jehoshaphat reprimanded jehoshaphat appoints judges...

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JEHOSHAPHAT REPRIMANDED

JEHOSHAPHAT APPOINTS JUDGES

2 CHRONICLES 19:1-11

Landmark Publications, Inc., 1045 Maynor Avenue, Nashville, TN 37216, U.S.A., John C. Sewell, Ph.D., Editor.


JEHOSHAPHAT REPRIMANDED

JEHOSHAPHAT APPOINTS JUDGES Text: 2 Chronicles 19:1-11, 1. When King Jehoshaphat of Judah returned home safely to Jerusalem, 2. the prophet Jehu son of Hanani confronted him; he said to King Jehoshaphat, “Is it right to help the wicked and be an ally of those who oppose the Lord? Because you have done this the Lord is angry with you! 3. Nevertheless you have done some good things; you removed the Asherah poles from the land and you were determined to follow the Lord.” 4. Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem. He went out among the people from Beer Sheba to the hill country of Ephraim and encouraged them to follow the Lord God of their ancestors. 5. He appointed judges throughout the land and in each of the fortified cities of Judah. 6. He told the judges, “Be careful what you do, for you are not judging for men, but for the Lord, who will be with you when you make judicial decisions. 7. Respect the Lord and make careful decisions, for the Lord our God disapproves of injustice, partiality, and bribery.” 8. In Jerusalem Jehoshaphat appointed some Levites, priests, and Israelite family leaders to judge on behalf of the Lord and to settle disputes among the residents of Jerusalem.



9. He commanded them: “Carry out your duties with respect for the Lord, with honesty, and with pure motives. 10. Whenever your countrymen who live in the cities bring a case before you (whether it involves a violent crime or other matters related to the law, command-ments, rules, and regulations), warn them that they must not sin against the Lord. If you fail to do so, God will be angry with you and your colleagues, but if you obey, you will be free of guilt. 11. You will report to Amariah the chief priest in all matters pertaining to the Lord’s law, and to Zebadiah son of Ishmael, the leader of the family of Judah, in all matters pertaining to the king. The Levites will serve as officials before you. Confidently carry out your duties! May the Lord be with those who do well!” (NET) Introduction I. This chapter addresses:

A. Jehu’s reprimand of Jehoshaphat.

B. Jehoshaphat’s reforms covering all of the southern kingdom from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim.

II. Jehoshaphat appointed Judges throughout his kingdom with special attention being given to Jerusalem.

A. The king addressed each group of judges to impress them with their solemn duties and responsibilities.

III. There is no parallel reference related to the material presented in 2 Chronicles 19. (The Pulpit Commentary)



Commentary:

Jehoshaphat Reprimanded 2 Chronicles 19:1, When King Jehoshaphat of Judah returned home safely to Jerusalem, (NET) I. When Jehoshaphat king of Judah returned safely (in peace) to his palace in Jerusalem, . . .

A. Wicked Ahab died on the battlefield, but, by the grace of the Lord, Jehoshaphat returned home safely; that is, in peace. (See Hicks.)

B. Only the special mercy of God could have saved Jehoshaphat from death on the battlefield. (Clarke)

C. Jehoshaphat returned home in peace in that he was not now at war and his foreign enemies were not trying to kill him. (The Pulpit Commentary)

2 Chronicles 19:2, the prophet Jehu son of Hanani confronted him; he said to King Jehoshaphat, “Is it right to help the wicked and be an ally of those who oppose the Lord? Because you have done this the Lord is angry with you! (NET) I. Jehu the seer, the son of Hanani, . . .

