Dave's Diary

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Daily Readings: 2 Kings 3 and Psalm 120

At this point in Israel’s history, Joram was enthroned as King of Israel in the capital city Samaria (replacing his brother Ahaziah who fell through the lattice – see 2 Kings 1) while Jehoshaphat, ruled as King of Judah in Jerusalem.

2 Kings 3 contains the record of a war waged against the kingdom of Moab by Joram in alliance with Jehoshaphat and the unnamed king of Edom. Their military strategy was patently flawed, and their army arrived for battle having totally depleted their water supply. Joram was quick to blame the LORD for his own failings as a leader, but Jehoshaphat still trusted the LORD and called for prophetic intervention. This trust in God proved decisive, as the Lord not only provided water miraculously for the troops, but even used that water (which had flooded the fields) to reflect the sunrise dramatically and trick the Moabites into a military mistake.

As a discipleship lesson today, let’s consider that each king in the story represents an attitude we can adopt:

• The king of Edom was absolutely neutral to the LORD. He really didn’t seem to care either way. Fittingly, he played virtually no role in the victory, one way or another.
• The king of Moab was hostile to the LORD and illustrates the LORD’s reason for commanding Joshua to eradicate pagan worship from the land of Canaan when the Israelites arrived. In his desperation to preserve his own power, he was willing to sacrifice his own son to his god (Chemosh). He worshipped a false god and was held captive in a system of darkness and destruction because of it.
• King Joram was double-minded. He had put aside Baal worship, but he was not willing to pay the political price and get rid of the worship of the golden calf idols of his ancestor Jeroboam (1 Kings 12). He was held in bondage by his desire to please the people and hang on to political power.
• King Jehoshaphat trusted the LORD and led the others in turning to Elisha for the LORD’s word of guidance and rescue. He was unashamedly a worshipper of Yahweh.

Almighty LORD and God, forgive me for the times I have been hostile to Your will, neutral to what matters to You, and double-minded in my commitment to You. Change my heart by the power of the Holy Spirit, I pray, and inspire in me the gift of faith in You. Help me to trust You in all things and to be zealous for Your glory. Amen.