1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:06,680 Speaker 1: Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your 2 00:00:06,760 --> 00:00:10,680 Speaker 1: walk with Christ, please visit us at Bible Study Headquarters 3 00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:15,400 Speaker 1: dot com. You're listening to the chapter today Audio Bible. 4 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:21,200 Speaker 1: I'm John Stongi, and today we're in Second Chronicles, chapter eighteen, 5 00:00:22,040 --> 00:00:28,440 Speaker 1: and we'll be reading from the New English translation. Jehoshafat 6 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:32,960 Speaker 1: was very wealthy and greatly respected. He made an alliance 7 00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:36,800 Speaker 1: by marriage with Ahab, and after several years, went down 8 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:41,640 Speaker 1: to visit Ahab in Samaria. Ahab slaughtered many sheep and 9 00:00:41,720 --> 00:00:45,440 Speaker 1: cattle to honor Jehosha Fat and those who came with him. 10 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:50,519 Speaker 1: He persuaded him to join in an attack against Ramothgilad. 11 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:55,880 Speaker 1: King Ahab of Israel said to Jehoshafat, will you go 12 00:00:56,000 --> 00:01:01,080 Speaker 1: with me to attack Raymothgilead. Jehosha replied to the King 13 00:01:01,120 --> 00:01:04,720 Speaker 1: of Israel, I will support you. My army is at 14 00:01:04,760 --> 00:01:09,760 Speaker 1: your disposal and will support you in battle. Then Jehoshaphat added, 15 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:14,479 Speaker 1: first seek an oracle from the Lord. So the King 16 00:01:14,520 --> 00:01:18,280 Speaker 1: of Israel assembled four hundred prophets and asked them should 17 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:23,720 Speaker 1: we attack Raymoth Gilead or not. They said, attack, God 18 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:27,800 Speaker 1: will hand it over to the king. But Jehoshaphat asked, 19 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:30,840 Speaker 1: is there not a prophet of the Lord still here 20 00:01:30,920 --> 00:01:35,119 Speaker 1: that we may ask him? The King of Israel answered, Jehoshaphat, 21 00:01:35,720 --> 00:01:38,320 Speaker 1: there is still one man through whom we can seek 22 00:01:38,360 --> 00:01:42,000 Speaker 1: the Lord's will. But I despise him because he does 23 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:47,039 Speaker 1: not prophesy prosperity for me, but always disaster. His name 24 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:52,440 Speaker 1: is Machiah son of Imlah. Jehoshaphat said the King should 25 00:01:52,480 --> 00:01:55,760 Speaker 1: not say such things. The King of Israel summoned an 26 00:01:55,800 --> 00:02:01,160 Speaker 1: officer and said, quickly, bring Machiah son of Imlah. Now. 27 00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:04,560 Speaker 1: The King of Israel and King Jehoshaphad of Judah were 28 00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:08,120 Speaker 1: sitting on their respective thrones, dressed in their royal robes, 29 00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:11,080 Speaker 1: at the threshing floor at the entrance of the Gate 30 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:17,280 Speaker 1: of Samaria. All the prophets were prophesying. Before them. Zedekiah 31 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:21,280 Speaker 1: son of Kenanah made iron horns and said, this is 32 00:02:21,320 --> 00:02:25,280 Speaker 1: what the Lord says. With these, you will gore Syria 33 00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:30,720 Speaker 1: until they are destroyed. All the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, 34 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:34,840 Speaker 1: attack Raymoth Gilead. You will succeed. The Lord will hand 35 00:02:34,880 --> 00:02:37,880 Speaker 1: it over to the king. Now. The messenger who went 36 00:02:37,919 --> 00:02:41,840 Speaker 1: to summon Machiah said to him, look, the prophets are 37 00:02:41,880 --> 00:02:46,120 Speaker 1: in complete agreement that the King will succeed. Your words 38 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:51,440 Speaker 1: must agree with theirs. You must predict success. But Machiah said, 39 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:55,399 Speaker 1: as certainly as the Lord lives, I will say what 40 00:02:55,480 --> 00:02:59,680 Speaker 1: my God tells me to say. Makiah came before the 41 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:03,400 Speaker 1: king king and the king asked him, Makiah, should we 42 00:03:03,520 --> 00:03:08,960 Speaker 1: attack Raymoth Gilead or not. He answered him, attack you 43 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:13,160 Speaker 1: will succeed. They will be handed over to you. The 44 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:15,839 Speaker 1: King said to him, how many times must I make 45 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:18,480 Speaker 1: you solemnly promise in the name of the Lord to 46 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:23,640 Speaker 1: tell me only the truth. Makiah replied, I saw all 47 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:27,680 Speaker 1: Israel scattered on the mountains like sheep that have no shepherd. 