Friendship with Ahab was a retrograde step; cf. Jas. 5. 4. Let us beware of our friendships. Godly Jehoshaphat fraternizing with godless Ahab! Jeshoshaphat’s prosperity is used by the devil as a snare for him. His kingdom is fortified against Ahab’s hostilities, but his heart lies open to Ahab’s allurements. ‘He made a marriage alliance with Ahab’, 2 Chr. 18. 1 RSV. When a Christian enters into association with the world he lays himself open to enter upon a worldly course of action. When Jehoshaphat allowed Ahab to kill sheep and oxen for him, he would find it difficult not to meet Ahab’s desire in regard to Ramoth Gilead. Having received such courteous and lavish treatment from Ahab, how could Jehoshaphat refuse without violating every claim of friendship? It is hard not to appear friendly after accepting kind hospitality. Furthermore the feast was given a religious character; ‘killed’ – ‘sacrificed’. Besides, to recover one of the cities of refuge was desirable. Was not Ahab just doing his duty in trying to regain it? And was not Ahab prepared to consult the prophets? So men of the world may put up every plausible moral and religious reason for their actions. If the Christian will hide his testimony to be friends with the world, the world will also assume a form of godliness in order not to scandalize him. But for Jehoshaphat to involve himself with Ahab was a departure from the path of purity and separation. He fell into the snare and involved others as well – ‘My people as thy people’. Surely the people will follow him because of his earlier devotion to the Lord. ‘If Jehoshaphat does it, it must be all right’. He proceeded with the plan even after Micaiah’s warning to Ahab. He even dressed himself in his royal robe at the latter’s request. In battle he was soon surrounded by enemies. He had completely surrendered his identity in the eyes of the world, ‘It is the king of Israel’. Then, in extremity, ‘he cried out to God’. It was the cry of a convicted, yet confiding, backslider. His eyes were open to the position into which he had brought himself. The Lord did not take Jehoshaphat at his word when he said to Ahab, ‘I am as thou art’. He graciously delivered him. Jehoshaphat found that God was ‘a very present help in time of trouble’.
