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Episode 608: In this episode, we explore Second Chronicles chapter 19, focusing on King Jehoshaphat of Judah. We discuss his leadership style, highlighting his commitment to seeking God and appointing judges to ensure justice in the land. Jehoshaphat's actions reflect a desire for integrity and righteousness, which we believe is crucial for any leader, whether in government, business, or family life.
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You're listening to The Bible Guys, a podcast where a couple of friends talk about the Bible in fun, in practical ways. Good Man, good morning, we talk through good morning, Good morning. Do you man here we are? What is this? Is this Wednesday? It's Wednesday. People are so happy. Oh yeah, I'm sure you're here in the middle of the week, Right in the middle of the week. You just made their day. It's day now. They're just bopping around all happy because you're saying good morning to them, good morning. So you're welcome. You are welcome. Hey, we are the Bible Guys, and we want to welcome you to this episode. And we are very excited about this brand new segment that we have to launch indos. Yeah. So this is called the Alphabet Story. And I was just talking about this with you. We used to play this game a little bit on occasion when we were like on road trips. I've never played this game. I haven't played it in years. But an Alphabet Story is a funny, creative game where we each contribute a sentence that begins with the next letter of the alphabet, continue until we've gone through all twenty six letters. So the goal is to create either a coherent or a silly absurd story, and a lot of times they're funny because of the random nature. Letter by letter, yes drives the next sentence. Yes. So, for instance, ABCD, A big elephant wandered into the town square B. By the time anyone noticed it was already sitting on the fountain C. Curious onlookers gathered, whispering and pointing. D Doctor Johnson, the local vet, ran over to check on it. Right, that that's kind of how it's supposed to go. So okay, So okay, so we're gonna do ABC. It'll be a little bit long, so we're gonna have to well, we have to pop through it. We have to pop through it. Well, if each of them has ten seconds apiece, it's still only two hundred and sixty seconds. Wow, you did all that? Math? Never work well? Ten times play six? Yeah, yeah, I get it, all right, all right, I'm sorry. Okay, yes, how about that? How about this? A big dog wandered into the town square because he was looking for food. Canned food was not his favorite food. Dogs love. Meat. Eggs are a good substitute for meat. Good crazy, This is hard, I know, I know. Following the dog was a cat. Oh man, Now, I don't know. I had a theme for a minute. Going around the hen house. Both the cat and the dog were looking for eggs. Hens lay eggs. In the hen house were lots of eggs. Just as the dog was walking in the headhouse. Uh now I got k okak Comma, how do you start with k on a comma? I know, just as the just as the dog walked into the henhouse, killing hens was on his mind. Nice, nice, there you go. Little did the dog know, comma, most dogs prefer to do something else? Little did the dog know that most dogs prefer to do something else? Yeah? Sure, okay, so he's just self centered. He only thinks what he likes. Okay, all right. Period. Never before had the dog and the cat witnessed what they just saw. Only for a split second. Was it before their eyes? Perhaps they were confused? Quite possibly, I don't know what you think. They saw. Right as they walked in, they saw an owner chopping off the head of a chicken. Seeing this, they ran out of the henhouse, thinking they were next unless they could find another victim. Very fast. They ran very quickly. Oh yeah, yeah, very quickly, wondering who was going to be next. Xylophones were all in the streets all around them. Uh, why what do you say on why xylophones were in the streets all around them? Yeah? Sure were Yeah, I. Don't know, what do you do ru yelling and singing. They were celebrating their escape. Bars are the best? Okay, Yeah, thank goodness, you got z there you go. That's a hard one. It's hard. It's really tough. Okay, And I can imagine in the middle some of our listeners are like, oh, brother, again, they're going to be talking about eggs the rest of the day. Yeah, but you know what, the xylophones turns out they had nothing to do with the story. No, as they're running, they were just had to They just had to dodge. All these xylophones. Do you know what I think happened? A xylophone truck tipped over? Is that what happened? Yeah? I think so. Okay, I'm going to leave it to you on that one. Yeah. Uh, speaking of xylophones tipping over. What what. If that happened? It would be probably something that had to be investigated and taken to court, and you'd have to have a judge making determination as to whose fault it was that the xylophone truck