48 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:31,720 Speaker 1: Then the Lord said, they have no master. They should 49 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:35,640 Speaker 1: go home in peace. The King of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, 50 00:03:35,960 --> 00:03:39,720 Speaker 1: didn't I tell you he does not prophesy prosperity for me, 51 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:45,400 Speaker 1: but disaster. Machiah said that, being the case, hear the 52 00:03:45,440 --> 00:03:48,840 Speaker 1: word of the Lord. I saw the Lord sitting on 53 00:03:48,960 --> 00:03:52,640 Speaker 1: his throne, with all the heavenly assembly standing on his 54 00:03:52,840 --> 00:03:56,560 Speaker 1: right and on his left. The Lord said, who will 55 00:03:56,640 --> 00:04:00,440 Speaker 1: deceive King Ahab of Israel, so he will attack Raymoth 56 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:04,880 Speaker 1: Gilead and die there. One said this, and another that. 57 00:04:05,320 --> 00:04:08,360 Speaker 1: Then a spirit stepped forward and stood before the Lord. 58 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:12,760 Speaker 1: He said, I will deceive him. The Lord asked him how. 59 00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:16,440 Speaker 1: He replied, I will go out and be a lying 60 00:04:16,600 --> 00:04:20,920 Speaker 1: spirit in the mouths of all his prophets. The Lord said, 61 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:24,080 Speaker 1: deceive and overpower him. Go out and do as you 62 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:28,599 Speaker 1: have proposed. So now look, the Lord has placed a 63 00:04:28,720 --> 00:04:32,640 Speaker 1: lying spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours. 64 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:38,120 Speaker 1: But the Lord has decreed disaster for you. Zedekiah, son 65 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:42,200 Speaker 1: of Kenanah, approached hit Machiah on the jaw and said, 66 00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:45,000 Speaker 1: which way did the Lord's spirit go when he went 67 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:49,320 Speaker 1: from me to speak to you. Machiah replied, look, you 68 00:04:49,360 --> 00:04:51,560 Speaker 1: will see in the day when you go into an 69 00:04:51,600 --> 00:04:55,360 Speaker 1: inner room to hide. Then the King of Israel said, 70 00:04:55,839 --> 00:04:59,200 Speaker 1: take Machiah and return him to Ammon. The city official, 71 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:03,440 Speaker 1: and joe oh Ash, the king's son, say this is 72 00:05:03,480 --> 00:05:06,960 Speaker 1: what the King says. Put this man in prison, give 73 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:10,120 Speaker 1: him only a little bread and water until I returned safely. 74 00:05:11,200 --> 00:05:15,039 Speaker 1: Makaiah said, if you really do return safely, then the 75 00:05:15,080 --> 00:05:18,800 Speaker 1: Lord has not spoken through me. Then he added take note, 76 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:23,400 Speaker 1: all you people. The King of Israel and King Jehoshaphat 77 00:05:23,440 --> 00:05:27,280 Speaker 1: of Judah attacked Raymoth Gilead. The King of Israel said 78 00:05:27,279 --> 00:05:31,760 Speaker 1: to Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself and then enter the battle. 79 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:35,680 Speaker 1: But you wear your royal attire. So the King of 80 00:05:35,720 --> 00:05:39,640 Speaker 1: Israel disguised himself and they entered the battle. Now, the 81 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:43,800 Speaker 1: King of Syria had ordered his chariot commanders do not 82 00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:48,880 Speaker 1: fight common soldiers or high ranking officers, fight only the 83 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:53,960 Speaker 1: King of Israel. When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they 84 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:57,240 Speaker 1: said he must be the King