“Jehoshaphat had great riches and honor; and he allied himself by marriage with Ahab. Some years later he went down to visit Ahab at Samaria. And Ahab slaughtered many sheep and oxen for him and the people who were with him, and induced him to go up against Ramoth-gilead.”2 Chronicles 18:1-2

Jehoshaphat had been a good king. Because he sought God, the Lord was with him. Because of His blessings, Jehoshaphat “had great riches and honor,” and he “took great pride in the ways of the LORD.” As a result, “Jehoshaphat grew greater and greater” (2 Chronicles 17:2-12). During this time, the neighboring country of Israel was being ruled by Ahab, one of its most ungodly kings. Perhaps concerned about the security of his own people, Jehoshaphat foolishly “allied himself by marriage with Ahab.” After this, we see how Jehoshaphat allowed himself to be influenced by Ahab. In fact, Ahab “induced” and misled him. Not trusting in God, Jehoshaphat became vulnerable to clever words: Ahab convinced him to do what he wanted. The Bible warns us that this kind of deception is common in the world. In fact, there are many ways in which we can be deceived. We can be deceived by “smooth and flattering speech” (Romans 16:18) and by enticing promises and “empty words” (Ephesians 5:6). We can be deceived about God’s plans and the conditions of the world (1 Thessalonians 2:3). And we can deceive ourselves (1 Corinthians 3:18). We need to be on guard against all these forms of deception. We must beware against the pressure to conform to the ways of the world, and must refuse to allow others to shape our actions, attitudes, and beliefs to reflect their goals and objectives. Brothers & Sisters instead, we resolutely must stay true to God’s Word. We must remain in tune with His Spirit, sensitive to His leading. In everything, we must commit our ways to Him and let Him guide us. And when we have any questions or doubts, we need to seek Him and ask for His discernment.