A. Jehu had previously pronounced doom on Baasha, king of Israel. (Youngblood)



1. 1 Kings 16:1-4, 12-13, Jehu son of Hanani received from the Lord this message predicting Baasha’s downfall: “I raised you up from the dust and made you ruler over my people Israel. Yet you followed in Jeroboam’s footsteps and encouraged my people Israel to sin; their sins have made me angry. So I am ready to burn up Baasha and his family, and make your family like the family of Jeroboam son of Nebat. Dogs will eat the members of Baasha’s family who die in the city, and the birds of the sky will eat the ones who die in the country.” Zimri destroyed Baasha’s entire family, just as the Lord had predicted to Baasha through Jehu the prophet. This happened because of all the sins which Baasha and his son Elah committed and which they made Israel commit. They angered the Lord God of Israel with their worthless idols. (NET)

2. 1 Kings 20:34, Ben Hadad said, “I will return the cities my father took from your father. You may set up markets in Damascus, just as my father did in Samaria.” Ahab then said, “I want to make a treaty with you before I dismiss you.” So he made a treaty with him and then dismissed him. (NET)

B. Jehu now has a rebuke for Jehoshaphat, king of Judah.

C. Jehu was faithful to God who “told it like it was”, who “let the chips fall where they may”, who was totally impartial in all his doings.



D. Hanani was the faithful father of a faithful son, both prophets.

1. 2 Chronicles 16:7-10, At that time Hanani the prophet visited King Asa of Judah and said to him: “Because you relied on the king of Syria and did not rely on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Syria has escaped from your hand. Did not the Cushites and Libyans have a huge army with chariots and a very large number of horsemen? But when you relied on the Lord, he handed them over to you! Certainly the Lord watches the whole earth carefully and is ready to strengthen those who are devoted to him. You have acted foolishly in this matter; from now on you will have war.” Asa was so angry at the prophet, he put him in jail. Asa also oppressed some of the people at that time. (NET)

E. Faithful prophets spoke God’s word to king and commoner alike.

1. There was not and is not one gospel for the king and another for the ordinary citizen.

2. May the Lord give us more prophets like Jehu and Hanani.

II. went out to meet him and said to the king, . . .

A. Observe that the prophet went to meet the sinner on this occasion.



B. The sinner didn’t seek the prophet on this occasion, but he did listen and appears to have been repentant.

III. “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord?

A. This is a strong rebuke of Jehoshaphat for his alliance with ungodly Ahab and his going to war with Ahab as an ally of this terribly wicked man.

IV. Because of this, the wrath of the Lord is upon you.

A. “Close association with evil people is a fearful danger to Christian people,” Coffman wrote.

1. “ . . . cooperative alliances with wicked partners can easily prove to be an unqualified disaster, as was Jehoshaphat’s alliance with Ahab,” Coffman further stated.

2. “You deserve God’s punishment.” (Clarke)

3. Clarke further said that all who form alliances with the ungodly, whether social, matrimonial, commercial or political, are worthy of God’s wrath.

B. God’s wrath did not only consist of Jehoshaphat’s defeat at the hands of the king of Ramoth Gilead, but future problems were awaiting him as well.

1. 2 Chronicles 20:1-4, Later the Moabites and Ammonites, along with some of the Meunites, attacked Jehoshaphat. Messengers arrived and



reported to Jehoshaphat, “A huge army is attacking you from the other side of the Dead Sea, from the direction of Edom. Look, they are in Hazezon Tamar (that is, En Gedi).” Jehoshaphat was afraid, so he decided to seek the Lord’s advice. He decreed that all Judah should observe a fast. The people of Judah assembled to ask for the Lord’s help; they came from all the cities of Judah to ask for the Lord’s help. (NET)

2 Chronicles 19:3, Nevertheless you have done some good things; you removed the Asherah poles from the land and you were determined to follow the Lord.” (NET) I. There is, however, (on the other hand) some good in you, . . .

A. 2 Chronicles 17:3-6, The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he followed in his ancestor David’s footsteps at the beginning of his reign. He did not seek the Baals, but instead sought the God of his ancestors and obeyed his commands, unlike the Israelites. The Lord made his kingdom secure; all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he became very wealthy and greatly respected. He was committed to following the Lord; he even removed the high places and Asherah poles from Judah. (NET)

B. Jehu told Jehoshaphat that he was not all bad.

II. for you have rid the land of the Asherah poles and . . .



A. Jehoshaphat had indeed been active in years before in ridding the land of idolatry and restoring worship of Jehovah.

III. have set your heart on seeking God.”

A. This had been one of Jehoshaphat’s best qualities in his early years.

Jehoshaphat Appoints Judges

2 Chronicles 19:4, Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem. He went out among the people from Beer Sheba to the hill country of Ephraim and encouraged them to follow the Lord God of their ancestors. (NET) I. Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem, and . . .