of Israel. So they 85 00:05:57,279 --> 00:06:01,960 Speaker 1: turned and attacked him. But Jehoshaphat out the Lord helped 86 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:05,839 Speaker 1: him God lured them away from him. When the chariot 87 00:06:05,839 --> 00:06:09,000 Speaker 1: commanders realized he was not the King of Israel, they 88 00:06:09,040 --> 00:06:13,320 Speaker 1: turned away from him. Now, an archer shot an arrow 89 00:06:13,400 --> 00:06:16,440 Speaker 1: at random, and it struck the King of Israel between 90 00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:20,040 Speaker 1: the plates of his armor. The king ordered his charioteer 91 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:22,880 Speaker 1: turn around and take me from the battle line, for 92 00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:26,880 Speaker 1: I am wounded. While the battle raged throughout the day, 93 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:31,800 Speaker 1: the king stood propped up in his chariot opposite the Syrians. 94 00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:35,360 Speaker 1: He died in the evening as the sun was setting. 95 00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:41,880 Speaker 1: Let's pray, Lord, we thank you for your word, and 96 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:43,680 Speaker 1: we thank you for the privilege to be able to 97 00:06:43,720 --> 00:06:46,520 Speaker 1: look at it together today. And we thank you Lord, 98 00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:49,279 Speaker 1: that in this portion of scripture we can see a 99 00:06:49,400 --> 00:06:51,839 Speaker 1: glimpse of what it looks like when a heart is 100 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:55,960 Speaker 1: hardened against you and when the accurate proclamation of your 101 00:06:56,120 --> 00:06:59,680 Speaker 1: truth is rejected. Lord, we see that activity in the 102 00:06:59,760 --> 00:07:02,400 Speaker 1: King of Israel, and it's a warning to us to 103 00:07:02,520 --> 00:07:05,400 Speaker 1: not emulate that behavior. Lord. That's something that you don't 104 00:07:05,440 --> 00:07:08,480 Speaker 1: want us to copy. That's something that you want us 105 00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:11,360 Speaker 1: to reject. Rather, you want us to be people who 106 00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:15,280 Speaker 1: have soft hearts and who listen to your word. Lord. 107 00:07:15,320 --> 00:07:18,280 Speaker 1: We know that during the course of Christ's earthly ministry, 108 00:07:18,320 --> 00:07:21,520 Speaker 1: when your son was here in the flesh, ministering on 109 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:24,960 Speaker 1: this earth, there were people who harden their hearts against him, 110 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:27,679 Speaker 1: and they wouldn't listen to his teaching, and they wouldn't 111 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:31,160 Speaker 1: accept him for who he was God in the flesh. Lord, 112 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:33,240 Speaker 1: we pray that that would not be something that we 113 00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:36,400 Speaker 1: would copy, but rather we pray that as you speak 114 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:38,880 Speaker 1: to us through the power of your Holy Spirit and 115 00:07:38,920 --> 00:07:42,280 Speaker 1: through the teaching of the prophets that you have inspired. 116 00:07:42,720 --> 00:07:46,440 Speaker 1: We pray Lord that our hearts would be soft and 117 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:50,360 Speaker 1: mouldable and teachable, and that your instruction would be something 118 00:07:50,360 --> 00:07:52,600 Speaker 1: that we would be eager to listen to. We pray 119 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:54,360 Speaker 1: Lord that that would be the case throughout the course 120 00:07:54,400 --> 00:07:57,160 Speaker 1: of our lives, and we pray in particular for today, 121 00:07:57,480 --> 00:07:59,559 Speaker 1: that today would be a day that we would listen 122 00:07:59,560 --> 00:08:02,120 Speaker 1: to your that today would be a day that we 123 00:08:02,160 --> 00:08:05,520 Speaker 1: would obey your word. Lord. We're grateful for the privilege 124 00:08:05,520 --> 00:08:07,360 Speaker 1: to know you, and we're grateful for the fact that 125 00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:10,360 Speaker 1: you are right here with us in all respects, and 126 00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:12,320 Speaker 1: we commit this day to your care and thank you 127 00:08:12,360 --> 00:08:14,560 Speaker 1: for your presence with us in it. We pray this 128 00:08:14,640 --> 00:08:17,880 Speaker 1: all in Jesus' name. Amen.