Who Was King Jehoshaphat In The Bible?
The Bible presents to us various rulers and persons of authority, and all of them serve as examples of what Godly and ungodly leadership produces. One of these rulers, King Jehoshaphat, is a great example to learn from.
Who is King Jehoshaphat?
Recognized as perhaps the best king that the southern kingdom of Judah ever had, King Jehoshaphat did right in the sight of God with his intense desire to pursue God in his leadership. He was 35 years old when he sat as king and reigned for 25 years until his death at age 60.
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Jehoshaphat established a very strong nation under him. Let's go over some of the things he did.
A strong devotion to God
Jehoshaphat, the fourth king of Judah, followed after his father, King Asa, and David's footsteps. He prioritized the worship of Yahweh, the true God of Israel. He worked to remove the "high places" of worship, did not participate in any Baal worship, and cut down the Asherahs, which were worshipped in various places. (see 2 Chronicles 17)
He also devised a system for teaching God's laws to people. He set up a group of priests and qualified people to go around, teaching the people from God's laws (see 2 Chronicles 17:7-9).
A strong judicial system
Jehoshaphat also established a strong justice system. He appointed judges that would hear cases among the people. He required these judges to be just, impartial, and take no bribes, for they "do not judge according to man but the Lord" (see 2 Chronicles 19:4-10).
A strong financial supply from the Lord
God's hand was on Jehoshaphat and He blessed the kingdom of Judah under his reign. In fact, Jehoshaphat was so blessed that aside from different nations or groups bringing tribute to him, he built citadels and storehouses in Judah, signifying much abundance. He also had a lot of property. (see 2 Chronicles 17:10-12)
A very strong army
Jehoshaphat established for his kingdom a very strong fighting force, reaching astounding numbers of fighting men. He had a total of more than 1.1 million fighting men in his core force, in addition to those he had placed in different areas (see 2 Chronicles 17:14-19).
A very humble heart
These are but some of Jehoshaphat's achievements. Despite the riches, fame, and military might that he possessed, Jehoshaphat had a humble heart that kept inquiring of the Lord for any detail of his life – and that's what makes him a really great king (see 2 Chronicles 17:3-6).
He repented when he did wrong
If there's one mistake Jehoshaphat made, it's the time he decided to ally himself with King Ahab of Israel, the devious Jezebel's husband. He went out with Ahab in battle, and was rebuked by Jehu the son of Hanani. Thankfully, Jehoshaphat repented and returned to his true love: God. (see 2 Chronicles 19).