A. Jerusalem was the capital of the Southern Kingdom, the natural residence of the king.

1. Jerusalem was a far better place for Jehoshaphat than with Ahab in Samaria.

II. he went out again among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim and . . .

A. Jehoshaphat had evidently learned his lesson and now resumes his work of leading his people back to God.

B. Hicks concluded that while Jehoshaphat was allied with Ahab, “Judah had spiritually degenerated.”



C. The Southern Kingdom was bounded on the south by Beer-sheba and on the north by the mountains of Ephraim, Clarke observed.

D. Jehoshaphat personally attended to this task rather than simply designating a subservient official to handle these appointments.

III. turned them back to the Lord, the God of their fathers. IV. Jehoshaphat had been sternly, bluntly reprimanded for joining forces with wicked Ahab.

A. Except for God’ providence, Jehoshaphat would have died in that military action.

B. “For the time present at least,” Coffman wrote, he (Jehoshaphat) did an about-face, (by) attempting to bring all the people back to the proper worship and obedience of God.”

2 Chronicles 19:5, He appointed judges throughout the land and in each of the fortified cities of Judah. (NET) I. He appointed judges in the land, in each of the fortified (fenced) cities of Judah.

A. Jeshoshaphat reorganized the judiciary and arranged for both religious and civil justice in the fortified cities of Judah and in Jerusalem the capital.

1. 2 Chronicles 17:2, He placed troops in all of Judah’s fortified cities and posted garrisons



throughout the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim that his father Asa had seized. (NET)

B. Judicial and social reform was Jehoshaphat’s approach to religious restoration. (See Hicks.)

1. Leviticus 19:15, “‘You must not deal unjustly in judgment: you must neither show partiality to the poor nor honor the rich. You must judge your fellow citizen fairly. (NET)

2. Deuteronomy 16:18-20, You must appoint judges and civil servants for each tribe in all your villages that the Lord your God is giving you, and they must judge the people fairly. 19 You must not pervert justice or show favor. Do not take a bribe, for bribes blind the eyes of the wise and distort the words of the righteous. 20 You must pursue justice alone so that you may live and inherit the land the Lord your God is giving you. (NET)

3. Deuteronomy 24:17, You must not pervert justice due a resident foreigner or an orphan, or take a widow’s garment as security for a loan. (NET)

4. Deuteronomy 27:19, ‘Cursed is the one who perverts justice for the resident foreigner, the orphan, and the widow.’ Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!’ (NET)



5. 1 Samuel 8:3, But his sons did not follow his ways. Instead, they made money dishonestly, accepted bribes, and perverted justice. (NET)

6. 2 Chronicles 9:8, May the Lord your God be praised because he favored you by placing you on his throne as the one ruling on his behalf! Because of your God’s love for Israel and his lasting commitment to them, he made you king over them so you could make just and right decisions.” (NET)

7. Job 29:14, I put on righteousness and it clothed me, my just dealing was like a robe and a turban; (NET)

8. Job 31:13, “If I have disregarded the right of my male servants or my female servants when they disputed with me, (NET)

9. Psalm 72:1-2, O God, grant the king the ability to make just decisions! Grant the king’s son the ability to make fair decisions! Then he will judge your people fairly, and your oppressed ones equitably. (NET)

10. Psalm 106:3, How blessed are those who promote justice, and do what is right all the time! (NET)

11. Psalm 112:5, It goes well for the one who generously lends money, and conducts his business honestly. (NET)



12. Proverbs 28:5, Evil people do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand it all. (NET)

13. Proverbs 29:7, The righteous person cares for the legal rights of the poor; the wicked does not understand such knowledge. (NET)

14. Isaiah 1:17, Learn to do what is right! Promote justice! Give the oppressed reason to celebrate! Take up the cause of the orphan! Defend the rights of the widow! (NET)

15. Isaiah 10:2, to keep the poor from getting fair treatment, and to deprive the oppressed among my people of justice, so they can steal what widows own, and loot what belongs to orphans. (NET)

