Jehoshaphat
Part 7
There are Good Things Found in Thee
Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God. (2 Chronicles 19:3)
For the king trusteth in the LORD, and through the mercy of the most High he shall not be moved. (Psalm 21:7)
<<To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.>> The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee; (Psalm 20:1)
Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion; (Psalm 20:2)
Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah. (Psalm 20:3)
Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel. (Psalm 20:4)
We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the LORD fulfil all thy petitions. (Psalm 20:5)
Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand. (Psalm 20:6)
Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. (Psalm 20:7)
They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright. (Psalm 20:8)
Save, LORD: let the king hear us when we call. (Psalm 20:9)
<<A Song of degrees.>> They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever. (Psalm 125:1)
As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people from henceforth even for ever. (Psalm 125:2)
A Measure of Salt
Ahab had been found in the balance of God’s judgment and found wanting. TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.(Daniel 5:27) He had sold himself to do evil, and evil set his sentence of death by the hand of Jehovah. This judgment from on high was still fresh in the memory and conscience of Jehoshaphat. His own narrow escape from death now registered more in the light of the word of the seer, Jehu, the son of Hanini. God who searches the heart and tries the reins of man looked upon Jehoshaphat and still found a good part in this disobedient king of Judah. Although Jehovah showed His mercy, Jehovah would demand a measure of salt against the house of Jehoshaphat. Many, today, confuse grace with mercy; and mercy with grace; however, both have their own character and place. Grace belongs entirely to God. Grace was God before the first whisper of creation. All eternity contains His grace; however, in the history of man grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. God’s grace to man has been accomplished by the death of our blessed Lord on the cross at Calvary. Only God can give grace, one cannot obtain grace for himself by works, or through euphoric feelings. Grace has to come as a gift, and like mercy God will shed His grace according to His will and purpose. This gift will come to those who God calls.
The Double Call of God
Abraham was called by the God of glory. Abraham was not looking for God the day that God called him. God appeared unto him, and God infused him with faith. Paul was traveling on the Damascus road determined to raise havoc upon the churches. He would take prisoners, yet God in His grace had other plans for Saul. Just as Abraham received the double call of God, so too Saul also heard the words, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Saul, like Abraham, was not looking for Jesus Christ that day. He had no intention of giving his heart to Christ; yet, out of heaven the Lord Jesus by a blinding light melted the heart of Saul. Grace was given by the Lord Himself there was no other source, but the source of all grace. He would shed His grace as a free gift upon an enemy of the cross; Paul would grow and receive grace sufficient for him. In all his labors it was always grace, it lightened his eyes and strengthened his voice to awaken the Gentiles to the glorious gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Not only had Paul found sufficiency in God’s grace, but he declared this grace to one and all that they might also receive it freely from God. He felt the joy of grace in those who called on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and he felt the sadness of grace to those who refused the free gift of God; like Agrippa, a king with man’s wisdom who could not see the light of heaven. Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. (Acts 26:28) Grace was in the presence of a king and, yet the king received no grace and no mercy. The rebellious heart of man in Adam had nothing to do with grace. The natural man, or the man in sin, could not atone for sin.
Grace for Grace
In the Gospel of John, Chapter 1 we read that Christ brought grace for grace; in fact, it is to His Person that in Him is this grace. And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. (John 1:16) Why grace for grace?
As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: (1 Peter 2:2)
If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. (1 Peter 2:3)
To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, (1 Peter 2:4)
To those of us who have received the grace of God, the grace of God not only abides within us, but becomes part of our surroundings. God continues to work in grace to bring us to the fullness of Christ. The Holy Spirit moves within us so that we may behold ‘grace for grace’ in Jesus Christ.
Mercy and Truth
Now did Jehoshaphat receive grace? No, He received mercy.
Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. (Psalm 85:10)
When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O LORD, held me up. (Psalm 94:18)
It was God’s mercy that delivered Jehoshaphat on the battlefield, the psalmist in Psalm 94 is referring to his own failure; and yet, God’s mercy held him up. God, therefore, delivered Jehoshaphat from the Syrian enemy, and from his own folly. We see the fulfillment of mercy and truth in the words of the seer, Jehu. God was not about to let things slip, He was going to bring it out in the open, face to face with the seer, Jehu. Now the good part that was found in Jehoshaphat was it not a wreath of grace held out to him by God? He could have been under severe judgment, and yet, God looked upon the good part that was in him; therefore, mercy and truth met together in the words of the seer to Jehoshaphat. Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. (John 1:17) Grace and truth came in the fullness of time. But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, (Galatians 4:4) To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. (Galatians 4:5) God had the appointed time of the arrival of His Son in the history of man. The Lord Jesus came out of heaven’s glory. (John 13) We are told that He came out from the Father and in this point in the Gospel that He was going back to the Father once again. This intrinsic statement shows not only the preexistence of Christ, but His eternal existence with the Father. For He is in the Father, and the Father is in Him. He not only brings grace and truth, but in His life on earth He displayed ‘grace for grace.’ In every thing that the Lord Jesus did and spoke, all was upheld by truth and grace. Always before Him was God’s determinate counsel, and He was the instrument of God’s grace to man. This would be God’s free gift, born of a woman, made under the law to suffer and die for the sin of the world. The divine Son would become the divine man. When the Lord Jesus ascended from the Mount of Olives, He ascended as the Son of God and the anointed man. This man removed Adam and created a new man in Himself on the cross of Calvary.
Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; (Ephesians 2:15)
And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: (Ephesians 2:16)
Mercy on Display
For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. (Romans 9:15) He affects His mercy after His own will, and not man’s will. Ahab perished under God’s judgment, Jehoshaphat was spared by God’s mercy; for the God of all mercy was looking on that good part that was in Jehoshaphat. The words of the seer, Jehu, the son of Hanani are interesting for it was Hanani (the seer) who had rebuked Asa (Jehoshaphat’s father).
Mercy Withheld
Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha was building; and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah. (2 Chronicles 16:6)
And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the LORD thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand. (2 Chronicles 16:7)
Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen? yet, because thou didst rely on the LORD, he delivered them into thine hand. (2 Chronicles 16:8)
For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars. (2 Chronicles 16:9)
Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in a prison house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed some of the people the same time. (2 Chronicles 16:10)
When Hanani delivered his stern message to Asa, he was sent to the prison house by Asa. This shows a great character flaw in Asa. Also, at that same time, Asa oppressed some of his own people; he turned the anger of his heart against the people who God had given him to rule. These were the last acts of Asa, and for these acts God sent disease in the feet of Asa. The people who were oppressed most likely were around Jerusalem. God showed no mercy, but sent judgment to Asa. Even though Asa knew he was under the judgment of God, he sought after man in physicians to heal his disease. There is no mention of his repentance, or humbling himself before the Almighty God. He had reverted to man’s help, and not God’s help. Asa went to his grave with a stubborn and rebellious heart. And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians.(2 Chronicles 16:12) The simple act of repentance and humbling himself before God, the God of heaven would have healed him, but Asa would not; therefore, Asa slept with his fathers.
The Turning Point
When Jehu was given the message to deliver to Jehoshaphat he must have thought of his father, Hanani. This did not deter him from speaking before the king. He knew that he was bringing a stern and rebuking message from Jehovah to Jehoshaphat. Unlike Hanani, Jehu’s father, he found a humble king in Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat listened intensely to the words of Jehu, and acted accordingly to the words of the seer. There are no words recorded of anger from Jehoshaphat. Could he have also thought of his own father, Asa, and the diseased feet that was the cause of his death. This message from Jehu was a turning point in the life of Jehoshaphat. He returned to his first works of educating the people in the word of God, and set up judges to handle all disputes among the people. In retrospect he may have thought of God’s mercy on the battlefield, and how in his folly he had moved away from the purpose and plan of God.
Mercy
To understand mercy we must start, of course, with God’s Word, but who of us has not experienced God’s mercy? To see God’s side of His wonderful mercy we must delve into the Word of God. Let us look into Scripture in a brief study of mercy. Remember, the Holy Spirit is our teacher. He will lead us into all truth. We must rely on the Holy Spirit, there is never a point in time or history that the Holy Spirit does not want the children of God to know all truth.
Mercy Conditioned on Truth
We begin with Psalm 25:10 All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies. In this verse we see the conditional part of God’s mercy; that it is conditioned on truth.
Protection of Mercy and Truth
He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth. (Psalm 57:3) In this Psalm we see the protecting part of God’s mercy, once again in combination with God’s truth.
Possessive Mercy and Truth
Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defence, and the God of my mercy. (Psalm 59:17) Here we see the possessive part of God’s mercy, for He is my God of mercy. This, of course, must be to His own.
