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assisting evil

2 Chronicles 18:1-19:3

2 Chronicles 18:1 Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance, and he made an alliance with Ahab through marriage.
2 Chronicles 18:2 Then after some years, he went down to visit Ahab in Samaria. Ahab sacrificed many sheep, goats, and cattle for him and for the people who were with him. Then he persuaded him to attack Ramoth-gilead,
2 Chronicles 18:3 for Israel’s King Ahab asked Judah’s King Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to Ramoth-gilead?” He replied to him, “I am as you are, my people as your people; we will be with you in the battle.”
2 Chronicles 18:4 But Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “First, please ask what Yahveh’s will is.”
2 Chronicles 18:5 So the king of Israel gathered the prophets, four hundred men, and asked them, “Should we go to Ramoth-gilead for war or should I refrain?” They replied, “March up, and God will hand it over to the king.”
2 Chronicles 18:6 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Isn’t there a prophet of Yahveh here anymore? Let’s ask him.”
2 Chronicles 18:7 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man who can inquire of Yahveh, but I hate him because he never prophesies good about me, but only disaster. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” “The king shouldn’t say that” Jehoshaphat replied.
2 Chronicles 18:8 So the king of Israel called an officer and said, “Hurry and get Micaiah son of Imlah!”
2 Chronicles 18:9 Now the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah, clothed in royal attire, were each sitting on his own throne. They were sitting on the threshing floor at the entrance to Samaria’s gate, and all the prophets were prophesying in front of them.
2 Chronicles 18:10 Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah made iron horns and said, “This is what Yahveh says: ‘You will gore the Arameans with these until they are finished off.'”
2 Chronicles 18:11 And all the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, “March up to Ramoth-gilead and succeed, for Yahveh will hand it over to the king.”
2 Chronicles 18:12 The messenger who went to call Micaiah instructed him, “Look, the words of the prophets are unanimously favorable for the king. So let your words be like theirs and speak favorably.”
2 Chronicles 18:13 But Micaiah said, “As Yahveh lives, I will say whatever my God says.”
2 Chronicles 18:14 So he went to the king, and the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to Ramoth-gilead for war, or should I refrain?” Micaiah said, “March up and succeed, for they will be handed over to you.”
2 Chronicles 18:15 But the king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear not to tell me anything but the truth in the name of Yahveh?”
2 Chronicles 18:16 So Micaiah said: I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd. And Yahveh said, “They have no master; let each return home in peace.”
2 Chronicles 18:17 So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you he never prophesies good about me, but only disaster?”
2 Chronicles 18:18 Then Micaiah said, “Therefore, hear the word of Yahveh. I saw Yahveh sitting on his throne, and the whole heavenly army was standing at his right hand and at his left hand.
2 Chronicles 18:19 And Yahveh said, ‘Who will entice King Ahab of Israel to march up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? ‘ So one was saying this and another was saying that.
2 Chronicles 18:20 “Then a breath came forward, stood before Yahveh, and said, ‘I will entice him.’ “Yahveh asked him, ‘How? ‘
2 Chronicles 18:21 “So he said, ‘I will go and become a lying breath in the mouth of all his prophets.’ “Then he said, ‘You will entice him and prevail. Go and do that.’
2 Chronicles 18:22 “Now, you see, Yahveh has put a lying breath into the mouth of these prophets of yours, and Yahveh has pronounced disaster against you.”
2 Chronicles 18:23 Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah came up, hit Micaiah on the cheek, and demanded, “Which way did the breath from Yahveh leave me to speak to you?”
2 Chronicles 18:24 Micaiah replied, “You will soon see when you go to hide in an inner chamber on that day.”
2 Chronicles 18:25 Then the king of Israel ordered, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon, the governor of the city, and to Joash, the king’s son,
2 Chronicles 18:26 and say, ‘This is what the king says: Put this guy in prison and feed him only a little bread and water until I come back safely.'”
2 Chronicles 18:27 But Micaiah said, “If you ever return safely, Yahveh has not spoken through me.” Then he said, “Listen, all you people!”
2 Chronicles 18:28 Then the king of Israel and Judah’s King Jehoshaphat went up to Ramoth-gilead.
2 Chronicles 18:29 But the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your royal attire.” So, the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went into battle.
2 Chronicles 18:30 Now the king of Aram had ordered his chariot commanders, “Do not fight with anyone at all except the king of Israel.”
2 Chronicles 18:31 When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they shouted, “He must be the king of Israel!” So, they turned to attack him, but Jehoshaphat cried out and Yahveh helped him. God drew them away from him.
2 Chronicles 18:32 When the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.
2 Chronicles 18:33 But a man drew his bow without taking special aim and struck the king of Israel through the joints of his armor. So, he said to the charioteer, “Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am badly wounded!”
2 Chronicles 18:34 The battle raged throughout that day, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot facing the Arameans until evening. Then he died at sunset.
2 Chronicles 19:1 King Jehoshaphat of Judah returned to his home in Jerusalem in peace.
2 Chronicles 19:2 Then Jehu son of the seer Hanani went out to confront him and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Do you help the wicked and love those who hate Yahveh? Because of this, Yahveh’s wrath is on you.
2 Chronicles 19:3 However, some good is found in you, for you have eradicated the Asherah poles from the land and have decided to seek God.”

assisting evil

In the complexities of this story, it is hard sometimes to remember the moral that the chronicler puts to it. The prophet Jehu addresses Jehoshaphat after he had returned from battle. Ahab had been killed as Micaiah had prophesied. But Jehoshaphat returned unscathed. Yet the LORD took fault in him for helping the wicked, and loving those who hate the LORD. While it is true that we are to love our enemies, we need to draw the line at assisting those who intend to defile the people of God.

LORD, give us insight on the limits to which we cannot go in assisting evil.