Morning

August 9

2 Chronicles 19:1-3 ¹When Jehoshaphat king of Judah returned safely to his palace in Jerusalem, ²Jehu the seer, the son of Hanani, went out to meet him and said to the king, "Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD? Because of this, the wrath of the LORD is upon you. ³There is, however, some good in you, for you have rid the land of the Asherah poles and have set your heart on seeking God."

In yesterday's devotion we saw that Jehoshaphat had narrowly escaped death when he went out to battle in league with wicked Ahab. As he returned to Jerusalem, he was met by Jehu the seer. Jehu gave him a word from the LORD. "Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD?" Most Christians today would naively answer, "Yes, we should be kind to all." He had almost given his life for wicked Ahab. It was not as though he did not know how wicked he was. Jehoshaphat had cleansed his country of idolatry and knew Ahab promoted it in his own land. He surely had heard of Elijah's victory on Mt. Carmel and of Ahab and Jezebel's response. He must have known how evil he was; and yet, he joined forces with him.

"Don't be unequally yoked with unbelievers," the Apostle Paul tells us. This surely was an unequal yoke. We know that God loves the world. Yet here in this prophetic word, the wrath of God is upon Jehoshaphat because he helped the wicked and loved the man who hated the LORD.

Ahab had crossed the line so many times, and in spite of all the chances God had given him, he set his heart against the LORD and against His prophets. We must have a discerning spirit to know when we are assisting those who have set themselves against the Kingdom of God. We are not to help them or even love them. I can hear the gasp as you read that line. Hate the sin and love the sinner? Yes, unless they have come to the place where they know the truth and yet hate the LORD. (see 2 John 10,11; Psalm 139:21)

Consider: Is God be pleased if we assist those who turn others from God?