THE WORLD OR CHRIST

These scriptures show in a few words how God comes in with salvation for one soul among His people, whereas judgment falls on the one who remains in unbelief. Two prominent men are spoken of here. One was distinguished for his wickedness, the other known for his piety. To have got a prominent place in this world is not an evidence of God’s recognition. A person may be a prominent politician, a scientist, an official or military man, but at the same time be lawless, and thus be outside the sphere of salvation. Ahab was a prominent king in Israel, but what characterised him specially was his lawlessness, which was like the lawlessness that is current at the present time, a lawlessness that is prevalent among those who are highly esteemed and have influence in the world. The lawlessness that is found in leaders exercises an influence over persons of more humble station. We find here that it was in Ahab’s time that Hiel built Jericho (1 Kings 16:34). He built a city that God had destroyed, and regarding which God had uttered a curse on the man who should rebuild it. At this present time we see how man is employed in rebuilding the old world with its atheism and idolatry.

In our time such a disregard of God’s authority and of the Scriptures is predominating that men of all classes of society are acting according to their own thoughts and opinions. It is a day of lawless freedom, when the heathen world is being rebuilt. It is what Hiel did. He built Jericho, and it says that he laid the foundation in Abiram his first-born, and set up its gates in Segub his youngest son. Thus we see how God is opposed to men who build up the world which is at enmity with Christ and His people.

What can we say about Ahab? how great was his responsibility! We see him surrounded by royal splendour. Can he escape the judgment? On the other hand we have one who is a real child of God, for Jehoshaphat is a type of a real believer in Christ, and what is presented in this chapter is that he links himself with Ahab, who was one of the most wicked kings in Israel. In type Jehoshaphat is a true believer in Christ, and in many ways a pious man, but he joins hands with the man who in his time was characterised by great lawlessness. Scripture tells us that Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance. Perhaps there are here some that are children of believers, like Jehoshaphat who was the son of the pious king Asa, who themselves perhaps in their youth have walked in the fear of God, but who now walk hand in hand with the world. To be joined to the world at the present time means to be joined to the world in its most wicked form. The world is often pleased to have the company of believers. Ahab killed much cattle for Jehoshaphat’s sake. The world would like to gain the friendship of these who are children of godly men and women. Jehoshaphat was the son of a godly father, and moreover, he was himself one who feared God, and even one who received blessing from God, and yet we find him joining hands with the most ungodly man of his time. No wonder Ahab was glad of it! There are now among the children of the saints many young ones who themselves wish to walk in the fear of God, and it is just these that the world seeks after. The world can use you, you may be an adornment for the world; it would ensnare you by persuading you thus. We see this in our chapter. The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, having put on their robes, sat each on his throne; and they sat in an open place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria. But what did heaven think of all this? You have perhaps been having friendly intercourse with worldly people and altogether forgotten that heaven has witnessed it.

In God’s mercy there was a faithful servant of the Lord by the name of Micah. We who are now speaking to you wish to be honest like this prophet. We would not desire to be like Baal’s prophets of whom we read that “the king of Israel assembled the prophets, four hundred men, and said to them. Shall we go against Ramoth-Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear?”. These four hundred men were prophets, but they were false prophets. There are many such today; we do well in being on our guard against them. They answered that: “Go up to Ramoth-Gilead, and prosper”. They flattered both Ahab and Jehoshaphat. They who are like these prophets now speak flattering words to men. They speak of how the world is making progress, and of all the new inventions that are made, of the advance of science, and how the world is being reformed. They think that we shall reach a condition of things where peace will reign, and where people will enjoy happiness, but all this is deception, and a false show. Scripture tells us, dear friends, that “wicked men and juggling impostors shall advance in evil, leading and being led astray”. There is no hope of the world being reformed, it is already judged, as the Lord says, “Now is the judgment of this world”. We would not like to do what these men did who spoke lies, we would rather be like Micah a solitary man against four hundred. He had the truth, and he spoke the truth.

