Would you turn to 1 Kings chapter
22. Beginning in verse 41. And Jehoshaphat, the son of Asa,
began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab, king
of Israel. Jehoshaphat was 30 and five years
old when he began to reign, and he reigned 20 and five years
in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Azuba,
the daughter of Shilai. And he walked in all the ways
of Asa, his father. He turned not aside from it,
doing that which was right in the eyes of the Lord. Nevertheless, the high places were not taken
away for the people offered and burnt incense, yet in the high
places, the places of pagan ritual. And Jehoshaphat made peace with
the king of Israel, Ahab, who we've been considering so much
for the last several months. Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat
and his might that he showed and how he warred are they not
written in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah and the
remnant of the Sodomites which remained in the days of his father
Asa he took out of the land. There was then no king in Edom.
A deputy was king. Jehoshaphat made ships of Tharsis
to go to Ophir for gold but they went not. His plans were frustrated
for the ships were broken at Azean-Jeber. Then said Ahaziah,
the son of Ahab, unto Jehoshaphat, let my servants go with thy servants
and thy ships. And Jehoshaphat slept with his
fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David
his father. And Jehoram, his son, reigned in his stead. Let's pray. Lord, we come into your presence
in Christ's name, that name that's above every name. And we ask
in his name that you would be pleased to meet with us and by
your spirit to speak in power to our hearts from your word.
Enable us to worship thy dear son. Lord, leave us not to ourselves,
our own understanding, our own thoughts, but reveal yourself
to us according to your will. Lord, we confess our sins that
are ever before us. We're so sinful. We pray that we might be found
in Christ and cleansed in him and seen in him. Lord, accept
our thanks. We're so thankful that you're
on the throne ruling and reigning. And Lord, as we look forward
to this coming year, we ask that you would give us grace to walk
with thee. Give us grace to love you more,
give us grace to love one another more and be servants one to another
in Christ's name we pray. Amen. Now Jehoshaphat obviously
was a good king. His father Esau was a good king.
Turn over to the Chronicles account in 2 Chronicles chapter 17. Chronicles spends a lot more
time with Jehoshaphat, but look in chapter 17 and Jehoshaphat,
his son, Asa's son, reigned in his stead, 2nd Chronicles 17,
and strengthened himself against Israel, Ahab. And he placed forces
in all the fenced cities of Judah and set garrisons in the land
of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim, when Asa his father
had taken. And the Lord was with Jehoshaphat,
because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and
sought not unto Balaam the false god, but sought to the Lord God
of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after
the doings of Israel that Ahab was leading. Therefore the Lord
established the kingdom in his hand, and all Judah brought to
Jehoshaphat presence. And he had riches and honor and
abundance. And his heart was lifted up in
the ways of the Lord. Moreover, he took away the high
places and groves out of Judah. Also in the third year of his
reign, he sent to his princes, even to Ben-Hel and to Obadiah
and Zechariah, and he names all these different men, verse nine,
and they taught in Judah and had the book of the law of the
Lord with them and went about throughout all the cities of
Judah and taught the people. He sent all these men to teach
the people the gospel. And the fear of the Lord fell
upon all the kingdom of the lands that were round about Judah,
so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat. They were all afraid
of him. And some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents
and tributes, silver, and the Arabians brought him flocks,
7,000 and 700 rams and 7,700 he goats. And Jehoshaphat waxed great exceedingly. He built in Judah castles and
cities of stone. And he had much business in the
cities of Judah. And the men of war, mighty men
of war, valor were in Jerusalem. Now we see that this man was
a great king. He was one that the Lord had
blessed abundantly. Go back to our text in First
Kings chapter 22. And he walked, verse 43, and
he walked in all the ways of Asa his father. He turned not
aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of the
Lord. Now look at this next word. Nevertheless, nevertheless, in spite of all
that, nevertheless, the high places were not taken away. Now he was a man that the Lord
had greatly blessed. And he was a man like you and
I with a nevertheless. Nevertheless. The high places
were not taken away. They were tolerated. High places,
pagan worship, contrary to the gospel. These high places were
not taken away. As a matter of fact, people were
actually burning incense on these things. That is completely contrary
to the gospel. That's completely bypassing the
Lord Jesus Christ as the only high priest thinking you can
come into God's presence with these high places. Completely
contrary to the gospel. There were some other things
that he was rebuked for. Turn to 2 Chronicles chapter
18. Now Jehoshaphat, verse one, had
riches and honor and abundance and he joined affinity with Ahab. Now we've been reading about
how evil Ahab was. He was completely against the
Lord and he was idolater and he hated the Lord. But for some
reason, Jehoshaphat joined affinity with Ahab. And after certain
years, he went down to Ahab, to Samaria, and Ahab killed sheep
and oxen for him in abundance and for the people that he had
with him and persuaded him to go up with him to Ramoth Gilead. Now look in chapter 19, verses
1 and 2. And Jehoshaphat, the king of
Judah, returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem. And Jehu,
this is a prophet, the son of Hanaiah the seer, went out to
meet him and said to King Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly,
speaking of Ahab, and love them that hate the Lord? Therefore
is wrath upon thee from before the Lord. Now, it's pointed out
that while he was a good king, There's a nevertheless. And he
allowed things which he should not allow. But you know, with
regard to every good king, David, look at the things he did. Solomon,
look at the things he did. Hezekiah, all these men that
the Lord had blessed so abundantly that were good kings had a nevertheless. They allowed things which were
contrary to the gospel. Now, what I want us to consider
is that every believer is described in these good kings with these
neverthelesses, because every believer has two separate natures. A holy nature, given in the new
birth, in regeneration, a holy nature, partakers of the divine
nature, birthed by the spirit of God. a holy nature and an
evil nature, the one you were born with, the one that is sinful,
the one that is contrary to the living God. Every believer has
that, and so did Jehoshaphat, this good king. Paul expressed
it this way in Galatians 5.17, the flesh lusts against the spirit and
the spirit lusts against the flesh and these two are contrary
one to the other so that you cannot do the things that you
would. Now it's pointed out Jehoshaphat
is a good king. And there's very many flaws pointed
out with regard to Jehoshaphat. Now, we ought not be surprised
by the sinful actions of our brothers and sisters in Christ. I thought Christians didn't do
things like that. They do. They do. That doesn't excuse it, it doesn't
make it okay, but this is the fact. They do things like that. Every believer is susceptible
to every sin any other unbeliever commits other than the sin against
the Holy Spirit. Now, do you hear that? Don't
ever say, I thought believers wouldn't do things like that.
Don't say anything like that, because you're just setting yourself
up for failure. You can just write that down. You're setting
yourself up for failure. And we ought not be surprised
by our own sinful actions. I'm surprised I did that. Oh? Oh? Grieved, yes. Remorseful, yes. Ashamed of yourself? Yes. Sorrowful? Yes. Repentant? Yes. Desire to be holy? Yes. All of those things are
so. But remember, part of the way
our Lord taught us to pray on a daily basis, forgive us our
debts, forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against
us. And lead us not into temptation,
If we're tempted, we know we'll fall. We want to have a hedge
put around us. We don't even want to be put
in the place of temptation, but deliver us from evil, deliver
us from the evil one, deliver us from this evil world, but
most especially deliver us from this evil. Now, we're taught
to pray that on a daily basis, so we shouldn't say things like,
well, Christians don't do that, or be surprised by you doing
that. Of all people, a believer should
be the most compassionate. This is the way it should be.
