2 Kings
(1) Under the influence: 2 Kings 3
We all like to think of our ourselves as independent people
We know our own mind
We do what we want to do
We won’t let anyone run our lives for us
But, the truth of the matter is that every day someone or something is influencing us
It might be …
The lyrics of the song we’ve been humming along to
A programme we’ve just seen on TV
An article we’ve read in the paper
A something we’ve been told in a conversation
Like it or not – we are all under some kind of influence
And that’s not necessarily a bad thing – so long as we’re influenced by the right kind of people and the right kind of things
After all didn’t Paul say ‘be imitators of me as I am of Christ’ – what’s that if it’s not a positive influence
And what was Jesus doing in the three years that He spent with the disciples if He wasn’t influencing them
But, the problem usually isn’t with those good influences – that we have to work at
à it’s with those negative influences
The things people have said to us
The TV programmes that we’ve watched
The crowd that we’ve got in with
It’s no wonder that Paul said ‘do not be conformed to this world’ in Romans 12.2
-- in other words ‘don’t let the world influence you’ – or as J.B Phillips translation puts it: ‘don’t let the world around you squeeze you into it’s own mould’
Well, this evening we’re going to meet a man who was too easily influenced by the wrong kind of people
His name was Jehoshophat
He was king of Judah
And on the whole he was a good man
He walked with God
He got rid of the idols people had been worshipping
He’d even sent some of the spiritual leaders out to teach people about the law of God
But he had one very serious weakness he couldn’t say no to the wicked king who ruled the northern Kingdom – Ahab or to Ahab’s son Joram
Jehoshophat and Ahab were kings at just about the same time
When Jehoshophat first came to the throne he bolstered defenses against the North – fortifying and manning the garrisons around the border
But somewhere along the line he seemed to succumb to Ahab’s charm offensive. à In fact he actually married into his family.
Every time he got tied up with Ahab it resulted in heartache
-- but he couldn’t seem to help himself
And the pattern continues during the reign of Ahab’s son Joram
SO – this evening we’re going to learn from Jehoshophat’s mistakes and draw some positive lessons that should help us stop coming under the wrong kind of influence
1. Learn to discern
In 2 areas
Character
And please – don’t think I’m talking about us being all distant and judgemental
à discerning
You can see what I mean if you look at what’s going on in this chapter with me.
Take a look at Joram’s profile
2 He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, but not as his father and mother had done. He got rid of the sacred stone of Baal that his father had made. 3 Nevertheless he clung to the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit; he did not turn away from them. (NIV)
In some ways it’s a bit of a mixed review
-- he’d made a move against the pagan religion– the worship of Baal - that had eaten away at the country during his father’s reign by getting rid the sacred stone the worshippers of Baal would have congregated around.
But we’re told that he ‘did evil in the eyes of the Lord’
And the only detail we’re given is that ‘he clung to the sins of Jeroboam’
Jeroboam was the first man to rule the breakaway kingdom
-- he was afraid that when people traveled to Jerusalem to worship God they loose their loyalty to his fledgling Kingdom. So he set up an alternative place of worship.
You can read about it in 1 Kings 12:28-29
28 After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves. He said to the people, "It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt." 29 One he set up in Bethel, and the other in Dan.
Joram continued this godless practice which, in the Lord’s eyes, was evil
Jehoshophat didn’t seem to question this, or even notice it
-- he just threw his lot in with Joram and said ‘I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses’
A friend of mine was telling me about an afternoon he spent with someone in his Church. He told me that the other person spent all his time, running people down, pouring scorn and cynicism on everything, and complaining about the things he didn’t like in the Church.
‘By the time I left I felt cynical myself’
It wasn’t a very pleasant experience - but he did learn an important lesson – ‘by their fruits you shall know them’
If you notice someone spends their time running everyone down – you’ll need to filter what they say to you – and more importantly point out to them what they’re doing and how harmful it is.
If your friends at college spend their time getting drunk or sleeping around you’ve got to be very careful about the discussions you have with them and the places you go with them.
I know that Jesus spent a lot of time with Publicans and tax collectors – but He was always the one who influenced them.
The second area in
The Cause
… we find ourselves getting tied up with
In Gideon’s day the Moabites were a huge problem
-- but they’d become a spent force, and had been under Israel’s thumb for decades. In fact each year they gave the Israelites livestock as tribute. Just as a reminder of who was the boss.
