“Glory to the Precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ”

Jude 1: 20, 21

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 

keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen

We should be careful that our faith of the bride, the church should not be wrecked in between, and we must safeguard it.

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, in the portion of the Bible that we meditated upon in the past days, we meditated that in our soul, the bride, the church we should never leave God and thoughts of pride should not arise.

Next what we are meditating upon is that 1 Kings 22: 41 – 53 Jehoshaphat the son of Asa had become king over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. 

And he walked in all the ways of his father Asa. He did not turn aside from them, doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord. Nevertheless the high places were not taken away, for the people offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places. 

Also Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel.

Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, the might that he showed, and how he made war, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 

And the rest of the perverted persons, who remained in the days of his father Asa, he banished from the land. 

There was then no king in Edom, only a deputy of the king.

Jehoshaphat made merchant ships to go to Ophir for gold; but they never sailed, for the ships were wrecked at Ezion Geber. 

Then Ahaziah the son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants go with your servants in the ships.” But Jehoshaphat would not.

And Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the City of David his father. Then Jehoram his son reigned in his place.

Ahaziah the son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah and reigned two years over Israel. 

He did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of his father and in the way of his mother and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin; 

for he served Baal and worshiped him, and provoked the Lord God of Israel to anger, according to all that his father had done.

In the above-mentioned verses, after the death of Ahab his son Ahaziah became the king in his place. Jehoshaphat the son of Asa had become king over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. And he walked in all the ways of his father Asa. He did not turn aside from them, doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord. Nevertheless the high places were not taken away, for the people offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places. Also Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel. Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, the might that he showed, and how he made war, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? And the rest of the perverted persons, who remained in the days of his father Asa, he banished from the land. There was then no king in Edom, only a deputy of the king. Jehoshaphat made merchant ships to go to Ophir for gold; but they never sailed, for the ships were wrecked at Ezion Geber. Then Ahaziah the son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants go with your servants in the ships.” But Jehoshaphat would not. But the reason for the ships that were made to be wrecked at Ezion Geber is that 2 Chronicles 20: 35 – 37 After this Jehoshaphat king of Judah allied himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who acted very wickedly. 

And he allied himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish, and they made the ships in Ezion Geber. 

But Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the Lord has destroyed your works.” Then the ships were wrecked, so that they were not able to go to Tarshish.

In the above-mentioned words of the Lord, Jehoshaphat king of Judah allied himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who acted very wickedly. And he allied himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish, and they made the ships in Ezion Geber. But Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the Lord has destroyed your works.” Then the ships were wrecked, so that they were not able to go to Tarshish and this is being explained to us. And Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the City of David his father. Then Jehoram his son reigned in his place. But Ahaziah the son of Ahab in 1 Kings 22: 51 – 53 Ahaziah the son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah and reigned two years over Israel. 

He did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of his father and in the way of his mother and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin; 

for he served Baal and worshiped him, and provoked the Lord God of Israel to anger, according to all that his father had done.

In the above-mentioned verses, just like what the Lord said regarding Ahab his son Ahaziah walked in wicked ways and was as a person who provoked the anger of the Lord.

My dear people, from this what we must come to know is that ships mean it shows our life of salvation. If our salvation should grow every day, we must watch the deeds of the Lord and listen to his words and walk and every day we must attain the spiritual growth that the Lord gives us. But for any reason only Christ and the fellowship of the holy saints should be there in our life, and we must not unite with those who do evil against the Lord in anything. If we will be as those who do in this manner, then our salvation is being broken in between. Showing this as a pattern, the Lord is showing us Jehoshaphat the son of Asa. The reason for this is that he did not destroy the high places and that was one reason. Therefore because his soul was far away from the Lord that is why he is keeping touch with Ahaziah who did evil. Therefore, the deed that he did the Lord is wrecking it. Also, the thing that we must note is that just like how the Lord told Ahab his son Ahaziah is walking in the evil way means as the father walked, he is serving Baal. Therefore, the anger of the Lord is carrying on to the generations. My loving people in Christ who are reading this, we must try to do any thing which the Lord does not desire. This is because we cannot fight against the Lord. Always in our soul we must have a fear of him and reverence regarding him should be there in us. Also, many families, forefathers because of doing such kind of presumptuous sins there is no limit for the problems that their generations are experiencing. They are dying and will not see all this. Therefore, we also in our life should think regarding these things and see. In these days, if the Lord gives us this light and is giving us a chance to know this then we must utilize this and for it to be a blessing for us, for the church of God and for our generation and so that Jerusalem and Judah, which is our eternal life is not spoiled, we must receive mercy from the Lord and submit ourselves to be made holy.

Let us pray. May the Lord bless you all abundantly. 

       - To be continued