I'm condemning myself, I realize that, but this is the way it
should be. A believer should be the most compassionate, non-judgmental,
tolerant, and understanding people in the world because they have
some experience of themselves. That is why. Now let me repeat
that. Believers ought to be the most compassionate, non-judgmental,
tolerant, and understanding people in the world. Now this is what
Paul meant in Philippians chapter 4 or 5 when he says, let your
moderation be known to all men. Now do you want something to
be known about you that other men see? Now, moderation doesn't
mean, well, I'm very moderate in eating and drinking and so
on. Well, we ought to be moderate
eating and drinking, but that's not what the word means in the
first place. The word moderate means you're
humane, you're compassionate. You don't hold people's feet
to the fire. You don't put people under the
law because you know something about yourself. That's what moderate
means. If you want somebody to see something
about you, I want everybody to see how holy and righteous I
am. Well, they didn't see how holy and righteous Christ is,
so remember that. I want people to see Christ in
me. They didn't see Christ in Christ. But I would like people
to see that I'm a moderate. Somebody that's not gonna hold
people's feet to the fire. Somebody that's not gonna put
people under the law. I'm gonna be, I know something
about myself. Let your moderation be known
to all Man, I love that scripture in Galatians 6.1, if a man be
overtaken, overtaken, that's a strong word, isn't it? If a man be overtaken in a fault,
in a sin, what are you gonna do, sit there and judgment on
him? Ye which are spiritual, restore
such a one. In the spirit of meekness, considering
yourself, lest you also be tempted. Now, remember, with regard to
what others are doing, let me repeat that. Remember,
with regard to what others are doing and you judging them, don't
forget, you're just as bad. Actually, worse. Amen? Turn with me to Romans chapter
1 and let me show you this. Beginning in verse 29, Romans
chapter 1, being filled with all unrighteousness
And this is a bad catalog of sins being filled with all unrighteousness,
fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, fool of envy,
murder, debate, deceit, malignity, whisperers, backbiters, haters
of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventor of evil things, disobedient
to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural
affection, implacable, unmerciful, who knowing the judgment of God,
that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only
do the same, but they have pleasure in them that do them." Now that's
some bad stuff, isn't it? That's some bad stuff. Somebody
described like that, they're a bad person. They're a wicked
person. Verse one of chapter two, therefore
thou art inexcusable, oh man. Now me and you are in that group. Therefore thou art inexcusable,
O man, whosoever thou art that judgest. For wherein thou judgest
another, you condemn yourself. For you that judge doest the
same things. I wish I could always put into
practice what Gene Rutledge used to say. I've got far too many
sins of my own to be worrying about the sins of somebody else.
And it is a shame that we have such high standards for others,
but we lower them for ourselves. I wish by the grace of God we
wouldn't be that. Don't judge one another anymore. Now, two things. I'm going to
get back to Jehoshaphat in a moment, but I'm thinking about this nevertheless.
Two things. These things write unto you that
you sin not. May that be my resolve. May that
be your resolve to not sin anymore. Now turn with me to Matthew chapter
7. Hold your finger there in 1 Kings
22. I'm thinking of Jehoshaphat's
weakness pointed out, verse 1. Judge not that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge,
you shall be judged. And with what measure you meet,
it shall be measured to you again. Now, hold on just for a second.
If that means that I'm going to be judged by God with the
same judgment I have toward you, I'm in big trouble. Everybody
in here is way too judgmental. Is that true of you? Sure it
is. Sure it is. holding people to different standards
and so on, but what that does say, whenever, I mean, I've experienced
this, as soon as somebody finds out I'm judging them, they see
every flaw I have, and they're looking for them, too. They're
looking for them. If you judge me, I'm gonna see
every flaw you have. If you're compassionate toward
me and nonjudgmental toward me, you're the greatest person alive.
That's the way we are. That's the way we treat people.
But as soon as we perceive we're on the judging end of somebody,
we see every flaw they have. Now that's what the Lord's talking
about. You're going to be judged with the same judgment. You're
harsh toward somebody, they're going to be harsh toward you.
You're compassionate toward somebody, nonjudgmental, they'll be that
way toward you. Now let's go on reading. Verse
three, and why beholdest thou the moat? What a question. Why beholdest thou the moat,
see the flaw, the sin that's in thy brother's eye, but consider
it's not the beam that's in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say
to thy brother, let me pull out the moat out of thine eye, and
behold a beam, a log is in thine own eye? You hypocrite. First,
cast out the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou
see clearly to cast the moat out of thy brother's eye. Now,
until you have no beams in your eye, you're not qualified to
help out your brother with getting the splinters out of his own.
Now, have you ever reached the place where you've got no beams? Somebody says, I'm qualified
now. I've got rid of the beams. You've got the biggest beam of
all. You really do. May the Lord enable us to be
compassionate toward our brothers and sisters, understanding, not
always trying to help them with the splinters. Just deal with
your own things. Don't worry about the splinters
of your brother until you can get all the beams out of your
eye. Don't even worry. Now. It's still true. that Jehoshaphat
was rebuked, and he was rebuked by the prophet. So while I'm
saying don't be trying to get splinters out of everybody's
eyes, let's don't be blind to what Jehoshaphat, this good king,
was rebuked for. He was rebuked for tolerating
the high places that people burned incense to, which is nothing
less than an attempt at bypassing Christ, He joined affinity with
Ahab, helping the ungodly. And as you go on reading in his
history, he joined up with Ahab's son, Ahaziah, who the Lord killed. And we're going to consider that
next week. But what I was thinking about
in closing this thought, he was rebuked. And I thought, what
did the Lord rebuke the churches for in Revelation 2 and 3? And I want us to just look at
those rebukes. And I want it to be a rebuke to me. And I want
it to be a rebuke to you. I want us to consider these things
real briefly. Now turn with me to Revelation
chapter two. Now the Lord had been commending
the church at Ephesus, but he says in verse four, of Revelation
chapter two, nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee because
thou has left thy first love. Thou has left, you vacated your
first love. Look in chapter to verse 14 to the church of
Pergamos. But I have a few things against
thee, because thou hast them there that hold the doctrine
of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before
the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
and to commit fornication, so hast thou also them that hold
the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate." Now here's
two more things. The doctrine of Balaam, the doctrine
of compromise in order to get what you want. That's what that
is. Balaam didn't say anything wrong,
but he compromised. He taught the children of Israel.
