The life of Jehoshaphat offers a plaintive picture of what happens to good people when they yoke themselves with unbelievers. They are tragically deceived who believe they can be a good influence upon the openly profane by becoming confederate with them. Ask the woman who has married an ungodly man with the intention of converting him. And, witness how ecumenism has proven again and again to be a confederacy in evil by concurring with false worship.

Jehoshaphat broke ranks with his conscience and brought swift judgment upon his children, his grandchildren, and his great-grandchildren.

Jehoshaphat was the son of "good king Asa." He reigned in Jerusalem at age 35, and continued as the king of Judah for 25 years. "He walked in the way of Asa his father and departed not from it doing that which was right in the sight of the Lord." "Howbeit the high places were not taken away, for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers." (II Chronicles 20:31,32; 17:3-6; 20:33)

He fortified the kingdom with widely diffused garrisons, and built cities to store food to neutralize the effects of famine. "And the Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim; but sought to the Lord God of his father, and walked in his commandments and not after the doings of Israel." (17:2-4, 12)

He set up a system of religious education sending a royal commission that "went about through all the cities of Judah and taught the people." (7-9)

He provided for the punishment of evildoers by setting judges in all the "fenced cities", and he charged them, "Take heed what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but for the Lord who is with you in judgment. Wherefore now, let the fear of the Lord be before you: take heed and do it, for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts (bribes). Deal courageously, and the Lord shall be with the good." (19:5-11)

Jehoshaphat "took away the high places, and groves out of

Judah" which Asa his father had not dared to do. He "went out through the people from Beersheba to Mount Ephraim and brought them back unto the Lord God of their fathers." (3,4)

When the Moabites and Ammonites invaded the land "a great multitude to invade Judah", although he made proper military preparation, he taught his people to trust the arm of God. He "set himself to seek the Lord and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah." (20:15,3)

At his call his people came out of all the cities to seek the Lord. When he prayed for help, "all Judah stood before the Lord with their little ones, their wives, and their children." And when the Spirit of God spoke to them through Jehaziel a message of encouragement "Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the Lord, worshipping the Lord." (20:4, 5-13, 18)

"When he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness;" and they "went out before the army" saying "Praise the Lord; for His mercy endureth forever." (20:21)

"He sought to the Lord God of his fathers and walked after His commandments and not after the ways of Israel." "He walked in the first ways of his father David, and his heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord." (17:3,4,6)

He built palaces in Judah. Mighty men of war were in Jerusalem.

Nations, fearing the Lord, made no war with Jehoshaphat. He enjoyed riches and honor in abundance. (17:12,13,10,5)

Certainly one would expect to find such a man bearing a vital testimony before a wicked king. Certainly one would expect his good influence would counteract the evil influence of an evil ruler. Certainly such a man as Jehoshaphat would never yoke himself with an enemy of God, much less to Ahab who "sold himself to work evil in the sight of the Lord." Certainly he would use every means to keep his family and his people from the corrupting influences of such a man.

"Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance, and joined affinity with Ahab." The wicked king asked the king of Judah to join him in an effort to extend his wicked power. Though warned of defeat by the prophet Micaiah, Jehoshaphat joins battle against the common enemy.

The king of Israel is killed in battle, and Jehoshaphat narrowly escapes. The armies of Israel and Judah are prostrated before the armies of Syria. Ahab is carried off the field of battle smitten with an arrow. Jehoshaphat returns home in shame, and is greeted by Jehu, the son of Hanani the prophet. He has a message from God: "Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? Therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord." (19:2)

The king of Judah at first repented, "and he went out again through the people from Beersheba to Mount Ephraim and brought them back unto the Lord God of their father." Yet, "after this did Jehoshaphat the king of Judah join himself with Ahazia, king of Israel who did very wickedly." He made a league with this son of Ahab to build a navy, and once again he was rebuked by a prophet of God. (19:4; 20:35,36)

"Then Eliezer, the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophecied against Jehoshaphat saying, "Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the Lord hath broken thy works;’" and the ships were wrecked before they were able to sail. (20:37)

The army he so carefully formed was overthrown, and so was his family, for the sword entered his own house. Jehoram, his son, treacherously murdered his brother: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Michael, Shephatiah, and Azariah. He married into the family of Ahab taking the daughter of Ahab as his wife. "Howbeit the Lord would not destroy the house of David because of the covenant he had made with David." Nevertheless, the Lord smote him in the bowels with an incurable disease. And it came to pass that in the process of time, after the end of two years, his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness: so he died...and departed without being desired." He was buried without honor. (21: 2-4,6,7,18-20)