Preserving Power of Mercy and Truth
He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him.(Psalm 61:7) God’s mercy and truth are part of His preserving power. This preserving power keeps His own away from evil.
Mercy in the Truth of Salvation
But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation. (Psalm 69:13) In Psalm 69 we get a link of God’s mercy in the very work of salvation. The Lord Jesus on the cross turned to the dying thief and declared, (Luke 23:43) And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. Mercy and grace are met together in the Savior’s work on the cross. In the case of the thief, he was thinking of a kingdom; however, the Lord Jesus went much farther and revealed a paradise for him, which was much greater than a kingdom.
The Collective Witness of God’s Love in Mercy and Truth
Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. (Psalm 85:10) In this Psalm we see the collective witness of both mercy and truth. They are met together as a witness of God’s love, then they, in turn, by meeting together bring righteousness and peace; in that they kiss each other. It is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world, And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer [it to be so] now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.. . . (Matthew 3:15) The fulfillment of righteousness could only come from One who was Righteous. The Lord Jesus was all righteousness. It was part of His Being, and being manifested in the flesh He must fulfill all that righteousness before the eyes of man.
For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: (Romans 8:3)
That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:4)
God’s Character in Mercy and Truth
But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. (Psalm 86:15) We have before us in this Psalm a very brief look at God’s character. He is full of compassion, this brings in the God of all comfort. He knows our frame and He is gracious through the multiplicity of His grace in His Being. He is longsuffering to usward not willing that any should perish. He desires that all would come to repentance, and once again, we see the character of His mercy and His truth. His acts of mercy reveals Himself as truth. The Lord Jesus declared Himself as the way, the truth, and the life in John 14:6, Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. This verse in the Gospel of John was confirmed and displayed on the cross of Calvary when the Lord Jesus took mercy and truth and the sin of the whole world upon Himself and nailed it to His cross.
Mercy and Truth in Christ — Justice and Judgment in His Throne
Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face. (Psalm 89:14) The gloom of justice and judgment from the Righteous Judge who sits on the throne of eternity. He wields a righteous scepter for it is the scepter and character of His kingdom. He will judge all in righteousness.
But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. (Hebrews 1:8)
Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. (Hebrews 1:9)
This throne is a righteous throne, and He who sits upon this throne is a just judge. After all that has been revealed in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, the world should be crying out, How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation? This mercy and truth is not only met in Jesus Christ, but revealed by revelation to us by Him. Truly, mercy and truth are in the face of Jesus.
Mercy Nationally Applied to Israel
He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. (Psalm 98:3) Here is mercy in a national sense concerning the apple of His eye, the nation of Israel under His covenant relationship with them. He has displayed Himself to the people of Israel as Jehovah, as the Mighty God, and the great I AM; and this covenant relationship is also fulfilled in God’s dear Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. All the ends of the earth will know and see their salvation when the scepter of righteousness returns in the hand of the King of kings, and the Lord of lords. The eternal Son of the living God will bring in righteousness and mercy, and His righteousness and mercy will encompass the apple of His eye, the nation of Israel.
Mercy Displayed at His Will
The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.(Psalm 103:8) Jehovah is merciful, He is slow to anger, He suffers the world and the waywardness of His people. We see this in the study of Jehoshaphat for this king had many failures, but God always tried to right Jehoshaphat’s ship; displaying His mercy over and over to this wayward king.
Mercy Everlasting
But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children; (Psalm 103:17) Will God’s mercy fade away? No, it is from everlasting to everlasting, especially to a race of people the world does not recognize. These people have been born not of blood, not of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Throughout time they are the generation of Jesus Christ. (Matthew 1:1) The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. These are the recipients of God’s favor. The children of the Highest who have come to God by faith. (Hebrews 11) For truly His mercy endureth forever. Now for the grand finale . . . you will have to read the Psalm 136 in it’s entirety. I think that this should put you on the right track, but always remember that God gave YOU His Holy Spirit to teach you all truth. He can show you the wealth and the riches of Christ if you would just submit to His will. Listen to the Holy Spirit and you will never go wrong.
