I have been
struggling reading through the books of the Kings and the Chronicles in the Old Testament the past week or so and find myself wondering...why in the world are these books included in the Bible?
AND....don't act like you have NEVER thought the same thing! Obviously there are super smart Bible scholars, unlike myself, who can fit all these puzzle pieces together; however, I can barely fit 2 of the pieces together, much less all of these kings, lands, prophets, sons, daughters, etc. However, right in the middle of 2 Chronicles, this story jumped out at me. Literally, I am listening to 2 Chronicles on my phone and I stop putting my make-up on and just listen (not really long because I would have been later than usual to work)! God spoke and I tried to listen...I hope it speaks to you also!
So the story begins in 2 Chronicles 18. Jehosophat (king of Judah & good guy) is approached by Ahab (king of Israel & bad guy) about combining forces and attacking Ramothgilead (names are unimportant here...R will work just fine). So Ahab gathers all his "yes-men" (my word...actually prophets & other men) and asks their opinion of this plan. Their response: "
Go up; for God will deliver it into the king's hand."(v.5). Jehosophat suggests asking another prophet but Ahab hesitates because "I hate him; for he never prophesied good unto me, but always evil" (v. 7). ( Sure, we can look at Ahab and think what a baby but really, do ANY of us seek out those who tell us the truth when we don't want to hear it?) They ask him and sure enough, Micaiah tells him that "they will be delivered into your hand BUT I also saw Israel with no leader wandering like sheep and the Lord told them to return to their homes". (I am NO Bible scholar so if I am not 100% accurate on the interpretation of details...don't attack...I'll get to the big picture momentarily!) Of course Ahab is mad but Micaiah warns him that Ahab would hide himself but that he would see that Micaiah was telling him the truth.
Off the kings go into battle. The king of Syria had commanded his men to "fight ye not with small or great, save only with the king of Israel"(v. 29). Ahab tells Jehosophat that he will disguise himself but instructs Jehosophat to wear his robes. Of course they get into battle and the men attack Jehosophat (thinking he is the king of Israel). However, Jehosophat (remember good guy...in Chronicles terms...he walked in the ways of the Lord) "cried out, and the Lord helped him; and God moved them [Syrians] to depart from him"(v. 31) and they quit pursing him. It appears at this point that the prophet, Micaiah, was wrong...both kings made it. The Syrians were tricked and God's plan was not fulfilled. Wellllllll......not so fast. Verse 33 tells us that "a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of his harness"and the king goes on to die by sundown. Some translations say a man drew a bow at "random." And while I will NOT debate translations, I would contend that the man may have shot the bow randomly but it was not random to God. His plan was fulfilled.
Why did the story resonate with me?? Because I put myself in that situation. How many times do I KNOW God's plan, but insist on doing things MY way? I can disguise "MY PLAN" however I want to. I can disguise it in
seemingly noble church work,
giving to those less fortuante, pleasant and
"Godly" facebook statuses,
blogs,
smiles, empty kind words, (all of these things are GREAT and important and necessary) but God knows if I am walking with him. God knows if I am heeding to his call and submitting to his will and plan for me! God knows what I am disguising and hiding! He knows my heart and my inmost thoughts! God's plan will be fulfilled just like it was fulfilled for Ahab. We will not change that...we can submit to his will, walk in his ways, and trust in his guidance and protection. But we will not change his plan for our life!
This part is free...until we decide to accept his will for our lives...there will be no peace. My prayer for you and for me is that we can heed to Paul's words in 2 Corinthians 13: 5
"examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves".
Psalm 139: 23-24 "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."
