CAC LIVING WATER DEVOTIONAL FOR MAY 19, 2022 : TOPIC – WHEN GOD WRECKS YOUR SHIP… (II)
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LIVING WATER
DAILY DEVOTIONAL
Thursday, May 19, 2022
WHEN GOD WRECKS YOUR SHIP… (II)
Read: 1 Kings 22:42-49
MEMORISE: Jehoshaphat made merchant ships to go to Ophir for gold; but they never sailed, for the ships were wrecked at Ezion Geber (1 King 22:48).
EXPOSITION
Why did God destroy Jehoshaphat’s works! Why did He wreck his ships? Why did He allow his business to suffer loss? The answer comes from two different prophets sent by God on two different occasions: At his safe return from helping Ahab to fight the king of Aram at Ramoth Gilead, which was an act of God’s grace, a seer named, Jehu, challenged him saying: Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? Therefore, the wrath of the Lord is upon you (2 Chro. 19:2). On another occasion, having been enticed to engage in a lucrative maritime trade through the Gulf of Aqaba, with Ahaziah, the son of Ahab, another prophet named Eliezer, son of Dodavah prophesied against him saying: Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the LORD has destroyed your works (20:37). The Message Translation puts it this way: GOD has shipwrecked your work.
It wasn’t just Jehoshaphat’s works that were shipwrecked, but also his family and posterity! He had seven sons (21:1-3), six of whom he lavished great gifts on, but the kingdom he gave to Jehoram, being the first son, with whom he once felt secure, killed all his brothers with the sword (21:4). What do you expect from a son-in-law of Jezebel, the murderer (21:6)? He was struck with an incurable disease, died a painful death, and was ignobly buried (21:19 22:1).
What goes around comes around. The Arabian marauders came and killed all his older sons. The youngest one, Ahaziah was made king over Judah, but only reigned for one year, throughout which he was advised by Athaliah, his mother and a true daughter of Jezebel, to do wickedly (2 Chro. 22:3). He was killed by the anointed Jehu (22:7-9). Since he had no sons left, his mother Athaliah, first killed all the princes, then usurped David’s sacred throne, and ruled the land for six years! Don’t align with God’s enemy, to avoid shipwreck.
PRAYER POINTS
1. Pray not to destroy your posterity through an ungodly alliance.
2. O Lord, help me to always remember 2 Cor. 6:14ff so that I will not be bringing upon myself, avoidable suffering.
3. Pray for ships and their sailors conveying important legitimate consumer goods into the country, so that they will not experience shipwreck.
EXTRA READING FOR TODAY: 2 Chronicles 32 – 34
Remain blessed