Grace
Grace is part of the Almighty Being. He is grace, and He put out the fire for us who believe. He freed us from this world of evil, and gave us life in His Son. God washed us in the blood of grace, the blood of Jesus Christ His Son. When God created the heaven and earth, He looked at each day and said that it was ‘good.’ The world was in existence and formed when God created man. The environment was set, the place was set, and then Adam was created. In the new order, after sin was vanquished on the cross by the Lord Jesus Christ, man is created in the Son of God by the new birth. God the Holy Spirit moved over the deep and the darkness of man’s heart to create a new being or new man in Jesus Christ. These are now the sons of God through adoption. They have been transformed out of this world to dwell with Christ. God the Holy Spirit has moved them from death to life. He takes us from Adam and death, and gives us life and light in Jesus Christ. We are moved from a creation under a curse eventually to a glorified creation of the new heaven and the new earth. This will be the final destination of all who have faith in Jesus Christ. They will be fulfilling the hope that God has given us by His grace, and all this is the free gift of God in Jesus Christ our Lord.
A note for your study: take all the verses in the New Testament that mentions the word ‘grace’ and study each of them. I hope to do a message in the future on the facets of grace. In all of the four Gospels ‘grace’ is only mentioned in four verses (Luke 2:40; John 1:14; 1:16; and 1:17), also, the word ‘faith’ is not found in the Gospel of John. In the final Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, we only have two verses with the word ‘grace.’
Two, the Witness of God’s Grace
John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; (Revelation 1:4) This is God’s grace to the seven (7) churches of Asia. The last mention of grace in the cannon of Scripture is found in Revelation 22:21, The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. We have to believe that this is God the Holy Spirit’s last call to all men; a call of grace and truth in Jesus Christ. How amazing is this Word of God! Why is grace mentioned so few times in the four Gospels? The answer is found in the Gospel of John, Chapter 1, verse 17, For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Grace was here in the wonderful Person of God’s dear Son. Twenty four hours a day from His birth to His ascension man saw the living grace of God in the Person of God’s dear Son. The words and actions, the miracles, and the walk of Christ all witnessed of His grace.
The Message of Grace Connected
In the last book of the Bible, the Book of the Revelation, the seven churches have failed in one way or another. The failure has resulted in a spiritual sickness that leads to their own termination in the church of Laodicea, but grace and truth comes to them with His seven pleas of righteousness. In verse 1:4 it is the seer John, yes, he is still the Apostle, but here and through the Book of Revelation, he takes on the part of a seer. The first message in Revelation is grace (1:4). The first message of Jehu, the seer, was concerning the good part that was found in Jehoshaphat; however, God has somewhat against Jehoshaphat. This also in relation to the angels of the seven churches. The Lord Jesus had found in each church a path of evil (evidence of evil) nevertheless, God also found a good part, and displayed grace where He could and where He would. This grace was from Him which is, and was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before His throne.
Again he said, Therefore hear the word of the LORD; I saw the LORD sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left. (2 Chronicles 18:18)
And the LORD said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one spake saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner. (2 Chronicles 18:19)
Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will entice him. And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? (2 Chronicles 18:20)
And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And the LORD said, Thou shalt entice him, and thou shalt also prevail: go out, and do even so. (2 Chronicles 18:21)
I thought that a reference back to Micaiah in 2 Chronicles would be of interest at this point. For both Ahab and Jehoshaphat had heard all the words of the Holy Spirit through Micaiah. We see the presence of God’s throne and the Spirits before His throne in comparison to God’s throne and the seven Spirits of Revelation 1:4.
We now begin our journey with the John, the seer, in the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Except for only two mentions of grace, one at the beginning and the final mention at the close of Revelation we will not see the word grace in any other place — grace is absent for it is a book of judgment. Once again, Christ who is all grace and truth has the predominant part in the revelation which God the Father gave unto His Son, Jesus Christ. Christ sent and signified this revelation by His angel unto His servant, John.
The Last Grace — 2 2 2 1
The last mention of grace takes place at the end, the very last verse, the very last cry of the Spirit of God to man. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. (Revelation 22:21) The very address where this verse is found is a divine message to us. Two is the number of witness, 2+2 = 4, four is the number of the collective world. Two + two + two = six, six the number of man; thus we have the last witness to man. Two, two, two is the multiplicity of the witness of God. God has spoken in sundry times and in diverse manners (Hebrews 1:1) and has in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, who is the Number One in our address (22:21). The last two numbers equals three, He is the fullness of the Godhead bodily, so the Spirit speaketh expressly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
© Copyright 2016, Michael Haigh
Article may be used, but not for gain. Freely ye have received, freely give.
All Scripture references are from the Authorized King James Bible. (KJV)