16. Isaiah 11:4, He will treat the poor fairly, and make right decisions for the downtrodden of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and order the wicked to be executed. (NET)

17. Amos 2:7, They trample on the dirt-covered heads of the poor; they push the destitute away. A man and his father go to the same girl; in this way they show disrespect for my moral purity. (NET)



18. Amos 5:7, 12, 24, The Israelites turn justice into bitterness; they throw what is fair and right to the ground. Certainly I am aware of your many rebellious acts and your numerous sins. You torment the innocent, you take bribes, and you deny justice to the needy at the city gate. Justice must flow like torrents of water, righteous actions like a stream that never dries up. (NET)

19. Micah 3:1, I said, “Listen, you leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the nation of Israel! You ought to know what is just, (NET)

20. Malachi 3:5, “I will come to you in judgment. I will be quick to testify against those who practice divination, those who commit adultery, those who break promises, and those who exploit workers, widows, and orphans, who refuse to help the immigrant and in this way show they do not fear me,” says the Lord who rules over all. (NET)

C. “However,” Hicks wrote, “this judicial reform soon fell into disrepute.”

1. Isaiah 1:23-26, Your officials are rebels, they associate with thieves. All of them love bribery, and look for payoffs. They do not take up the cause of the orphan, or defend the rights of the widow. Therefore, the sovereign Lord who commands armies, the powerful Ruler of Israel, says this: “Ah, I will seek vengeance against my



adversaries, I will take revenge against my enemies. I will attack you; I will purify your metal with flux. I will remove all your slag. I will reestablish honest judges as in former times, wise advisers as in earlier days. Then you will be called, ‘The Just City, Faithful Town.’” (NET)

2. Isaiah 3:2, 14, the mighty men and warriors, judges and prophets, omen readers and leaders, The Lord comes to pronounce judgment on the leaders of his people and their officials. He says, “It is you who have ruined the vineyard! You have stashed in your houses what you have stolen from the poor. (NET)

3. Isaiah 7:3, So the Lord told Isaiah, “Go out with your son Shear-jashub and meet Ahaz at the end of the conduit of the upper pool which is located on the road to the field where they wash and dry cloth. (NET)

4. Micah 3:1, 9, I said, “Listen, you leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the nation of Israel! You ought to know what is just, Listen to this, you leaders of the family of Jacob, you rulers of the nation of Israel! You hate justice and pervert all that is right. (NET)

5. Micah 7:3, They are determined to be experts at doing evil; government officials and judges take bribes, prominent men make demands, and they all do what is necessary to satisfy them. (NET)



2 Chronicles 19:6, He told the judges, “Be careful what you do, for you are not judging for men, but for the Lord, who will be with you when you make judicial decisions. (NET) I. He told them, “Consider carefully what you do, . . .

A. “These judges exercised the judicial authority of the king. This is the imposition of monarchical authority when previously judicial matters may have been handled by local authorities,” Hicks wrote.

1. This, Hicks further wrote, was not a new approach, but a renewal of the systems instituted by David and Solomon.

2. “The reform was a ‘practical attempt to reduce the jurisdiction of the local judicial authorities, which were under the influence of powerful families, and thereby eradicate corruption in the administration of justice throughout the realm,’” Hicks concluded.

3. “Theoretically, the king thereby protects the weak and innocent in his kingdom,” Hicks further wrote.

B. This advice is applicable to all of us all the time under all circumstances: Consider carefully what you do!

1. God will judge us according to what we do on earth.

II. because you are not judging for man but for the Lord, . . .



A. Hicks wrote, “Jehoshaphat’s address articulates a theological vision of justice. . . . judges must take seriously their role as instruments of divine justice. (Their decisions were to reflect God’s own attributes of righteousness, justice and fairness.”

