2 Chronicles 19:4 (KJV) How to Handle Rebuke

2 Chronicles 19:4 (KJV)
And Jehoshaphat dwelt at Jerusalem: and he went out again through the people from Beersheba to mount Ephraim, and brought them back unto the LORD God of their fathers.

King Jehoshaphat appears to me to be an incredibly good guy who had trouble saying “No” to people he was afraid to offend. He made affinity with Israel at least twice and was rebuked of the Lord each time because of it.

In our text, he had just been sternly but graciously rebuked for his first act of affinity. What is significant and what I want to meditate on is what Jehoshaphat did not do:

He did not lash out at the prophetOthers would do that. He had witnessed Ahab do it. Not Jehoshaphat. He took his rebuke maturely.

He did not turn against GodHis own father had been similarly rebuked and grew angry at the seer and then turned his anger at the people (I believe that supported the prophet’s rebuke). Asa got mad at the preacher and then lashed out at God. Not so Jehoshaphat.

He did not pout and shrink into inactivityThe very next verse after the preacher’s rebuke has Jehoshaphat out among the people, bringing them back to the Lord. When a battle with Moab and Ammon was imminent, we find Jehoshaphat appealing to God in prayer, leading others to do the same and singing in worship to the Lord.

Jehoshaphat was by no means perfect but this is certain of him, he stayed true to God.

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2 Chronicles 19:4 How to Handle Rebuke

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