We see these two kings dressed in their robes and sitting on their thrones, but what does heaven think of these thrones? What does heaven think of Jehoshaphat, him who was a true believer, but for all that had joined hands with Ahab in his pride? What does heaven think of you, young man, young woman, you who walk hand in hand with this world? Micah says, “I saw Jehovah sitting upon his throne”. God has a throne. It seems perhaps as if those who preach the gospel are weak and without defence in this world, but the truth is that they are here announcing the gospel as those who are supported by the Lord Jesus Christ from heaven, for He is sitting on the throne. Of what value are all the thrones of this world compared with God’s throne? Micah saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and the throne on which the Lord is sitting, young man, or young woman, is against the world to which you are united. Micah tells us even that not only the hosts of heaven and the angels are subject to the Lord on His throne, but the evil spirits themselves must obey Him. The hosts of heaven are standing before the Lord; and of what is the Lord thinking? He is at the present time occupied with the saving of men’s souls, and that is why we are here tonight. He is sitting on His Father’s throne, and this implies grace, a time of unqualified grace. But at the same time judgment is even preached, for it says in the same epistle that speaks about the truth of the gospel that the wrath of God is revealed from heaven (Romans 1:18). Nothing is more clear in the Bible than this, that God is going to judge the ungodly. The book of Revelation speaks of the terrible truth, that there is a great white throne, and that One is going to sit on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven shall flee.

We find here that the evil is so great that God must meet Ahab in judgment. It is something dreadful that God should so direct a man’s course that he must meet his end in judgment. Have you thought that heaven may, perhaps, have fixed that the very person with whom you keep company must come under judgment? This world in which you desire to walk and have your part is already under the judgment of God, and God is even allowing evil spirits to entice it into the way that leads to destruction. This is what happens around us every day. The Lord says, “Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-Gilead?”. In other words to meet his destruction, not his salvation. In spite of that, do you keep company with such a one as Ahab, one who hates the Lord? It was said to Jehoshaphat, “Shouldest thou . . . love them that hate Jehovah?”. Perhaps you will answer, But they are nice people, educated and looked up to. Yes, but they hate the Lord, and you love Him, and for all that you are on friendly terms with those who hate the Lord, and you are intimate with one whom heaven intends to destroy.

“Who shall entice Ahab . . . ?”, says the Lord. And a spirit comes forth and says, “I will entice him”. The Lord says: “Wherewith?”. He answers: “I will go forth, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets”. Is there any hope for a world where there are four hundred prophets who have a lying spirit? This lying spirit speaks flattering words, and says that the world is getting better and better, and that we shall soon reach a kingdom of peace and happiness through social reforms; and men believe this. People who are educated and gifted give addresses and write books in this direction in spite of God’s having said that the world is already judged, and that it only grows worse. Is there any hope when a lying spirit is enticing the world into the way that leads to judgment and perdition? Are you joined to it? Is there anyone here in such a situation? Listen to a word of warning! The Lord says to this spirit: “Go forth, and do so”. This explains what is going on around us in christendom. The result is that the world is allured into destruction. We find here, however, this god-fearing man, Jehoshaphat, following in the same way. He goes to Ramoth-Gilead to fight along with Ahab.

This leads us to the gospel; we see now how God comes in. Will God allow Jehoshaphat to continue on this road? A true believer can never be lost. The Lord Jesus in John’s gospel says that He gives His sheep life eternal; and they shall never perish, nor shall they come into judgment. We find all the same Jehoshaphat going to battle; he is on the very road to perdition, but heaven saw it. Yes, heaven is looking on us, and if there is one here who is joined to the world, heaven is paying attention to it. Perhaps this meeting will lead to your being saved, as Jehoshaphat was. Ahab was sure he himself would not perish, but God was as decided in His mind that he should lose his life. There is no possibility for those who do not believe to escape perdition; that is, God’s judgment. Ahab says to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself, and will enter into the battle; but put thou on thy robes”. Ahab sought to hide himself in another’s apparel; but he forgot that he had to do with God, not only the Syrians. He might perhaps have escaped the Syrians, but he could not escape God. If there is anyone here who does not believe, and who is determined to continue his own way in opposition to God, one who refuses to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ in this day of grace, then it is beyond all doubt that judgment will fall on him. As the psalmist puts it, “Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? and whither flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into the heavens thou art there; or if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, thou art there; If I take the wings of the dawn and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me”. Who can expect to gain victory, when he takes up the struggle against God? “And a man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the fastenings and the corslet”. You say perhaps that this happened by chance. There is no such thing with God. What may often look like a chance, is something ordered of God. A misadventure happens to you in the street perhaps, you might be overrun by a car, be brought to the hospital and die there. Such things happen often. Or your heart may cease beating through something unexpected happening to you. All these things the unconverted call a chance only, or a happening, but it is not so.

