2 Chronicles 20

“So Jehoshaphat was king over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi. And he walked in the way of his father Asa, and did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the Lord. Nevertheless the high places were not taken away, for as yet the people had not directed their hearts to the God of their fathers. Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, indeed they are written in the book of Jehu the son of Hanani, which is mentioned in the book of the kings of Israel. After this Jehoshaphat king of Judah allied himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who acted very wickedly. And he allied himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish, and they made the ships in Ezion Geber. But Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, ‘Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the Lord has destroyed your works.’ Then the ships were wrecked, so that they were not able to go to Tarshish.” 2 Chronicles 20:31-37 (NKJV)

This is how this chapter ends. Weren’t you expecting a “Well done, good and faithful servant?”  When I first read this years ago, I felt like Jehoshaphat got the raw deal, especially after he sought the Lord and rallied the people. But God’s standard is not fickle. He does not change his mind or show favorites, and this chapter is a good example of how we should be thankful that our salvation comes from God’s grace (through our faithful belief) and is not the byproduct of our works.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV)

Governments can legislate morality and tear down idolatrous “high places” in their communities, but they cannot tear down the high places in people’s hearts. After all the beseeching and tearful sacrificing, once the Lord’s deliverance was experienced, the people went right back to the party. As the old hymn pleas, have you “decided to follow Jesus? No turning back, no turning back”?

“The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself. But if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of the transgressions which he has committed shall be remembered against him; because of the righteousness which he has done, he shall live. Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord God, “and not that he should turn from his ways and live? But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed, because of them he shall die.”  Ezekiel 18:20-24 (NKJV)