2 Chronicles 19:1-11--Jehoshaphat's Reforms

2 Chronicles 19
English Standard Version

Jehoshaphat's Reforms
19 Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned in safety to his house in Jerusalem. 2 But Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD? Because of this, wrath has gone out against you from the LORD. 3 Nevertheless, some good is found in you, for you destroyed the Asheroth out of the land, and have set your heart to seek God.”

4 Jehoshaphat lived at Jerusalem. And he went out again among the people, from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim, and brought them back to the LORD, the God of their fathers. 5 He appointed judges in the land in all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city, 6 and said to the judges, “Consider what you do, for you judge not for man but for the LORD. He is with you in giving judgment. 7 Now then, let the fear of the LORD be upon you. Be careful what you do, for there is no injustice with the LORD our God, or partiality or taking bribes.”

​8 Moreover, in Jerusalem Jehoshaphat appointed certain Levites and priests and heads of families of Israel, to give judgment for the LORD and to decide disputed cases. They had their seat at Jerusalem. 9 And he charged them: “Thus you shall do in the fear of the LORD, in faithfulness, and with your whole heart: 10 whenever a case comes to you from your brothers who live in their cities, concerning bloodshed, law or commandment, statutes or rules, then you shall warn them, that they may not incur guilt before the LORD and wrath may not come upon you and your brothers. Thus you shall do, and you will not incur guilt. 11 And behold, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of the LORD; and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the governor of the house of Judah, in all the king's matters, and the Levites will serve you as officers. Deal courageously, and may the LORD be with the upright!”

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I think I mentioned at the end of yesterday's blog that Jehoshaphat would be confronted by Jehu and that Jehoshaphat was told that judgement would come upon him because he made an alliance with those that were wicked, like Ahab and Jezebel, and those that hated the LORD.  The LORD tempered His anger though because He saw all the good things that Jehoshaphat had done in destroying the Asheroth poles and he sought the LORD in the same way that David did--he just made a mistake in marrying a woman who worshiped idols.

After Ahab's death, Jehoshaphat went out again and brought the people back to the LORD everywhere where he had influence as king of Judah--even into the land of Ephraim, though they were technically part of the northern kingdom of Israel.  He also appointed righteous, God-fearing judges for these cities according to the Law who would judge according to the Law of the LORD.  He charged these judges saying, "“Consider what you do, for you judge not for man but for the LORD. He is with you in giving judgment. Now then, let the fear of the LORD be upon you. Be careful what you do, for there is no injustice with the LORD our God, or partiality or taking bribes.”  We make our judges and justices take a similar oath of office and hold to similar judicial ethics today.  If no oath is taken before the LORD, then what constrains them from abusing their power to make themselves rich or to usurp power that does not belong to them?

Levites and tribal leaders were also appointed to assist in making judgments according to the Law of the LORD and to teach the Law of the LORD to the people.  If people could be instructed and had their worldview changed before committing acts of evil or they repented of their sin, even after they committed iniquity because they realized they violated the LORD's Law and were in need of His mercy, that is a far better situation than a man who would try to hide his sin and refused to repent even after being caught because his evil actions were in perfect alignment with his evil heart.  It was only by this change in the hearts of the people that Jehoshaphat hoped that the people would avoid having the curses of the LORD poured out on them and instead he hoped that the blessings of the LORD would be poured out on the people when they showed that they loved the LORD by their obedience to His commandments (though works don't save us, they are evidence that we have truly been saved).

The Levites and priests would also take the guilt of the people upon themselves as they ate of the portions of the offerings assigned to them, so that they would be seen as a substitute for those who were under the death penalty and the people would start to understand the need for substitutionary atonement.

Jehoshaphat made sure that the people knew who the high priest in charge of the other priests was and the Levits, and he appointed a governor from the house of Judah to be in charge of all the political affairs (a chief of staff), who the Levites were also supposed to serve in their duties as government officials.  Then Jehoshaphat charged the Levites to execute their duties courageously as "The LORD is with the upright."