tipped over. And so speaking of judges, Jahanshapha had appointed judges in Judah. We made it, we got there. This is terrible. It might be time to retire that it might be okay. So Second Chronicles, chapter nineteen, we're alwaysrying to figure out the worst transition from these goofy games we do to what the passage we're talking about today. So that's what that was about. Second Chronicles, chapter nineteen, Verse one. Jehoshaphat is the pretty good king of Israel. On occasion, at least he's wanting to honor the Lord sometimes. Yeah, well, I think, I think besides his compromise of marrying, you know, sending a son to marry Ah, I think, honestly, everything else that's spoken about him in the Old Testament refers to him as a good king. So here we have seen Chronicles chapter nineteen, verse one. It says when King Johosh, I've had a Judah arrived safely home and drews. Remember he had to run right because they were trying to kill Ahab, and he praised. And apparently he turned around and said, it's not me, it's not me, and they. All they okay, and then he's afraid and he has to run. So Jayhu's son of Hanani, the Seer went out to meet him. Why should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? He asked the king. Wait, wait, where are you at? Set chronicles nineteen? Oh? You had already read the first sentence? I sure had. Okay, Sorry, thanks for joining us, Chris, Thanks for joining us. Why should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? He asked the king. Because of what you have done, the Lord is very angry with you. Even so, there is some good in you, for you have removed the shaff of holes throughout the land, and you've committed yourself to seeking God. Josh Fat lived in Jerusalem, but he went out among the people, traveling from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim, encouraging the people to return to the Lord, the god of their ancestors. He appointed judges throughout the nation, in all the fortified towns, and he said to them, always think carefully before pronouncing judgment. Remember that you do not judge to please people, but to please the Lord. He will be with you when you render the verdict in each case, fear the Lord and judge with integrity. For the Lord, our God does not tolerate perverted justice partiality for the taking of bribes in Jerusalem. Joshua Fat appointed some of the Levites and priests and clan leaders in Israel to serve as judges for cases involving the Lord's regulations and for civil disputes. These were his instructions to them. You must always act in the fear of the Lord, with faithfulness and undivided heart. Whenever a case comes to you from fellow citizens in an outlying town, whether a murder case or some other violation of God's laws, commands, decrees, or regulations, you must warn them not to sin against the Lord, so that he will not be angry with you in them. Do this and you will not be guilty. Am Mariah, the high priest will have final say in all cases involving the Lord. Zebdiah, son of Ishmael, a leader from the tribe of Judah, will have final say in all civil cases. The Levites will assist you in making sure that justice is served taking courages. You fulfill your duties and make the Lord be and may the Lord be with those who do what is right. Hey, this is good leadership. Yeah, it's great leadership. There you go, yeah, there it is. So once again, just like I said, I think johasaphat is. You know, everything that's spoken about him seems to point that he is a guy who recognizes God's authority. You know this phrase here, what does he say, Fear the Lord and judge with integrity for the Lord, Our God will not tolerated perverted justice, partiality, or the taking of bribes. You know, it's wouldn't it be great if our judges and leaders and politicians followed that? Yeah? Right, Yeah, I've given this passage before when I was had an opportunity to speak to local leaders and politicians. You're actually yeah, and said, hey, as you're trying to figure out what does God expect from civil servants? Because he specifically says there's God's part, So let faith leaders do God's part with regard to God's law. But then God's part with regard to civil cases required some civil servants to do that, And so what is a civil servant expected from God? These are the things that God says he'll bless right, And it's a great passage to kind of learn that, well, extend that beyond this is in your business. It doesn't have to be that you're a civil servant running society. Can be just that you're running a team for you know, your job at General Motors, or that you're running an accountant firm or whatever. They're the same kind of issues. Don't take bribes, be people of integrity, fear God, not people, right, all those kinds things. Do the right thing, and it says, may the Lord be with those who do what is right. That's right. This is the invitation is if you choose to do the right thing, it's not unreasonable for you to expect God to be with you