To understand the historical context of 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles, we need to look back at the history of the ancient world of Israel as documented in the Old Testament. The story begins with the migration of the People of Israel to Egypt, their enslavement, and liberation under Moses’ leadership. After years of wandering in the desert, the Israelites settled in Canaan, which was divided among the twelve tribes.

Under various judges, the Israelites established themselves in the land. However, they weren’t satisfied with the system of judges that God had appointed. Instead, they wanted a human King, to be like the other nations. Seeking centralized governance, led to the anointing of Saul, as the first King of Israel who proved to be an evil King. This marked the transition to a unified kingdom under a monarchy.

Following Saul, there was a succession of Kings of Israel. David became king and is remembered for his military conquests, the establishment of Jerusalem as the capital, and bringing the Ark of the Covenant there. His son Solomon succeeded him as king, known for his wisdom and the construction of the First Temple in Jerusalem.

After Solomon’s death, the kingdom of Israel experienced a division. The northern tribes rebelled against Solomon’s son Rehoboam, establishing the northern Kingdom of Israel with its capital in Samaria. Meanwhile, the southern Kingdom of Judah, consisting of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, remained loyal to the house of David with Jerusalem as its capital.

The division marked a significant turning point in the history of ancient Israel, leading to distinct historical and religious developments in the respective kingdoms. The books of 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles provide valuable insights into the events, rulers, and spiritual developments during this pivotal period.

The insight of this article is drawn from the books of 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles in the Old Testament of the Bible. After King Solomon’s reign, the once-unified Kingdom of Israel became divided between Jeroboam (Israel) and Rehoboam (Judah). Down the lineage, each one’s sons took their respective thrones, and the war continued between the two houses up to this point in the story when Ahab, King of Israel, and Jehoshaphat, King of Judah took the reins.

King Ahab did evil in God’s sight while Jehoshaphat was a good King. King Ahab of Israel and Jehoshaphat of Judah, although different, have found common ground and formed political alliances against Aram. King Ahab of Israel asks Jehoshaphat to go with him to battle Ramoth-Gilead. Jehoshaphat agrees but the first thing he requests is that Ahab inquire for a word from the Lord God of Israel. The role of the prophets in the Old Testament was to deliver words from God. So, King Ahab gathers 400 prophets. Ahab’s prophets assure them of victory in the battle. But in a powerful statement of discernment, Jehoshaphat says, “Is there not yet a prophet of the Lord here that we may inquire of him?” (2 Chronicles 18:6). King Ahab replies that there is one prophet of the Lord, Micaiah, but he hates him because he always speaks ill of him. Ultimately, the conquest leads to the death of Ahab.

I’m impressed that Jehoshaphat decided to seek the counsel of one more of the biblical prophets of God. He had already received the “counsel” of 400 (false) prophets. I pray for that level of discernment, to seek the Word of God over the “experts”. It’s too easy in our culture in the United States to trust the experts, the expert physicians, the expert psychologists, the expert scientists, or any other expert, especially if 400 to 1 agree. But scripture confirms what Jehoshaphat already knew.

“How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked…” Psalms‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬ ‭

“The thoughts of the righteous are just, But the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.” Proverbs‬ ‭12‬:‭5‬ ‭

This story is so relatable to our own lives, as human history has a way of repeating itself. Although we don’t have modern-day prophets today, we do have the Holy Spirit to guide the church today. My key takeaways are to pray first and seek godly counsel, in reliance on the Holy Spirit, especially when the roar of the crowd is 400 to 1, telling you which way to go. God is our ultimate authority, even when the “experts” seem to know what’s best. What about you? Has there ever been a time you had to seek the Word of the Lord and godly counsel for decision-making? I’d love to hear from you, leave a comment!

Watch the linked video for a further recap of 1 Kings 22 and 2 Chronicles 18