But, times were changing. A new leader by the name of Mesah – has risen.
-- he seized the opportunity of the chaos that came at Ahab’s death and the short reign of Ahaziah and rejected Israel’s authority by refusing to pay their tribute.
Theses problem begun in Ahaziah’s reign (who ruled immediately after Ahab’s death) but he wasn’t able to do anything about it.
Joram was more hawkish. He wanted to flex his muscles and show his strength.
-- so he mobilized a huge national fighting force, got the King of Edom on his side, and asked Jehoshophat to join the coalition
And what did Jehoshophat do?
Did he ask him to hang on while he sought the Lord?
Did he consult a Prophet who could bring a word of guidance?
Did he stand back and give the matter some thought?
NO à HE LEAPT IN WITH BOTH FEET
7b"I will go with you," he replied. "I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses." (NIV)
Had he done the right thing?
Well, there were some very good reasons to get involved – which he would have no doubt already thought through
2 Chronicles tells us that the Moabites had made some incursions into Judah
-- and if he could help get them back under Israel’s thumb they wouldn’t be able to do that any more
And they were becoming a growing threat – which would be better to deal with now – before they got more confident
It certainly made sense in the strategic short term
à but look at Jehoram’s request again
7a He also sent this message to Jehoshaphat king of Judah: "The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?"
It was Joram’s personal cause – and he was a man who was a long, long way from God
And Jehoshophat had already been rebuked by the Lord (through His spokesman / Prophet) for his alliance with the last 2 Kings
2 Chronicles 19:2
2 Jehu the seer, the son of Hanani, went out to meet him and said to the king, "Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD? Because of this, the wrath of the LORD is upon you. (NIV)
2 Chronicles 20:37
37 Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, "Because you have made an alliance with Ahaziah, the LORD will destroy what you have made." The ships were wrecked and were not able to set sail to trade.
People who have a cause can be very persuasive
-- and a lot of times their causes deserve our support
But it is so important that we stand back, and look at their cause in the light of our own à the Kingdom of heaven
We’ve got to stop and ask ourselves if God is in the cause, whether it will help us to be salt and light or whether it might actually distract us from the work He has called us to do
Philippians 3:20-21
20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. (NIV)
IILLUSTRATION
When Martyn Llloyd Jones was in Wales several ministers tried to persuade him to join the cause of Welsh nationalism
à but his cause was the gospel and he wouldn’t get involved in it
He preached a sermon on the subject called ‘the tragedy of modern Wales’
‘Let us get rid of all injustices, by all means, let us fight for the right to manage our won local affairs in our way, but do not let us delude ourselves into believing that we shall be better Christian men and women merely because we speak Welch and have a parliament of our own. No, what Wales needs above everything today is not a republic, but a revival.’
SO – to filter out the wrong kind of influences we’re going to need to learn to discern
2. Listen to God’s Word (8-11a)
Jehoshophat is the more experienced statesman here
- he’s been a king for about 35 years à but he has the smaller Kingdom
While Jehoram is a bit of a novice with a lot more military muscle
-- and he’s gland of Jehoshophat’s counsel
So, following Jehoshophat’s advice they travel south around the dead sea and then north through Edom to Moab
-- but after a week things start to go wrong
9 So the king of Israel set out with the king of Judah and the king of Edom. After a roundabout march of seven days, the army had no more water for themselves or for the animals with them. (NIV)
Look at how the 2 kings react
Joram’s
10 And the king of Israel said, "Alas! For the LORD has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab." (NKJV)
It’s interesting that this is the first time he’s spoken about the Lord – and the only thing he has to say is negative <>
Jehoshophat’s
11a But Jehoshaphat asked, "Is there no prophet of the LORD here, that we may enquire of the LORD through him?"
Two very different reactions
- Joram despairs and says that the Lord has it in for him
- Jehoshophat wants to hear God’s Word
BUT, before we pat him on the back too enthusiastically – let’s not forget that this is pretty late into this little escapade
-- he should have been doing this at the outset!
It’s interesting that Joram hasn’t got the first idea where they’d find such a man
- it down to one his servants to tell them about a hitherto unknown man called Elisha who used to be Elijah’s right hand man
11bAn officer of the king of Israel answered, "Elisha son of Shaphat is here. He used to pour water on the hands of Elijah." (NIV)
And when they track him down he’s not very complimentary about Joram, but out of respect for Jehoshophat he brings God’s Word – which, on the whole, is quite positive
14 Elisha said, "As surely as the LORD Almighty lives, whom I serve, if I did not have respect for the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you or even notice you. 15 But now bring me a harpist."