during these times. That's awesome. Yeah, And by the way, what a great you know, premise just to live your life by, especially if you're a person who necessarily doesn't you know, like like just the other day, we were in the hallway and we were walking down the hallway and I was talking to one of our staff members, Ryan, and Ryan said, well, isn't one of the best questions in the world. What's the wise thing to do? You know? Because in the Bible it talks about wisdom, right, it talks about you know, just asking that question, and he goes and he just had made that statement. And what's really so interesting about that statement is, if you think about it, it doesn't matter who you are, it doesn't matter where you come from, it doesn't matter what situation you're in, or even how strong your faith is. Obviously having more faith is better. But I'm saying is asking the question what is the wise thing to do? Is a question that blankets everything right. It blankets everything and so and so when it comes to the faith statements, this is one of the statements that blankets everything right. He says, take courage, do your duties to me. The Lord bless those who do. What is right. You can take that, and you could blanket everything in your entire life, do what is right, and and God's going to be with you and he'll bless it if it's the right thing. Right, So that that question, you know, when you're trying to live wisely, that question what is the wise thing to do? Is brilliant as long as you understand what is wise? Yes, yes, and fear the Lord is beginning of wisdom. So God's ways are what is wise. And so this is why we're constantly saying and good job to all of our listeners. Today, you're spending a little bit more time just looking at what God's word has to say. And there's a lot to be said about really knowing God's words, because the more you know God's words, you know the thoughts of God, you begin to learn some of the mind or intent of God. Now we can't know him completely, We don't know everything about him because he's on he's beyond our ways. His ways are beyond our ways, but we can what he has told us. We can know those things. And the more we know how he thinks in the context of what he's written in scripture, the more wisdom we can have to apply in our everyday life. And then that then the terms of what is wise. Otherwise some people would say, well, you know, it's wise, is whatever's expedient, whatever moves the needle a little bit more in our favor, that's what's wise or whatever. But what God is saying is doing the right thing, being godly, righteousness is wisdom, right, right, So there's that. There's a really great note here in uh hey, oh, go ahead. Before you said that, I was just going to say one of the things about those blanket questions or those blank and statements. Is that it's not a it's not a quick answer. It points you in the right direction to the answer that's right right. So it's like it's like, what's the why is going to do? Force you? You to go, oh well, let's figure it out because there are only let's just say, in your scenario three options. Then you have to figure out, okay, what is the what is the wisest thing you know in this scenario? So, yeah, it's it's the question that is going to point you to the right answer every time. That's that Matthew six thirty three verse is one of my favorite verses in the Bible, probably one of my top ten, where he says seek first his kingdom and his righteousness. It literally means right living, and all these other things will be added onto you. So and it's in that context of why are you always worrying about food? Why are you always worrying about clothing? Why always worrying about your finances? Why are you worrying about tomorrow? Right? You're seeing that version that whole passage, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah. So he's challenging them about all the things they worry about. He said, listen, all you have to worry about is seeking his kingdom and his right living and all the other stuff God will take care of. And so that's it. So anyways, there's this this note in the Life Application Study Bible for second Chronicles nineteen eight, which is a parallel passage or not, which is the passage we just read, and it says Jehostropha appointed priests and levites to help in administering civil laws. Many years earlier, Moses had chosen men who were capable, faithful, and honest to help him judge disputes among the people. You know, there's a lot of benefit of looking at seeing other successful leaders and saying I should implement that my situation, right, right, And that's what he did. Exodus chapter eighteen is where Moses said that obviously the best kind of leader is one who always acts with reverence for God. And then this is the phrase I wanted. Effective leaders get the job done. Faithful leaders make sure the job is done in God's way and in God's time. That's great, right. So that's what he's challenging there for