Observation: Jehoshaphat allied with King Ahab, perhaps the most wicked king in all Jewish history. Ahab propagated the sins God hated and made them even worse, together with his wife Jezebel, a person so terrible her name continues through thousands of years of history as an insult. It was Ahab opposed the great prophet Elijah, and who was really the one who spurred to total destruction of Israel.
This is whom Jehoshaphat has helped. He even went along with a plan to endanger himself and disguise Ahab during the battle. Ahab died anyway, as the Lord desired. But upon his return from battle Jehoshaphat is told by the Lord that he has incurred God's wrath.
The nature of that wrath is ... unclear. The prophet also talks of the good things Jehoshaphat has done, and afterwards Chronicles reports of his work to create God-fearing courts, and his sincere appeal to - and total trust in - the Lord when the three armies of Seir, Moab, and Ammon attack.
Application: God hated that Jehoshaphat would aid Ahab, as such an act of support implies an approval of Ahab's wickedness. There is a difference between sinning and rebelling against the Lord, and how believers should interact with such individuals in those two different circumstances ... and Ahab was firmly of the latter mindset.
However, it seems the "wrath" of God is not terrible or even obvious. This may be because of how Jehoshaphat responds to the news of God's displeasure ... he performs the Lord's will. He does not continue the alliance with Israel. He invests efforts in how Judah will comply with the Lord's wishes. And when battle comes to his own doorstep, he doesn't "call in the favor" owed to him by Israel for assistance, but rather turns only to the Lord.
I have done things often that displease the Lord. For them, I absolutely deserve the Lord's wrath. It is possible he is telling me this right now. The only way for me to respond is to continue to try to follow his will. I cannot get mentally lost in my mistakes, but rather must move forward with my relationship with - and service - the Lord.
Prayer: Lord, in the name of Jesus, I seek your forgiveness for my sins. I think and act as I should not on a daily basis, and I am sorry for this. Please aid in my repentance of this. As a new week starts, I renew my efforts to do your will, to serve others with mercy, to walk humbly with you, and as it depends on me to strive for peace with all. Amen.
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