While the harpist was playing, the hand of the LORD came upon Elisha 16 and he said, "This is what the LORD says: Make this valley full of ditches. 17 For this is what the LORD says: You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water, and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink. 18 This is an easy thing in the eyes of the LORD; he will also hand Moab over to you. 19 You will overthrow every fortified city and every major town. You will cut down every good tree, stop up all the springs, and ruin every good field with stones." (NIV)
Remember – they’d run out of water
‘Dig ditches – and lots of them’ Elisha says ‘because the Lord will fill them with water’
‘And that’s not all He’s going to do – He’s going to give the Moabites into your hands’
But – positive as this was Jehoshophat should have had a few alarms bells ringing at Elisha’s reaction to his ally
14 Elisha said, "As surely as the LORD Almighty lives, whom I serve, if I did not have respect for the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you or even notice you. (NIV)
God wasn’t endorsing this alliance
- He was helping Jehoshophat in spite of it
And if he’d have sought out God’s Word from the outset he wouldn’t be in such a pickle.
Now, we don’t need to go looking for Prophets – God has spoken in His Word
-- and whilst the Bible doesn’t give us the fine details of our lives like where we should work, who we should marry, and what church we should join
à it does give us the principles that will help us to discover these things
And this is the most effective tool to help us filter out the wrong influences
Psalm 119
1 Blessed are they whose ways are blameless,
who walk according to the law of the LORD. (NIV)
…..
15 I meditate on your precepts
and consider your ways. (NIV)
….
26 I recounted my ways and you answered me;
teach me your decrees. (NIV)
….
59 I have considered my ways
and have turned my steps to your statutes. (NIV)
ILLUSTRATION
When you’re on a journey – you assume you know the way and you don’t consult the map until you get lost.
- we can be a bit like that with the Bible.
We’d be better to consult it more readily
SO – how do we filter out the wrong influences?
· Learn to discern
· Listen to God’s Word
3. Look at the consequences
… of the things we get ourselves into
The Lord’s Word was fulfilled
- the ditches they dug were filled with water
And then, in the early morning light the water, as it reflected the rays of the sun, looked red.
The Moablites thought it was blood and assumed that their enemies had fallen out and slaughtered each other
23 "That’s blood!" they said. "Those kings must have fought and slaughtered each other. Now to the plunder, Moab!" (NIV)
But, this was a fatal mistake
-- the alliance of Judah, Israel, and Edom rose up, attacked, and destroyed them
The Moabites were so desperate that they decided to try the vilest act of pagan worship à human sacrifice
They seized the crown prince, offered him up to their god, and slaughtered him
27 Then he took his firstborn son, who was to succeed him as king, and offered him as a sacrifice on the city wall. The fury against Israel was great; they withdrew and returned to their own land. (NIV)
Commentators say that the fury mentioned here was the Lords
-- He was angry with the Moabites for offering the sacrifices and at the alliance for provoking them to such a reaction
So, the consequences of this little escapade Jehoshophat got himself into were death, destruction, and human sacrifice
-- and the problem was still there – Israel [i.e. the alliance] had withdrawn to their land
In fact they had actually intensified a cycle of godlessness
Before you get caught up in a popular cause stand back and think about what the consequences might be
Will it promote godliness?
Will it strengthen your witness?
Will it bring peace and harmony?
Or will it create division, heartache, pain and godlessness
And let’s be realistic – this kind of influence isn’t just out there
-- it can be right here in the family of God
A person who feels hard done by and tells as many people as possible
A grievance that’s perused
A ‘concern’ that’s being whispered from person to person – till it grows out of all proportion
A point of order that’s not being followed as closely as you’d like it to
If you’ve been taken up this kind of cause or taken it up stop and ask yourselves what it will do for the spiritual health of the Church and the witness of the gospel
Will it promote godliness?
Is it an issue that Jesus would pursue?
Does it help to ‘maintain the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace’?
Or will it bring heartache, hurt, and division
_______________________
Like it or not – we are all under the influence
à the real challenge is to make sure that we filter out the wrong kind of influence and put ourselves under the right kind