1. Judges must be “just, impartial, and incorruptible.” (Hicks)

a. Deuteronomy 16:19, You must not pervert justice or show favor. Do not take a bribe, for bribes blind the eyes of the wise and distort the words of the righteous. (NET)

b. Deuteronomy 10:17, For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God who is unbiased and takes no bribe, (NET)

c. Exodus 23:8, “You must not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and subverts the words of the righteous. (NET)

d. 1 Samuel 12:3, Here I am. Bring a charge against me before the Lord and before his chosen king. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I wronged? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I taken a bribe so that I would overlook something? Tell me, and I will return it to you!” (NET)



e. Psalm 15:5, He does not charge interest when he lends his money. He does not take bribes to testify against the innocent. The one who lives like this will never be upended. (NET)

f. Proverbs 17:23, A wicked person receives a bribe secretly to pervert the ways of justice. (NET)

g. Ecclesiastes 7:7, Surely oppression can turn a wise person into a fool; likewise, a bribe corrupts the heart. (NET)

h. Isaiah 5:23, They pronounce the guilty innocent for a payoff, they ignore the just cause of the innocent. (NET)

i. Micah 3:11, Her leaders take bribes when they decide legal cases, her priests proclaim rulings for profit, and her prophets read omens for pay. Yet they claim to trust the Lord and say, “The Lord is among us. Disaster will not overtake us!” (NET)

III. who is with you whenever you give a verdict.

A. God will help you make the right decisions in the cases which come before you.

2 Chronicles 19:7, Respect the Lord and make careful decisions, for the Lord our God disapproves of injustice, partiality, and bribery.” (NET)



I. Now let the fear of the Lord be upon you.

A. In regard to everything they did, these judges were to act as people controlled by the fear and respect for the Lord.

II. Judge carefully, for with the Lord our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery.”

A. You are acting as God’s agent, representative.

B. Be exceedingly careful that your verdict is the verdict God would give.

2 Chronicles 19:8, In Jerusalem Jehoshaphat appointed some Levites, priests, and Israelite family leaders to judge on behalf of the Lord and to settle disputes among the residents of Jerusalem. (NET) I. In Jerusalem also, Jehoshaphat appointed some of the Levites, priests and heads of Israelite families to administer the law of the Lord and to settle disputes (controversies).

A. Hicks observed that these officials were to “administer justice and settle disputes pertaining to Yahweh.”

B. This may have been a higher court of appeals.

1. Deuteronomy 1:8-18, Look! I have already given the land to you. Go, occupy the territory that I, the Lord, promised to give to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and to their descendants.” I also said to you at that



time, “I am no longer able to sustain you by myself. The Lord your God has increased your population to the point that you are now as numerous as the very stars of the sky. Indeed, may the Lord, the God of your ancestors, make you a thousand times more numerous than you are now, blessing you just as he said he would! But how can I alone bear up under the burden of your hardship and strife? Select wise and practical men, those known among your tribes, whom I may appoint as your leaders.” You replied to me that what I had said to you was good. So I chose as your tribal leaders wise and well-known men, placing them over you as administrators of groups of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, and also as other tribal officials. I furthermore admonished your judges at that time that they should pay attention to issues among your fellow citizens and judge fairly, whether between one citizen and another or a citizen and a resident foreigner. They must not discriminate in judgment, but hear the lowly and the great alike. Nor should they be intimidated by human beings, for judgment belongs to God. If the matter being adjudicated is too difficult for them, they should bring it before me for a hearing.So I instructed you at that time regarding everything you should do. (NET)

2. Exodus 18:17-26, Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good! You will surely wear out, both you and these people who



are with you, for this is too heavy a burden for you; you are not able to do it by yourself. Now listen to me, I will give you advice, and may God be with you: You be a representative for the people to God, and you bring their disputes to God; warn them of the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do. But you choose from the people capable men, God-fearing, men of truth, those who hate bribes, and put them over the people as rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. They will judge the people under normal circumstances, and every difficult case they will bring to you, but every small case they themselves will judge, so that you may make it easier for yourself, and they will bear the burden with you. If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people will be able to go home satisfied.” Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he had said. Moses chose capable men from all Israel, and he made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. They judged the people under normal circumstances; the difficult cases they would bring to Moses, but every small case they would judge themselves. (NET)

3. 1 Chronicles 23:4, David said, “Of these, 24,000 are to direct the work of the Lord’s



temple; 6,000 are to be officials and judges; (NET)

4. 1 Chronicles 26:29, As for the Izharites: Kenaniah and his sons were given responsibilities outside the temple as officers and judges over Israel. (NET)

II. And they lived in (returned to) Jerusalem.

A. Jehoshaphat and his appointees to the judiciary (in Jerusalem) lived in the capital city.

B. Jehoshaphat and those who had been traveling with him returned to Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 19:9, He commanded them: “Carry out your duties with respect for the Lord, with honesty, and with pure motives. (NET) I. He gave them these orders: . . .