is faithful leadership. They're careful to instill God's wisdom and future leaders and God's values in the entire community. And so that's I love this passage and I love that that note specifically, faithful leaders make sure the job is done in God's way and God's time. Yeah, that's that's awesome, And you know what, it's a it's a good time to probably just think about there's a lot of kings in the in the Bible, right, and there's good kings in bad kings. And when it comes down to it. A bad king is just a bad day, right, It's just it's just not great when you're under a bad king, and you think about it in terms of your business, think about it in terms of your family. Right, whoever's king, if they're a good king, man, it's great. Right. If they're a bad king, it's just a bad day. And it's a lot of bad days. So it then just sort of you know, amplifies the importance of Hey, whatever role of responsibility that God has given you, do it well. Be a good king. Right. And that includes moms, you know, or that includes dads, that includes bosses, that includes. Whatever role that God is. Hey, if you're a friend and you have influence over a group of friends, be a good king. Right that that idea. I've been thinking a lot about it. I don't know why, but John Eldridge's book Wild at Heart has been on my mind quite a bit lately. Yeah, maybe I just need to go back and re read it. But in that book he talks about the development of a man, right, and the stage that you and I are at in our lives. Were in our fifties, he would kind of say, that's the king stage, right, prior to that, what do you have? What do you remember that order? Yeah, there's a warrior is great before this our age, that's that thirty five to forty five year age. And before that there's the there's the lover in the poet, right, and cowboy and the cowboy, the cowboys, that tough young guy that's just learning to take life by the horns. Right. Then we move into this lover and poet kind of life. That's when we begin building families and we become maybe a little bit more self aware at that point and start learning about how life really works. Then you turn into a warrior where you you know, there's that that window of time when suddenly the world you well, you figure it out and you begin to kind of attack your career you attack your life. You go grab that house, you grab that career, you get those things right, you kind of establish your life, and then you move into this life, this season where you're a king, you're the ruler, you're the leader, right, and then from there you move into eventually you and I will move into that sage sage, yeah kind of thing where we're the advisors, the wise advisors hopefully. But here's my thought about that. Yeah, they give advice to kings. That's right, they give advice to kings. So you don't suddenly become a good warrior. You have to prepare it to be a good warrior, right right, Otherwise you're always only a cowboy, right right, So you have to prepare it to be that. And then you don't just oh, I'm a king now, now I'm going to be a good king. You prepare your whole life to be a good king. And every young man is going to be a king of something, every young woman is going to more than likely be the queen of something. And so you don't wait for wisdom. You develop wisdom for your entire life so that you will be a wise king or a wise queen. You develop integrity and righteousness for your whole life, from the moment you finally realize the importance of seeking God's kingdom and his right living. From that moment on, you begin developing the right habits necessary to be a righteous king when it's your turn, right or queen in whatever world you're in, whether that's you become a little a manager in your business or a supervisor, whether you become a politician, whether you become a school teacher, even maybe in your own family, raising your children and having influence. There's going to be a day maybe when you're the patriarch or the matriarch or the whole family, right, And so you don't wait to become a good one, You prepare to be a great one. You know what's so hilarious about you bringing this up so randomly is that I just quoted every single one of these stages to my son in. Law last week. Well, yeah, I went down to Florida for a couple of days, right, and I was down there hanging out with them, and we were just in ca conversation and here's what he was basically talking about. He was talking about because you know, he's a young he's a young man in his early. Thirties and everybody be frustrated that they're not kings yet. Yeah, well yeah, but I'm not seeing him. Yeah, that wasn't the conversation for him. But he was expressing was his frustration with his boss, who is the king. Right, So he was basically talking about his old boss was great, but this new boss is not great. And he was saying, gosh with somebody with his education. You know, you have to go through a lot of schooling to be a pharmacist. Right, he's a