Remembering God---Day 191 Through the Bible

                          God told Israel if they forget His law, He would also forget their children (Hosea 4:6).

In Psalm 81:11, God says through the psalmist, "Israel would have none of Me. So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart, to walk in their own counsels".  Jehoshaphat began his reign as king of Judah by seeking the true God rather than the false god Baal. The account of his reign reveals that his end was unlike his beginning.  Before he strayed from God, not only did he send leaders to teach in the cities of Judah, but he sent Levites and priests also who taught the Law of the Lord. Hosea 4:6, summarizes the importance of knowledge: "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you . . . seeing you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children".  Proverbs 1:7, says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge".  Jehoshaphat evidently understood the importance of being educated in the law of God.  The fear of the Lord fell on all the nations surrounding Judah and they did not make war.  When we seek God, He blesses us.

We also see fear come into play in Acts 16:29, when the jailer was shaken from sleep by an earthquake that opened the doors of the prison where Paul and Silas were being held. He was also fearful that the prisoners had escaped and knew he would pay with his life. He was humbled by the situation and asked Paul and Silas how he could be saved. Paul shared the way to salvation with the jailer--"they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in the house" (verse 32).  Many believers hesitate to share the gospel with others. However, if all we can do is prayerfully leave a scripture with the person, we have opened a door for God to work.  In Isaiah 55:11, God says through the writer, "So shall My word be that goes forth out of My mouth; it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it".

Jehoshaphat undoubtedly parted ways with God in 2 Chronicles 18, when he allied himself with Ahab. Ahab asked him to go to battle with Israel against Ramoth Gilead. Jehoshaphat assured him that he and Ahab were "as one".  He proceeded to ask king Ahab to inquire for the word of the Lord.  Ahab's prophets were not prophets of the Lord and evidently told Ahab what he wanted to hear. Ahab said he hated the prophet of the Lord because he always prophesied evil for Ahab. Hearing this should have served as a red flag for Jehoshaphat.  However, battle was waged regardless of the bad outcome revealed by the prophet of God. Ahab disguised himself, Jehoshaphat went into war wearing his kingly robe and his life was saved only because he cried out to God. The chapter ends with Ahab's death by a random arrow that found its place between the joints of his armor.  No one can hide from God. He knows exactly where we are and we would do well to remember that our lives are in His hands.