I can't get God to curse them, but if they can join up with
the Moabites and mix with them, God will curse them. It wasn't
what he said, it's what he didn't say, what he compromised in the
doctrine of the Nicolaitans. What's that? The doctrine of
the Nicolaitans, we only know by what the name means above
the people. It's the doctrine of clergy and
laity. I'm the preacher. I'm above the people, I'm God's
servant, you're all somewhat lower than me. That is something
that Jesus Christ hates, the doctrine of the Nicolaitans.
Now look in chapter two, once again, with regard to the church
at Thyatira, verse 20, notwithstanding, I have a few things against thee,
because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself
a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit
fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols." Now,
Jezebel was Ahab's wife. We've seen that. Was this woman
really named Jezebel? I don't know, but the Lord typifies
her as a Jezebel. She's a Jezebel, and what does
she do? Two things. She teaches the disciples of
the Lord to commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed
to idols. Now, does that mean she was literally saying what
you all need to do is commit sexual sin and eat things sacrificed
in order to get along and become more pleasing to the Lord? You
know better than that. Fornication is looking for something
outside the covenant, isn't it? It's looking for something outside
the covenant and saying you can draw nourishment from idolatry,
things that are contrary to the gospel. Now, don't do that. Don't do that. Don't look for
any comfort or any assurance or any hope of your salvation
outside of the covenant. Although my house be not so yet,
hath he made with me an everlasting covenant. ordered in all things. And sure, this is all my salvation
and all my desire. You can't get nutrition from
anything, not spiritual nutrition from anything, but that which
is true. Now look in chapter three, verse
one, unto the angel of the church at Sardis write, these things
saith he that hath the seven spirits of God, I know thy works
that thou hast a name that thou livest and are dead. Now what he's talking about there,
the Lord is warning this church, you're living off the past. You're
living off yesterday's faith. You're living off yesterday's
experience. You're living off yesterday's something. You've
got a name that you live, but you're dead. Now, I don't want,
I want today's manna. I wanna believe the gospel today.
I don't wanna live off past experience. Well, I remember when I learned
this. I remember, so what? So what? Today is the day of
salvation. I don't wanna live off past experience. And then there's verse 14 of
chapter three. Unto the angel of the church
of the Laodiceans write these things, saith he, Amen, the faithful
and the true witness, the beginning of the creation of God, I know
thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot. Now I know what it is to be cold
as ice. Cold as ice. My heart like a
rock. Not feeling, not responding to
the gospel. That's a bad place to be, isn't
it? I also know what it is to be hot, to see the glory of the
Lord Jesus Christ and to love his gospel and to be zealous
for his glory. I just want to preach the gospel.
Cold and hot. But you know what he says to
this church, a lad to see? You're neither one. You're neither one. I know thy works, that thou art
neither cold nor hot. I would that you were one of
the two, cold or hot. You know, when you're cold, you're
miserable, aren't you? You hate it. You hate it. You
don't like being that way. So because thou art lukewarm,
verse 16, neither cold nor hot. I will vomit you out of my mouth. That's strong language. Because
you say, I'm rich, everything's fine with me, I'm okay. I'm increased
with goods, everything's fine. I have need of nothing. And you
know not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind
and naked. Now there are the warnings to
the churches. And these are warnings to me
and you. Jehoshaphat was a good king.
He had a nevertheless. And all of those neverthelesses
are found in these warnings to the churches. And I think the
first warning is the, I don't wanna say it's the most important,
but I think where all the other problems come from is because
of this first thing. You've left your first love. May the Lord deliver us from
that. Thank you.