Jehoshaphat’s story is told in 1 Kings 15:24-22:50; 2 Chronicles 17:1-21:1
Jehoshaphat: A King Who Trusted God in Tough Times
When life gets hard and trouble shows up, what do you do? Some people panic. Others try to fix things on their own. But in the Old Testament, there was a king named Jehoshaphat who showed us a better way—he trusted God and turned to Him in prayer.
Jehoshaphat ruled the southern kingdom of Judah, and his story reminds us that even when life gets scary, we can find peace by putting our trust in God.
Who Was Jehoshaphat?
Jehoshaphat was the son of King Asa and became king of Judah after him. He was known as a good king who wanted to follow God. While many kings in the Bible led their people away from God, Jehoshaphat worked hard to do what was right.
He strengthened his kingdom not just with armies and buildings, but by helping the people know and follow God.
Teaching the People About God
One of the first things Jehoshaphat did was send out teachers—priests and Levites—to go through the land and teach people God’s Word. This helped the people understand how to live in a way that pleased God.
He also set up fair judges and told them to rule honestly, reminding them that they were judging for God, not just for people.
Jehoshaphat was a leader who cared about both spiritual and moral guidance—a rare and special thing in his time.
A Big Threat Comes to Judah
One day, Jehoshaphat got terrifying news. A huge army was coming to attack Judah. The people of Moab, Ammon, and others had joined together, and they were already close by.
Jehoshaphat was afraid—but instead of panicking, he turned to God in prayer. He called all the people of Judah to fast and pray together.
They gathered at the temple, and Jehoshaphat prayed in front of everyone. He admitted they were powerless and didn’t know what to do, but he ended his prayer by saying,
“Our eyes are on You.”
Winning the Battle Through Worship
God heard their prayer and sent a prophet with a message:
“Don’t be afraid. The battle is not yours, but God’s.”
Jehoshaphat believed God’s promise. The next day, he did something surprising—he sent singers to lead the army, praising God with songs instead of weapons.
As the people sang, God caused confusion among the enemy armies. They began fighting each other, and by the time Judah reached the battlefield, the battle was already won.
They didn’t have to fight at all—God had already taken care of it.
What We Can Learn from Jehoshaphat
Jehoshaphat’s story is full of powerful lessons for us today:
1. Trust God when trouble comes.
Instead of fear, Jehoshaphat chose faith.
2. Pray before you act.
He didn’t rush into battle. He stopped, prayed, and waited for God’s answer.
3. Worship is powerful.
Praise isn’t just for good times—it can lead us to victory even in battle.
4. Surround yourself with wise and godly people.
Jehoshaphat listened to prophets and put honest leaders in place.
Jehoshaphat Made Mistakes Too
Even though Jehoshaphat was a good king, he wasn’t perfect. He made a bad alliance with King Ahab of Israel, who was known for evil choices. This caused problems, and a prophet warned Jehoshaphat not to join with people who didn’t follow God.
Still, Jehoshaphat stayed faithful in the end, and his overall legacy was one of faith, courage, and trust in God.
Final Thoughts
Jehoshaphat’s story reminds us that even when life feels scary or uncertain, we can turn to God, pray, and trust Him to fight our battles. Like Jehoshaphat said, even when we don’t know what to do, we can still say:
“Lord, our eyes are on You.”