SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1180

“Shipwreck”

The headline in a hypothetical Red Sea News might have read:

Jehoshaphat made ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold, but they did not go, for the ships were wrecked at Ezion-geber. – 1 Kings 22:48

Very much like the news media of today, we are given only a snippet of information leading us to believe that these ships were wrecked by some nasty twist of fate. All the while the truth – the backstory is withheld. In this case the backstory is found in 2 Chronicles.

After this Jehoshaphat king of Judah joined with Ahaziah king of Israel, who acted wickedly. He joined him in building ships to go to Tarshish, and they built the ships in Ezion-geber. Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have joined with Ahaziah, the Lord will destroy what you have made.” And the ships were wrecked and were not able to go to Tarshish. – 2 Chronicles 20:35-37

God loves us enough to destroy our ‘ships’. When we wander from God’s plan and path, His love and hand of protection will sometimes take what we deem to be extreme measures to break unholy alliances and get us back on His path.

My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof – Proverbs 3:11

Sometimes it seems that Jehoshaphat was not the sharpest crayon in the box. As a faithful follower of God, he cleansed the land of idol worship after he became king and God blessed him with prosperity and protection. Yet he turns and makes an unholy alliance with Ahab arranging for his son Jehoram to marry Athalia the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel.

Now Jehoshaphat had great riches and honor, and he made a marriage alliance with Ahab. – 2 Chronicles 18:1

In addition, Jehoshaphat agrees to join Ahab in battle wearing his royal robes while Ahab was in disguise. He should have known that that would make him a prime target for the enemy. Yet God protected him from his foolishness and Ahab was killed by a random arrow. (1Kings 22:32-34)

Later we see Jehoshaphat make another unholy alliance this time with Ahaziah, Ahab’s son to build ships to go for gold. These are the ships that God destroyed as soon as they started to leave the harbor.

God loves us enough to provide ample warning as we trend toward sin.

Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil. Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on. Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. … Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil. – Proverbs 4:14-15, 23-27

Be careful not to make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it become a snare among you. – Exodus 34:12

Jehoshaphat made some bad choices as did the wisest man who ever lived, Solomon.

And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure, and breadth of mind like the sand on the seashore – 1 Kings 4:29

Despite his wisdom and close relationship with God, once Solomon allied himself with pagan nations and gave in to his lust for foreign wives, his heart grew cold toward God.

Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt and married his daughter.   As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been. – 1 Ki 3:1; 11:4 (NIV)

God loves us enough to discipline us when we disobey Him.

The Lord was angry with Solomon because he had shifted his allegiance away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him on two occasions and had warned him about this very thing, so that he would not follow other gods. But he did not obey the Lord’s command. So the Lord said to Solomon, “Because you insist on doing these things and have not kept the covenantal rules I gave you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant. – 1 Kings 11:9-11

Throughout the history of mankind, alliances have been formed in order to manipulate circumstances and to achieve an advantage over others.  In today’s Scriptures we see Jehoshaphat and Solomon, two faithful men of God, make serious strategic and tactical errors in forming alliances with the pagan nations that were enemies of God.  In our stubborn desire to maintain control of our circumstances we sometimes resort to anything rather than rely on God first.

Woe to the obstinate children,” declares the LORD, “to those who carry out plans that are not mine, forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit, heaping sin upon sin; who go down to Egypt without consulting me; who look for help to Pharaoh’s protection, to Egypt’s shade for refuge. – Isa 30:1-2 (NIV)”

What about you and me today? 

What alliances have we made that God would not approve of? 

Where and from whom have we sought help instead of seeking God first? 

Have we entered into a business partnership that is on the shady side of truth and integrity? 

Do we seek financial gain and security as investors in funds that derive a profit from ‘sin’ industries?  Are we unequally yoked in our personal relationships, our circle of friends and acquaintances? 

The Scripture is as true today as it was when it was first written:

“Bad company ruins good morals.” — 1Cor 15:33

God is calling us to ally with Him first and foremost.  He wants us to be abandoned to Him and to rely on and trust in Him totally and completely. 

May you learn to let the Holy Spirit guide you into holy alliances that God would have you enter into and avoid stepping out on your own. 

May you have the strength of faith and resolve to break the yoke of any unholy alliances you may have already made and are now trusting in. 

May you continually rely on God first to provide and guide you through all your circumstances.