A. these orders were clear, unambiguous, but more difficult to consistently obey.

B. so it is today as well in regard to knowing and doing God’s will.

II. “You must serve faithfully and wholeheartedly in the fear of the Lord.



A. Hicks wrote, “Judges must respect their role as divine representatives, act consistently with that role, and be wholly devoted to it.”

2 Chronicles 19:10, Whenever your countrymen who live in the cities bring a case before you (whether it involves a violent crime or other matters related to the law, commandments, rules, and regulations), warn them that they must not sin against the Lord. If you fail to do so, God will be angry with you and your colleagues, but if you obey, you will be free of guilt. (NET) I. In every case that comes before you from your fellow countrymen who live in the cities –

A. Deuteronomy 17:8, 10-11, If a matter is too difficult for you to judge—bloodshed, legal claim, or assault—matters of controversy in your villages—you must leave there and go up to the place the Lord your God chooses. You must then do as they have determined at that place the Lord chooses. Be careful to do just as you are taught. You must do what you are instructed, and the verdict they pronounce to you, without fail. Do not deviate right or left from what they tell you. (NET)

B. Exodus 21:12-27, “Whoever strikes someone so that he dies must surely be put to death. But if he does not do it with premeditation, but it happens by accident, then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee. But if a man willfully attacks his neighbor to kill him cunningly, you will take him even from my altar that he may die. “Whoever strikes his father or



his mother must surely be put to death. “Whoever kidnaps someone and sells him, or is caught still holding him, must surely be put to death. “Whoever treats his father or his mother disgracefully must surely be put to death. “If men fight, and one strikes his neighbor with a stone or with his fist and he does not die, but must remain in bed, and then if he gets up and walks about outside on his staff, then the one who struck him is innocent, except he must pay for the injured person’s loss of time and see to it that he is fully healed. “If a man strikes his male servant or his female servant with a staff so that he or she dies as a result of the blow, he will surely be punished. However, if the injured servant survives one or two days, the owner will not be punished, for he has suffered the loss. “If men fight and hit a pregnant woman and her child is born prematurely, but there is no serious injury, he will surely be punished in accordance with what the woman’s husband demands of him, and he will pay what the court decides. But if there is serious injury, then you will give a life for a life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise. “If a man strikes the eye of his male servant or his female servant so that he destroys it, he will let the servant go free as compensation for the eye. If he knocks out the tooth of his male servant or his female servant, he will let the servant go free as compensation for the tooth. (NET)

II. whether bloodshed or other concerns of the law, commands, decrees or ordinances –



A. “Bloodshed” would include intentional murder, accidental death and manslaughter cases.” (See Clarke.)

B. Judges must not be influenced to decide in favor of family or relatives, but must decide objectively and fairly on the basis of the facts in the case.

1. Consanguinity must not prejudice decisions for or against a person. (See Clarke.)

C. The bases of all decisions must be the applicable law, religious and/or civil, and the facts in the case.

1. Of course, mercy is not ruled out either as long as its application is fair and equitable rather than arbitrary.

2. “Equal justice under law” is an admirable goal.

a. Kings and commoners stand as equals before God’s bar of justice.

D. As to law, commandments, statutes, judgments – in regard to God and our fellowmen, we are to do what is right, what pleases God.