pharmacist. And he said, you would think, right, he's just expressing frustration. You would think that this guy would be this way, you know, he'd be a good person. But he's not a good person. Instead, he walks in with his ray bands and his flashy this or that, and he bosses people around. He treats people poorly and disrespectful. And so I just said, I just said, hey, listen, I said, John Ellwards has this thing right, And I walked through all the stages and I said, and so when you get to be in that king position, do you remember what he calls them? I don't remember if they're bad kings he calls them because it's written about men right right, and he calls them unfinished men. Oh, he says, that's what you have. Yeah, he says, you have unfinished men. As the power and influence. But he's an unfinished person. He never developed. Yes, it's exactly what you're talking about. And I said, I said, you understand. I said, your old boss was a person who probably grew up with a person who they get the question answered when they were younger, because you know, when you're a cowboy, you have to answer the question, do I have what it takes? If you have a really good dad or a really good family, then then hopefully you're you know you're going to be given. I remember, you're going to tell you you are, you've got what it takes. Encourage And I gave my son an axe and a little hatchet. I said, go chop down that tree. He's like ten years old. And my wife's like, he's going to chop off his finger. And I said, no, you'll understand. I said, he's a great kid. I gave him the instructions. He will not chop off his finger. He's never going to swing it without holding two hands. And I had him chopped down that tree and he and he walked you know. Back from that, there has to be moments where he's like, I have what it takes, right, And I literally had that phrase in mind when I gave him the axe or the hatchet. So anyway, all that to say, I said, that person is acting that way because they're enjoying flexing their power because they are basically a wounded person right there there there there there. They have unprocessed wounds in their past and they're unfinished men and and and and so they're acting in this really radically unhealthy way because they're not uh. They didn't get what they needed and they're droughted. Now what's really funny is my daughter is a family counselor that's what she does for a living. So it's his wife. And so I said, that's why your wife's job is that important? Right, I said, so your complain about your boss, uh is the answer is is for your boss to go to somebody like your wife, you know, and and discover why am I acting that way? Right? And that's the truth. So anyway, it's just really ironic that you brought that up. So he's giving them instructions. First of all, he's finding faithful people already, right, so he's going to the Leevites and he's going to some of the priests. Isn't that what it said? Didn't it say? I think that's correct. Yeah, he appointed judges throughout the land fortified towns in Jerusalem, josph had appointed some of the Levites and priests and clan leaders to serve as judges. That's in verse eight. And so he's putting priests there for the lord's regulations, and then he's putting clan leaders there for civil disputes. Right, Right, that's what he's doing. But he's finding wise men. And that's what Moses did in Exodus eighteen. Right, Jethro, his father in law, said, hey, go find some wise men that you can trust and learning to delegate this kind of authority is important. But he also gives very clear parameters. Your authority exists in being a good person. Right, And this is what my definition of being a good godly person, a good godly judge is is that you're going to be people that are going to have undivided hearts, that you're always going to act in the fear of the Lord. You're always going to be faithful, You're never going to take bribes, right, all those kinds of things. And partiality, right, you're going to do it holy right, completely and totally right. You're not going to tolerate perverted justice, right, all those things. And so he defined it, well, that's what a good, a good king does. When a king delegates, he also provides really strong parameters and good, good development and training. So he's looking for faithful people that he believes he can trust. They're faithful people, they've already demonstrated that they're good people. And then he said, okay, even in that context, I'm not just trusting you to be good. This is what it means to be good, yep. And then you take the civil disputes, and then you that have the authority and the spiritual leadership, you take the God's regulations and you guys help me sort these things out. And Israel continued to prosper, or not Israel, but Judah continue to prosper because of these good plans. That's great. Well, hey, that is our time, and that's whe're going to end. So hopefully we will see you next time on the bubble Gus staring