And he walked in all the ways
of his father Asa. He did not
turn aside from them, doing
what was right in the eyes of
the LORD. Nevertheless the
high places were not taken
away, for the people
offered sacrifices and burned
incense on the high places.
1Kings 22:43
Jehoshaphat the son of King Asa became king over Judah when His father died, and is for us an example that proves the adage: "nothing changes." Jehoshaphat did good and right in the eyes of God, except that he did not completely change, he allowed pagan high places to remain and the people of Judah practiced sacrifices there and burned incense on the altars at the high places. This is a picture of many today who believe in God, have faith in the Son of God, but will not remove the high places that are abhorrent to God and all they do is bring upon themselves and especially to their spouses, their children, relatives, friends, is a faith that is not fully devoted to God, admitting to them that they have some doubts, and will not give all to God. They will not either if they see how you say your faith is and allow sin to remain. There has been since the 19th century a move to ecumenical Church, and even some today wonder and admit that it is ok for so many denominations, and in some sense they are not wrong, but they see this division as ok, and they themselves never really belong to a Church and have their doubts as to which one is right, and even accept those cults that claim to be Christian, i.e., Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons, etc. Jehoshaphat did just that he made peace with the northern apostate Jews in Israel, those ten tribes that separated from the southern two tribes thinking that this would bring harmony to God, and to the Jewish nation(s): "Also Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel" (1Kings 22:44). Jehoshaphat did what so many do today thinking that if they just did good for those who are sinful, bring them in to the fold, (not all bad), love them, (not all bad), but the seer Jehu son of Hanani gave to him this warning: "And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went to meet him, and said to the king Jehoshaphat, 'Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD? Therefore the wrath of the LORD is upon you" (2Chronicles 19:2). Even though Jehoshaphat did many things that were pleasing of the LORD he did much that did not please the LORD and this can be seen when he allied himself with a wicked king: "After this Jehoshaphat king of Judah allied himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who acted very wickedly, and he allied himself with him to make ships to to iito Tarshish, and they they ships in Ezion geber. But Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying: "Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the LORD has destroyed your works,' Then the ships were wrecked so tht they were not able to go to Tarshish" (2Chronicles 20:35-37). By not holding fast to God and being an example of faith by removing sin from the land this is what happened: "Nevertheless the high places were not taken away, for as yet the people not directed their hearts to the God of their fathers" (2Chronicles 20: 33). How did this partial devotion to God work out for Jehoshaphat? Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat became king and then: "Now when Jehoram was established over the kingdom of his father, he strengthened himself and killed all his brothers with the sword, and also others of the princes of Israel.....And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done,f or he had the daughter of Ahap as a wife; and he did evil in the sight of the LORD" (2Chronicles 21:4,6).
Those narrative found in the Bible are not to be ignored. They are not just history. We find in the circumstances that were written were written for God's people: "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of god may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2Timothy 3:16-17). What high places have we allowed to remain in our lives? Furthermore, how has our allowing for sin to have hold in some manner and not be addressed affection our families, friends, and even our standing before God? Will your reluctance to remove those things that are displeasing to God have an ill effect upon your children, your grandchildren? And what about your neighbor? Do people look at you and say, without your prompting, "they goes a Christian." What part of the Bible do you not want to follow? You may say, "I keep the commandments, for I do not steal, I do not kill, and for the most part, at least, I do not covet, I do not commit adultery, and I try not to lie, but sometimes you do, and with all this goodness, these works by keeping the law all you are doing, in many cases, is keeping only the part that pleases you, protects you from criminal, or civil arrest and being in jail, yet the one commandment that is most ofter left alone, and is replaced by other things is, Keeping the Sabbath holy. We work all week, and we play all weekend, we seem to live of our weekends so that we can go and have fun, which is not wrong in itself, but when Sunday comes, the day of rest, the day from the beginning of the Church, the day when Christians meet together, worship together, and spend time together, comes, so often we find people boating, playing golf, shopping, but not taking time to give to God even one day, hardly do they give to God time to be in Church, they have high places that they just will not remove. So often while in Church, all that is important is when will the service be over, the pastor is running 10 minutes over, and when the service is over you cannot wait and run to go and sacrifice at your high places. Paul writes: But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage" (Galatians 4:9). Paul adds: "Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage" (Galatians 5:1). Have you made plans that does not include God, that is, are you giving more than a couple of hours on Sunday by being in Church, dressed as though without respect to our Savior, dressed so that you will be ready to go and have fun, at the beach, at the lake, at the golf course, there is nothing wrong with those things, it is timing, it is keeping the whole law of God. Are you making plans to have other Christians to come and fellowship with you at a lunch you have prepared, are you taking time to read the Bible, what are you doing on the Lord's Day? Paul says: "You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?....For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another" (Galatians 5:7,13).
Are you changing from the inside out? Does your life demonstrate those inward changes that God wants to do in your life? God loves those who He has and will give to His Son, and that love drove Him to send His Wisdom, clothed in humanity, to suffer as an innocent man, to die and horrible death on a cross, just for His children, those He loves and will has sent the Holy Spirit to be with them. Are you parking the Holy Spirit outside due to those high places you are not even attempting to remove, or is your love for God who loves you so much increasing and making those necessary changes? Paul again writes: And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit" (Galatians 5:24-25).
Remove those high places, do not be like King Jehoshaphat and believe in God without removing those sinful and distasteful things that God opposes, replacing them with your life, your time, and God will reap upon you a joy that no man can remove, as those who you will not associate with, those who are wicked, will not have a place in your life, only those who are your brothers and sisters, for an eternity are, those who you now in this life will associate with, who will in many ways attempt to destroy your faith, your walk with God. We do good to all men, but we are not doing so just because we are philanthropic, we do it because the love of God is in us, showing by those works that flow from God, Him: "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith" (Galatians 6:10).
Now, therefore, you are
no longer strangers
and foreigners, but fellow
citizens with the saints
and members of the household
of God"
Ephesians 2:19
Sunday Is Coming
Richard L. Crumb
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