III. you are to warn them not to (trespass) sin against the Lord; . . .

A. These officials were not only to adjudicate, but also to instruct and warn the people not to sin against the Lord.

IV. otherwise his wrath will come on you and your brothers.



A. Follow these instructions, Jehoshaphat advised, and God’s wrath will not come upon you and your brethren.

V. Do this, and you will not sin.

A. Be faithful. Do not sin by failing to do your righteous duty.

2 Chronicles 19:11, You will report to Amariah the chief priest in all matters pertaining to the Lord’s law, and to Zebadiah son of Ishmael, the leader of the family of Judah, in all matters pertaining to the king. The Levites will serve as officials before you. Confidently carry out your duties! May the Lord be with those who do well!” (NET) I. “Amariah the chief priest will be over you in any matter concerning the Lord, and . . .

A. Two were appointed to be leaders of the judicial system in Jerusalem.

1. One was to be over the religious, ecclesiastical and one over the civil aspects of the law.

2. Amariah was the chief justice over the ecclesiastical court system.

II. Zebadiah son of Ishmael, the leader of the tribe of Judah, will be over you in any matter concerning the king, and . . .

A. Zebadiah was the chief justice of the civil court system.



III. the Levites will serve as officials (bureaucrats) before you.

A. These Levites would serve as judicial assistants. IV. Act with courage, and may the Lord be with those who do well.”

A. God will bless those who faithfully discharge their respon-sibilities with unwavering courage.

Conclusion: I. Hicks concluded, “The call for justice is a never-ending plea on the lips of God’s people.” II. Clarke observed that “without good and wholesome laws, no nation can be prosperous: and vain are the best laws if they are not judiciously and conscientiously administered.” III. The nation without God’s law and the administration of justice becomes an abominable place.

A. 2 Chronicles 15:1-7, God’s Spirit came upon Azariah son of Oded. He met Asa and told him, “Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin! The Lord is with you when you are loyal to him. If you seek him, he will respond to you, but if you reject him, he will reject you. For a long time Israel had no true God, or priest to instruct them, or law. Because of their distress, they turned back to the Lord God of Israel. They sought him and he responded to them. In those days no one could travel safely, for total



chaos had overtaken all the people of the surrounding lands. One nation was crushed by another, and one city by another, for God caused them to be in great turmoil. But as for you, be strong and don’t get discouraged, for your work will be rewarded.” (NET)



Questions

on

2 Chronicles 19:1-11 1. What did Jehu tell Jehoshaphat? ________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Give all the information you can about Jehu and Hanani. ____ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. What did Jehu say Jehoshaphat had done right? ___________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. What did Jehu say Jehoshaphat had done wrong? __________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



__________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. How did Jehoshaphat respond to Jehu’s reprimand? ________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 6. There is “some good in you” also. List your good points. ____ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 7. What things in your life need to be improved? _____________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 8. _____________ went out again among the people from _____________ to the _____________ _____________ of ___________ and ___________ them back to the ___________, the _____________ of other _____________.



9. _____________ reorganized the _____________ and arranged for both _____________ and _____________ _____________ throughout his domain. 10. _____________ and _____________ _____________ was _____________’s approach to _____________ _____________. 11. Judicial reform was the _____________ of _____________ ____________ when previously _____________ _____________ may have been handled by _____________ _____________. 12. The _____________ was a _____________ _____________ to _____________ the _____________ of the _____________ ___________ ___________, which were under the ___________ of _____________ _____________, and thereby _____________ ___________ in the ___________ of _____________ throughout the _____________. 13. Exactly what did Jehoshaphat tell his judicial appointees in 2 Chronicles 19:6-7? Use your own words. ___________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 14. In _____________ also, _____________ appointed some of the _____________, _____________ and _____________ of ___________ ___________ to ___________ the _____________ of he _____________ and to _____________ _____________. 15. What orders did Jehoshaphat give his Jerusalem judicial appointees? __________________________________________



_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 16. How did the judiciary in Jerusalem differ from the judiciary elsewhere in the Southern Kingdom? ______________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 17. These _____________ were not only to _____________, but they were also to _____________ and _____________ the ___________ not to ___________ against the _____________. 18. Who was Amaziah, what was his position and what were his duties? ______________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 19. Who was Zebadiah, what was his position and what were his duties? ______________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



20. What lessons, conclusions can we learn from this study of 2 Chronicles 19? _________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


jehoshaphat reprimanded jehoshaphat appoints judges...

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