Jehoshaphat is approached by Jehoram, the son of Ahab, for help against Moab, and Jehoshaphat consents at once despite the fact that his former alliance with Ahab had earned the rebuke of a prophet; cf. 2 Chr. 19. 2. He had also learned from that earlier lesson, cf. 2 Chr. 30. 3, but how soon lessons can be unlearned! ‘I am as thee’, he says; cf. 1 Kgs. 22. 4. How often we rush into arrangements without prayer for guidance, and we begin to seek God only when faced with disappointment. How can that prosper in which a Christian takes part without any reference to the Lord, and in association with those who hate Him? So Jehoshaphat finds that he and Jehoram face disaster, v. 9. How many troubles we get into by simply neglecting to seek divine guidance! It may be asked that if Jehoshaphat was so in favour with God, why was he involved in the same disaster as apostate Jehoram? For this he had himself to blame. He had made common cause with the ungodly. In some respects it was the same scourge upon them both, but in another respect it was not the same. Jehoram was being punished, but Jehoshaphat was being chastened. Chastisements are the visitations of our Father’s love. We may through self-will, like Jehoshaphat, find ourselves in a waterless valley, but even here, if we humble ourselves, God will fill the valley with refreshment. Unlike Jehoram, Jehoshaphat had hope in God’s mercy, v. 11. He thought of the Lord, but better had it been if he had inquired of the Lord before he had gone forth. Yet his response appears to proceed from a heart accustomed to recognize in God not only a judge, but a friend. He directs his thoughts towards God and the thoughts of God’s saints never turn to Him in vain.
Jehoshaphat is desirous of discovering the will of God, though he is now entangled in an unholy alliance. For his sake Elisha intervenes, though he has no truck with Jehoram. How the calling of the minstrel must have humbled Jehoshaphat, that after calling for the prophet of the Lord the divine mouthpiece was unable to prophesy at once. Unholy alliances hinder the manifestations of the Spirit of God.
