2 Chronicles 19:1-3 - Homilies By T. Whitelaw

The sovereign and the seer.

I. UNDESERVED MERCY TO THE SOVEREIGN . ( 2 Chronicles 19:1 .)

1 . Jehoshaphat returns from Ramoth-Gilead. Having gone thither without the Divine sanction—indeed, against the Divine will—he might have been left there and not permitted to return. But God preserves the going out and coming in of his people ( Psalms 121:8 ), even when they walk not in his ways.

2 . Jehoshaphat returns to Jerusalem . Having left his capital and kingdom on an errand to which he was not called, he might have found both taken from him and barred against him on his return. But Jehovah, always better to his people than they deserve, had watched over both while Jehoshaphat was absent.

3 . Jehoshaphat returns to his house in peace. Very different might his home-coming have been ( Isaiah 59:8 ); not alive and in safety, as Micaiah had predicted ( 2 Chronicles 18:20 ), but as Ahab was brought to Samaria, dead; shot by an arrow from a Syrian bow like the King of Israel, or smitten by the Syrian charioteers as himself nearly was, and certainly would have been had Jehovah not interposed. But, again, God is faithful to his covenant, even when his people are not faithful to their duty ( Psalms 111:5 ; 2 Timothy 2:13 ; Hebrews 10:23 ).

II. DESERVED REBUKE FROM THE SEER . ( 2 Chronicles 19:2 , 2 Chronicles 19:3 .)

1 . A severe reprimand. Charged by Hanani's son Jehu with a twofold offence:

2 . An alarming sentence. "Wrath from before Jehovah" should come upon Jehoshaphat certainly and speedily. This was inevitable, since Jehovah, as a jealous God ( Exodus 20:5 ; Deuteronomy 4:24 ), could by no means allow such declension to pass without some manifestation of displeasure. Besides, Jehovah, by covenant engagement with David, had expressly bound himself to chastise with rods any defection on the part of David's successors ( 2 Samuel 7:14 ; Psalms 139:1-24 :30). In the same way, though God, for Christ's sake, forgives the transgressions of believers, so that they shall not come into ultimate condemnation, he does not in every instance exempt them from suffering on account of their offences, but rather, as a rule, causes them, when they go astray, to feel such inward rebukes upon their consciences, and such outward inflictions upon their persons or estates, as to make them sensible of his holy anger, if not against their souls, against their sins ( Acts 14:22 ; Romans 5:3 ; 1 Corinthians 11:32 ; Hebrews 12:11 ). Already at Ramoth-Gilead Jehoshaphat had experienced a foretaste of Jehovah's wrath ( 2 Chronicles 18:31 ). Additional evidence thereof was soon to follow, in a Moabitish invasion ( 2 Chronicles 20:1 , etc.).

3 . A merciful mitigation. While condemning the king's sins, Jehu did not forget to make candid acknowledgment of the king's virtues. To praise another for good qualities is not so easy as to blame another for bad ones. In others, faults are more readily discerned than favourable points; in ourselves, the latter more quickly than the former. Happily, the great Heart-searcher, while noting his people's shortcomings, overlooks not their well-doings. If Jehoshaphat's conduct in contracting alliance with Ahab was denounced, his behaviour in removing the groves from his land and preparing his heart to seek Jehovah was not forgotten. So of Christians, "God is not unrighteous to forget their work and labour of love" ( Hebrews 6:10 ), even though obliged to correct them for doing wrong ( Hebrews 12:10 ); while Christ, sending his messages to the Churches in Asia, with one exception never omits to notice in each case excellences worthy of commendation ( Revelation 3:1-22 ; Revelation 4:1-11 .).

LESSONS .

1 . Gratitude for mercy.

2 . Submission to rebuke.

3 . Repentance for sin.

4 . Watchfulness in duty.

5 . Charity in judging others.—W.