Psalm 8:1; add 31:1-3 and 20:1-4

My Shepherd met me in His green pastures and led me to the story of Jehoshaphat. Lately, it seems I’ve been there often. The Mind of the Spirit engaged my mind at 2 Chronicles 18:1:

2Chronicles 18:1 ¶ Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined affinity with Ahab.

It has been so hectic a week, and I’m so pressed for time at present; I’ll only be able to offer one simple but important insight regarding the measure of a man.

Jehoshaphat was measured by God to be a good king, who walked “in the first ways of his father David” (2 Chronicles 17:1-4). We are told that this is the reason he came to “riches and honour in abundance” (Compare 2 Chronicles 17:5 to 18:1).

What struck me about this is that in 17:5 we are told God brought Jehoshaphat to riches and honor because he walked in “the first ways of David.” In 18:1, we are told that after this favor was shown to him, he “joined affinity with Ahab” (2 Chronicles 18:1b). We know that Ahab, husband to Jezebel, the priestess of Baal, was a vile and evil man. Once, in the presence of Jehoshaphat, the prophet Elisha said to Ahab: “As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee” (2 Kings 3:14).

Along the still waters, I meditated on the thought that occurred to me as I read our text: Jehoshaphat was a good man, but for the matter of Ahab.

I remembered how the Spirit said of David: “David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite” (1 Kings 15:5).

I thought of the great many great men of whom we might say, “Such a one was a good man, but then there was this one matter.”

David is set as the bar by which all succeeding kings of Judah and Israel were measured. Not one of the Kings of Israel was ever said to have met that bar. In fact, Jeroboam, the first king of Israel after Solomon’s departure from the model of his father David, was exhorted to pattern his rule after David (1 Kings 11:38), in the next chapter, we read about Jeroboam’s golden calves (1 Kings 12). Thereafter, Israel’s kings were measured against the sin of Jeroboam.*

Judah’s kings were measured against the “gold standard” of David’s reign. The three who measured up fully are Asa, Hezekiah, and Josiah. Two of these began strong, but ended poorly: Asa (who sought to the physicians and not to the LORD in the matter of his diseased feet), and Hezekiah, who became lax in his later years.**

I noticed that even the standard GOD chose by which to measure the kings was flawed; even David had the one blemish, and that was in the matter of Uriah.

The Spirit impressed upon me two things: first, the sadness that there is no man of whom it could be said there was never any “matter” that blemished his memory. Of every great leader, we may say, well, now, that was a great man, only upon reflection to be compelled to say, except in this, or in that matter. God chose a standard that was not impossible to attain, and we should adopt a measure that gives some room for grace. And second, the Spirit impressed on me the grace of God, Who measures us by His Perfect Son, and yet does so in the honor of His mercy.

In the valley, kneeling in the shadow of His Cross and under the gaze of His eyes as a flame of fire, I heard Him say, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). And I knew that was the measure of a man. The question will be to what degree His disciple denied himself, and took up his cross daily, and followed in His steps (1 Peter 1:21).

At the table, my Shepherd anointed my head with His oil, mixed sufficient grace into my cup, and said, “Follow me” (John 21:19). Goodness and mercy attended me as we went into the harvest together.

Praying for revival! 🙏

Going live asap:

https://rumble.com/v7cxw4s-shepherds-pasture.html

[*Examples include: Nadab (1 Kings 15:26), Baasha (1 Kings 15:34), Elah (1 Kings 16:13), Omri (1 Kings 16:25-26), Ahab (1 Kings 16:30-33—who exceeded Jeroboam in his wickedness), Jehu (2 Kings 10:29-31—who almost made it).]

[**Only three kings of Judah are expressly identified as having met the Davidic standard: Asa, Hezekiah, and Josiah (See 1 Kings 15:11; 2 Kings 28:3; 22:2). Those who are expressly declared to have fallen short are Solomon, Abijam (Abijah), Amaziah, and Ahaz (1 Kings 11:4-6; 15:3; 2 Kings 14:3; 16:2). One of these “did right” but “not like” David: Amaziah. Several others received mixed reviews and were not measured by the Davidic standard: Rehoboam, Jehoram, Joash, Uzziah (Azariah), Jotham, Manasseh (by mixed, I mean mostly evil, and only shortly before the end of his days did he repent and do right), Amon, and none of the exilic kings: Jehoiakiim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah.]