sustaining it. God had shown Himself mighty in my life in several ways before this event. I was convinced in my spirit that Jahaziel’s prophecy was from Him.
Shepherd Heart: Obviously, not all your military commanders had your kind of faith. How were you able to convince them to go along with your plans to send the choir ahead of the army?
King Jehoshaphat: In ancient times, the word of the king was law. There was nothing like democracy or rule of law. The king was the law. Having said that, I believe that all Judah knew that I was not a reckless person. They had seen the hand of God in my life; hence, they could trust my judgement.
Shepherd Heart: I read the prophesy of Jahaziel, as recorded in 2 Chronicles 20:15-17. There is no indication there that God asked you to put the choir before the army. What informed that drastic decision?
King Jehoshaphat: If I had to trust God with my life, then I had to go the whole hog. I had the peace to do what I did. If my decision were not acceptable to God, he would have intervened through Jahaziel or any other prophet.
Shepherd Heart: Many people in my generation would have accused you of attempting to commit national suicide by sending the choir first into a battlefield. How would you have responded to that kind of accusation?
King Jehoshaphat: Your generation has become very detached from the things of the spirit, regardless of its religious posturing. Faith is not a religious currency. It springs from a heart that has encountered God indeed. Your generation scoffs at faith because there are many things you can do for yourself.
There are drugs to cure many illnesses that people in my generation had to trust God for. Technological breakthroughs also give you the advantage that we did not have. I believe the Messiah alluded to the lack of faith in your generation when He asked in Luke 18:8, “When the Son of Man comes back, will He find this kind of undying faith on earth?”
Shepherd Heart: You have made a valid point dear King, in relation to how we allow science and technology to erode our intimacy with God. Where is the balance? How can we pursue knowledge without losing our identity in God?
King Jehoshaphat: First, you need to understand that God wired your brains with the ability to pursue knowledge, whether scientific or otherwise. If you recognise Him as the Author of all things, then your scientific breakthroughs would not become an idol on whose altar all of humanity must bow.
There are notable scientists that had intimate relationship with Almighty God. I think it is just a matter of perspective and priority. If you give God the glory due to Him, you would not be tempted to worship the works of your hands.
Shepherd Heart: What do we need to do to increase our faith and trust in God?
King Jehoshaphat: Study the word of God through the help of the Holy Spirit, He saturate you with the Father’s presence. God’s manifest presence strengthens your faith. When He speaks to your heart, the word of God imbues your heart with the courage to confront a lion like my great-grandfather David did.
You cannot stir up faith or trust in God through your senses. Faith in the Father grows as you surrender your life completely to Him. He knows those whose hearts yearn for Him and He meets them at the point of their need. Another thing you need to do is learn to let God make choices for you. It is true that He created humans with a freewill.
However, nobody can predict the future. Only God knows the end from the beginning. Take advantage of this unique feature of His person to ensure that you do not take decisions that would harm you in future. The Father takes delight in those who trust Him to design their destiny for them. They are the ones who get the best from Him.
Shepherd Heart: Thanks for these nuggets of gold dear King. I am sure that my readers would appreciate them tremendously.
King Jehoshaphat: That is why we that have gone ahead of you are the cloud of witnesses. Our desire is to see God enthroned in every heart that He has created.
Shepherd Heart: Thanks once again for blessing us with your wisdom.
King Jehoshaphat: The pleasure is mine.