Leadership Challenges Part 4

    For three years Aram and Israel lived in peace.  King Jehoshaphat of Judah went to visit King Ahab of Israel to maintain their peace.  Ahab threw out the idea that it was time to reclaim their ancestral land from Ramoth Gilead.  He seemed to of missed the fact that God gave that to His people when they were an united people.  Now they had declared themselves two different nations.  Why would he bless that?

    Jehoshaphat had to pray over this before making a decision.  Going through the motions of prayer makes it a part of your daily routine, like working out, eating, or working, but it should not be just a routine.  Prayer requires talking and listening to God.  Ahab's 400 prophets agreed to this war, but Jehoshaphat wanted to hear from a man of God.  

    They found the prophet Micaiah to hear what God had to say on the subject.  No one expected to hear what Micaiah had to say.  He said that Israel would be scattered without a leader.  This war is when Ahab would die.  Ahab being the predictable pouty king, through God's prophet into jail until they returned from war.

    Ahab thought he could outsmart God by disguising himself in battle.  However God is God, he allowed a random arrow to kill King Ahab.  He bled out at the prostitutes bath and the dogs drank it fulfilling the prophecy of his death.  His son, Ahaziah, became the next king of Israel.  He was just as bad as his father and only reigned two years.

    King Jehoshaphat was the son of King Asa the good king of Judah, so he became king when his father died.  He was 35 and reigned 25 years doing good in God's eyes.  When he died, his son, Jehoram became king.  When you do good, you may not be as well known, but life sure is a lot simpler and it will contribute to you being a good leader.

1 Kings 22