All Saints' Day: King Jehoshaphat

This is an old meme, but I'm going to add to it. One of the most striking figures in the Old Testament is King Jehoshaphat of Judah. Time and time again, I find examples of the faithful Christian life in him. The most extraordinary is when his nation was faced with a huge invasion by three neighboring powers. Jehoshaphat's immediate reaction was astounding: instead of ordering the army to deploy, or for men to take up arms, or even for siege supplies to be brought into Jerusalem, he orders all of Judah to fall on its knees in fasting and prayer.

A normal person would not give such orders, but Jehoshaphat knew that his safety lay not in arms but in God. As the foreign armies approach Jerusalem, he is not concerned with military preparations, but instead leads all of Judah in prayer before God. The Lord responds forcefully in one of the most stunning OT narratives.

Jehoshaphat also surpressed paganism and sent teachers throughout the land to instruct the people in the Law and appointed judges to enforce it. He wasn't perfect and dabbled in unholy alliances, but on the whole, he walked in the ways of the Lord. When the chips were down, Jehoshaphat knew that God alone was his savior -- something even the more lauded Hezekiah doubted. For that one moment when Jehoshaphat shined as a servant-leader, bowing before God and trusting in Him alone, he deserves our reverence.