Dangerous Alliances – The Example of King Jehoshaphat

By Darryl Eberhart (Editor of ETI & TTT) // Website: www.toughissues.org

A 1-Page Handout // All emphasis is mine unless otherwise stated. // May 23, 2009

“Now Jehoshaphat [Ed.: the godly king of the southern kingdom of Judah] had riches and honor in abundance, and joined affinity [Ed.: i.e., he made an alliance] with Ahab [Ed.: the wicked king of the northern kingdom of Israel].

…And Ahab king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Wilt thou go with me to Ramoth-gilead [Ed.: to fight against the king of Syria]? And he [Ed.: i.e., King Jehoshaphat] answered him, I [am] as thou [art], and my people as thy people; and [we will be] with thee in the war. [Ed.: The Syrians won this battle, and mortally wounded King Ahab.]

[Ed.: Upon returning safely to Jerusalem after losing the battle, King Jehoshaphat was confronted by Jehu the son of the preacher-prophet Hanani.] And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer [Ed.: i.e., prophet, preacher] went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD? Therefore [is] wrath upon thee from before the LORD.

…And after this did Jehoshaphat king of Judah join himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who did very wickedly: And he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish: and they made the ships in Ezion-geber. Then Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the LORD hath broken thy works. And the ships were broken, that they were not able to go to Tarshish.” (II Chronicles 18:1, 3; 19:2; and 20:35-37)

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness?” (II Corinthians 6:14)

The Holy Bible makes it very clear that King Jehoshaphat of Judah was a godly ruler who “sought to the [LORD] God of his father, and walked in his commandments”, “whose heart was lifted up in the ways of the LORD”. (See II Chronicles 17:3-6) However, King Jehoshaphat made the same mistake that his father Asa, king of Judah, had made, i.e., he made alliances with the WRONG people – with “unbelievers”. (King Asa of Judah had earlier been condemned by the prophet Hanani for seeking military assistance from the King of Syria rather than seeking assistance from the LORD!) King Jehoshaphat’s first mistake was a military alliance with wicked King Ahab of Israel – a mistake that cost the lives of a number of King Jehoshaphat’s soldiers – and brought about the disapproval of the LORD! King Jehoshaphat’s second mistake was a joint shipbuilding venture with wicked King Ahaziah of Israel – a mistake that cost Jehoshaphat time, effort, and resources when the LORD “broke” his ships! Indeed, both Jehoshaphat and his father, Asa, had made the mistake of “unequally yoking” themselves “together with unbelievers”!

Are some believers today making the same mistake that Jehoshaphat and Asa, kings of Judah, made, i.e., “yoking” themselves “together with unbelievers”? The answer to that question is “yes”. Today we see a number of Bible-believing Christians joining themselves together [i.e., forming “alliances”] with Roman Catholics [who believe a “different gospel” than the true Gospel found on the pages of the Holy Bible]! These Bible-believing Christians make alliances with Roman Catholics for various social and moral causes – or, to “fight the New World Order (N.W.O.)”. These Bible-believing Christians at times even join themselves together with Knights of Columbus or members of Opus Dei – two organizations that are controlled by the Jesuit Order [the top player in the N.W.O.]! These Bible-believing Christians, by making such ungodly alliances with “unbelievers”, are (1) showing a gross ignorance of history; and, (2) much worse, they are disobeying God’s command that we be “not unequally yoked together with unbelievers”! Don’t these Bible-believing Christians realize (1) that a number of popes have condemned the very freedoms that we Americans cherish; (2) that a “good” Roman Catholic must place his primary loyalty to the Pope of Rome, a foreign potentate; (3) that Jesuits, Knights of Columbus, Knights of Malta, and members of Opus Dei all have their primary loyalty to the Black Pope [i.e., the Jesuit Superior General] through the Pope of Rome; and, (4) that powerful, influential, and wealthy Roman Catholics in much of Europe during the early stages of World War II betrayed their countries when they helped evil men to set up Fascist dictatorships? Do Bible-believing Christians really believe that God will bless their alliances with “unbelievers”?