God’s wrath extended into the next generation. The nations that had feared the Lord in the days of Jehoshaphat invaded Judah and had slain all the sons of Jehoram except his youngest, "and the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah, his youngest son, king in his stead." His mother was Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab, and "was his counsellor to do wickedly. Wherefore, he did evil in the sight of the Lord like the house of Ahab: for they were his counsellors after the death of his father to his destruction." (22:1,3,4)

The destruction of Ahaziah was "of God," for he went to visit Jehoram, king of Israel, the son of Ahab "because he was sick." The ill monarch convinced the king of Judah to join him in battle against Jehu, the son of Nimshi "whom the Lord had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab." When Jehu found the princes of Judah among the house of Ahab he destroyed them all—even Ahaziah, king of Judah. (22:6-8)

When Athaliah knew her son was dead, this daughter of Jezebel "arose and destroyed all the seed royal of the house of Judah" except Joash who was hid six years by his aunt, the daughter of Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest, the sister of Ahaziah. After usurping the throne of David for six years, Jehoiada the priest rose up and anointed seven-year-old Joash king of Judah. He then had Athaliah carried out of the Temple where she had fled for safety and for her murderous out-rage had her slain with the sword.

The testimony of Jehoshaphat was shattered. He had been persuaded to visit Ahab, king of Israel who had set up the scene and blasphemous worship of Baal. He had come as a friend of them who openly defied the God of Heaven. The surrender of one conviction led to the surrender of another, and then another until he, suffered the wrath of God.

Reader, I would pose to you the same question the son of Hanani posed to Jehoshaphat: "Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord?" Can you speak smoother things than God allows in hopes of seeing some "saved?"

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PILGRIM’S BIBLE CHURCH --Since March 1st, we have been conducting services in our 9’x12’living room. While it is inconvenient, we cannot do otherwise at the moment. We are in arrears $723 for three payments on our old building, and we cannot with clear conscience look for alternate facilities until we can settle this debt.

Summers are always financially brutal to us and we missed one payment in each of the past two summers. Then we were not able to make the payment the month we moved.

We want to be completely honorable in our dealings with these people, Pray for us.

*If you send a contribution during the month of May either to assist our church, or to help with the Angelus we will send you a free copy of Spurgeon’s classic sermon, "Free Will --a Slave"

There are but two kinds of people in the world. There are those who pursue the things of the flesh, and those who pursue the things of the Spirit. By "the flesh" I mean that fallen state of the soul in which it is under no righteous restraints. They who obey the inclinations of the flesh are "carnally-minded." Their primary concern is for the things that appeal to the flesh, but the things of the flesh produce death. (Romans 8:6)

The carnal mind is at war with God. It is not in subjection to the law of God, nor can it be. They speak evil of the things which they do not know, but "what they know naturally, as brute beasts", i.e. hunger, thirst, physical attraction, "in those things they corrupt themselves." (Romans 8:7; Jude 10)

Many people who have been baptized and joined a church are not obedient to the Word of God. Their will is simply not in subjection to the will of God; and they who are in the flesh cannot please God. (Romans 8:8)

How different are they who pant after the things of the Spirit! It is not their habit to entertain the dictates of the flesh. They are indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God. They reckon their body to be dead to a life of sin: they die daily. They set their affections on things above, not on things on the earth. They present their bodies a living sacrifice –a holy sacrifice, a sacrifice acceptable to God, which they recognize as only their reasonable service to Him. (Romans 8:9, 10; Colossians 3:1-3; Romans 12:l)

The Spirit-filled child of God knows He is not indebted to his flesh to satisfy it. He knows anyone who is preoccupied with the flesh shall die. Therefore, by the Spirit of God that indwells him, he mortifies the deeds of the flesh. Everyone so "led" by the Spirit of God gives evidence he is in fact a child of God.

"Now the works of the flesh are manifest; they are known to everyone. The Apostle lists 17 sins, and the first 4 deal with "unlawful carnal knowledge."

1. Adultery

2. Fornication --"porneia" from which we derive our word "pornography" or "writing of prostitutes"

3. Uncleanness

4. Lasciviousness --lustfulness, "filthy dreaming," wantonness, lawless and unbridled immorality, debauchery evidenced by sodomy and beastiality

5. Idolatry --and Paul declares "Covetousness is as idolatry" (Colossians 3:5)

6. Witchcraft --"pharmakeia" from which we derive the word "pharmacy". Witchcraft is inseparably connected to the use of drugs.

