Here’s how the study works: Read the chapters mentioned in the heading during the week and share any words, thoughts, verses that stood out to you. Having a week for several chapters creates the opportunity to revisit them and make additional comments as you feel inclined as well as make comments on other people’s insights.
16:7 At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him: “Because you relied on the king of Aram and not on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand.
16:9 For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war.
16:12 In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was afflicted with a disease in his feet. Though his disease was severe, even in his illness he did not seek help from the Lord, but only from the physicians.
Asa started so well (15:8-19) and continued so well until his 15th year (15:10) but ended badly. It’s easier to trust God when we are younger when we are less concerned about risks. It’s easy to become set in our ways as we get older and choose our own comfort over trusting God.
17:7-9 In the third year of his reign he [Jehoshaphat] sent his officials Ben-Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel and Micaiah to teach in the towns of Judah. With them were certain Levites—Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah and Tob-Adonijah—and the priests Elishama and Jehoram. They taught throughout Judah, taking with them the Book of the Law of the Lord; they went around to all the towns of Judah and taught the people.
Jehoshaphat sent a team of 16 people to teach people the Book of the Law. In this day when people had few reading skills and little access to written material, this must have been such a blessing. Even today when we have greater access to God’s word and teaching materials, it is still important that we teach people to apply God’s word to their lives.
18:31 When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they thought, “This is the king of Israel.” So they turned to attack him, but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him. God drew them away from him.
The Lord helped Jehoshaphat, even though he shouldn’t have made an alliance with Ahab in the first place (v. 1). Despite this bad decision Jehoshaphat did have a heart for God (v. 4,6).
19:4 Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem, and he went out again among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim and turned them back to the Lord, the God of their ancestors.
Even though Jehoshaphat had done the wrong thing in regard Ahab (v. 2), he is restored and is able to “teach transgressors your ways” (Psalm 51:13). Failure isn’t final.
20:12 Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”
Jehoshaphat gave an honest assessment of his situation—we have no power and we do not know what to do. Sometimes it’s hard to acknowledge our lack, yet when we do we open the way for God to move.