“A man drew a bow at a venture”. A soldier drew his bow without knowing whom he would hit, but it was God’s righteous judgment that struck this wicked king. May no unconverted person here in this room think that he can escape God’s judgment. The great white throne is not a bow drawn at a venture, it is a judgment seat where everything is judged after the most accurate estimation, and the Lord will sit on that throne; the judgment is then fixed. But this incident shows that what appeared to be a mere accident, was in reality God’s judgment on an adversary. Ahab had been hit in a joint of his armour. He had, to be sure, put on an armour of iron. There are many who do that; they try to shield themselves in every possible way. But this arrow drawn at a venture, smites him between the “fastenings and the corslet”, so although he stayed himself up in his chariot until the evening he died nevertheless. He died under the judgment of God. It is terrible to die under the judgment of God. Death is not the end for man; “forasmuch as it is the portion of men once to die, and after this judgment”, Hebrews 9:27.

The scripture says here, “And it came to pass when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat”, they thought, “That is the king of Israel”, whereupon they surrounded him to fight. Then Jehoshaphat cried out, and Jehovah helped him, and “God diverted them from him”. I would now wish to speak a word to a believer who is perhaps joined to the world. Through the grace of God you have, as it were, by a hair’s breadth escaped the judgment. As it says in 1 Corinthians 11: “On this account many among you are weak and infirm, and a good many are fallen asleep”. Why is that? “That we may not be condemned with the world”. When we see Jehoshaphat surrounded by the Syrians it looks as if he were sure to be killed. He was dressed in his royal attire and was exposed to the enemy. But Jehoshaphat cried to the Lord. Ahab did not cry to the Lord; Jehoshaphat, on the other hand, knew God. And perhaps you had to do with God when you were young; you used to pray to Him and He answered you; but now you have ceased doing so. Consider then, that now is an opportunity to cry to God. Jehoshaphat cried, and what happened? God helped him. God is here to help you. He turned away the Syrians from Jehoshaphat. This was God’s salvation. He helps us when we cry to Him.

We read in the gospels of a man whose son was possessed by an evil spirit. It says of him that he cried, “If thou couldst do anything, . . . help us”. He got help from the Lord, and He will never refuse to listen to a real cry for help. Will you not turn to the Lord just as you are, and just where you are? Break with the world, for it is already judged, and there is no hope to be found for it. But there is hope for you; the Lord loves you too much to let you go the way the world is going. God was active during the battle to see to it that Ahab should not escape, but also in order to save Jehoshaphat. This meeting tonight has the same end in view, that you may escape the judgment that is hanging over this world. In the next chapter we see that Jehoshaphat was saved and returned in peace to Jerusalem. We might say he came back into fellowship. He was saved from Ahab and all connection with him. Jerusalem in Scripture is the sphere of the testimony of God, and we who are in Jerusalem are longing to see those who have strayed from the testimony return. It says in Psalm 125, “Jerusalem! – mountains are round about her”. Salvation is found there. The Syrians cannot reach you there. The blessing of God is found there.

We read of Jehoshaphat that he returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem, but his conscience had to be awakened. Why had he been going on with the world? Why have you been away? These questions must be raised. Jehu the seer came to Jehoshaphat and said, “Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate Jehovah?”. The seer applies the word to the conscience. It is no longer a question of delivering you from the Syrians, but a question of your soul being set right with God. The Spirit of God does this with us, and awakens our consciences. Later on Jehu said: “Therefore is wrath upon thee from Jehovah”. If we turn to the world, we will have to bear the results of it; certain consequences in God’s governmental dealing come over us, but, in spite of all, Jehoshaphat was saved, and he was restored and dwelt in Jerusalem.

A soul who is restored knows where he ought to live. Your salvation, blessing and joy depend upon your remaining in Jerusalem. Later “He went out again among the people from Beer-sheba to mount Ephraim, and brought them back to Jehovah the God of their fathers”. He is a good brother now, and a valuable servant. In this type we see what is available to us, when we, so to speak, return to Jerusalem. You are restored, you live in Jerusalem, and you are useful in the Lord’s service.