7. Hatred --aversions and antipathies as opposed to brotherly love and kindness

8. Variance --a love for debate and discord

9. Emulations --jealous rivalries, striving for excellence at the expense of others

10. Wrath --lasting anger, rage

11. Strife --contentions

12. Seditions --revolts, whether as acts of terrorism against the state, or as "korites" within the church

13. Heresies

14. Envyings --pain felt by the excellence or happiness of others

15. Murders

16. Drunkenness

17. Revellings --carousings, wild partying spirit

and such like, of the which I have told you in times past, that they which do such things", they whose lives are characterized by such things, shall not inherit the kingdom of God." (Galatians 5:19-21)

"But the fruit of the Spirit is 1.) Love --an intense desire to please God; 2.) Joy --L. "hilaritas", exultation; 3.) Peace--calm, quiet; 4.) Longsuffering --bearing the frailties and provocations of others, "possessing your reigns"; 5.) Gentleness –kindness; 6.) Goodness --the study to be good and to do good; 7. Faith –reliability, dependability; 8.) Meekness --mildness, indulgence toward others; 9.) Temperance-- self-government: against such there is no law."(Vs. 22,23)

Paul admonished the Philippians that whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report "if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." (Philippians 4:8) "Spirit-filled" people labor to bring each thought into subjection to the law of Christ.

If we "walk" in the Spirit, if we intentionally, determinedly

keep up and maintain our communion with the Holy Spirit, we shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh. As the flesh wars with the Spirit indwelling the people of God, so the Spirit of God wars with the flesh. There can be no peaceful, coexistence between these two. They are contrary the one to the other. Therefore we cannot do the things we would. (Galatians 5:16;l7)

"If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."

True "Spirit-filled" believers sing to themselves psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. They do not gravitate to the songs of the drunkard and the harlot. They relish the songs of Zion. (Ephesians 5:19)

"Spirit-filled" believers are people who are filled with gratitude "always, for all things." They are humble people who submit themselves one to another "in the fear of God." A truly "spirit-filled" woman will not wear shorts or any other clothing designed to attract attention to her body. Similarly a "spirit-filled" man will not be harsh, or bear-like toward others, but will manifest the fruits of the Spirit, and will be a gentleman like his Master. (Ephesians 5:20,21)

"Spirit-filled" women submit themselves to their husbands as unto the Lord." How foolish it is then for a woman to pretend to be "spirit-filled" and claim God has called her to preach! Can she stand behind a pulpit preaching the Word of God and still be in subjection to her husband? Can she preach to other men and honor her husband? (Ephesians 5:22)

God’s people have "crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." They are not killed outright, but suffer a lingering death. "Affections" are those sudden, sinful passions. "Lusts" refer to those deeply rooted passions that are not so easily overcome. (Galatians 5:24)

If we truly "live in the Spirit," let us prove it by "walking in the Spirit," because the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us who walk "not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." In commenting on this verse, John Trapp gave the proper sense: "Only spiritual men are the heirs of life." (Galatians 5:28)

We are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if so be the Spirit of God dwells in us. "NOW if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His." (Romans 8:9)

An Added Look At Science and Man -- A LETTER

Dear Mr. Fellows:

I’d like to express my support for you. Your efforts to awaken Christians to the confusion and godlessness of many aspects of the modern world have certainly opened my eyes in many ways.

Your last issue had an interesting article "Science Vs. Man" which rightly pointed out the foolishness of some extremist environmental groups. The article was, however, somewhat unbalanced. There are certainly areas that the environment is threatened, with consequences harmful or fatal to men and women.

Presently in Canada, my home, many lakes which used to be full of fish and waterfowl are totally dead, killed by acid rain. As a result, many who owed their living to these recreational areas have suffered greatly.

The most tragic case of environmental damage I can think of is Minimata Disease, in which many children become partially or totally paralyzed. The source was found to be mercury in fish caught in polluted waters.

The extreme paranoia of certain groups such as the Canadian-funded Greenpeace must be recognized, however, our stewardship of God’s creation must be considered. I work at a government environment research centre dedicated to a careful and balanced investigation of such areas. As a born-again Christian, I feel honored to do such work. --Frank Skinner