“Your Word Is Truth”

Friendship with God’s Enemies?

AMONG the evidence supporting the authenticity of the Bible as the Word of Almighty God, Jehovah, is the candor or straightforwardness of its writers. The records of ancient pagan rulers extol their virtues and victories but rarely if ever do they tell of their weaknesses and their defeats. But God’s penmen with the utmost candor tell of the mistakes of Jehovah’s servants.

A striking example of this is what they recorded about God-fearing King Jehoshaphat who ruled the kingdom of Judah for twenty-five years toward the close of the tenth century B.C.E. Of him we read: “Jehovah continued with Jehoshaphat . . . For it was for the God of his father that he searched and in his commandment he walked . . . his heart became bold in the ways of Jehovah.” He himself went out among the people and urged them to worship Jehovah. He sent out princes, priests and Levites to teach the people the law of Jehovah, and throughout the land he stationed judges whom he exhorted to judge with godly fear.​—2 Chron. 17:1-19; 19:4-11.

But all this did not keep God’s penmen from recording Jehoshaphat’s mistakes and Jehovah’s reproofs. Thus on one occasion wicked King Ahab lured King Jehoshaphat to join him in fighting the king of Syria at Ramoth-gilead. Jehoshaphat was leery about it and asked that first a prophet of Jehovah be consulted. After some false prophets had given favorable reports, a true prophet of God was heard and he plainly said that the outcome would be disastrous.

All this should have deterred Jehoshaphat but it did not. He accompanied King Ahab into battle, and, had it not been for Jehovah’s intervention, Jehoshaphat would have been slain. The record tells: “Jehoshaphat began to cry for aid, and Jehovah himself helped him, and God at once allured them away from him.” In this battle wicked King Ahab was slain and “Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned in peace.”​—2 Chron. 18:1-19:1; 1 Ki. 22:1-38.

Just how foolish Jehoshaphat actually was in being willing to help wicked Ahab the record shows, for Ahab was no friend of Jehoshaphat. Ahab ensured his own safety by disguising himself and then asking Jehoshaphat to enter the battle in his royal regalia, which he did. Shrewdly Ahab figured that the enemy would think that Jehoshaphat was Ahab and so would single him out for attack while not recognizing Ahab because of his disguise. This was exactly what happened. The king of Syria gave instructions to single out King Ahab. The chief of the Syrian charioteers, seeing the royal regalia of Jehoshaphat, thought he was Ahab and began to attack him. But after Jehovah had delivered Jehoshaphat the charioteers recognized that he was not Ahab and so left off pursuing him.

Jehoshaphat may well have been thankful for his deliverance. But Jehovah was not going to ignore his wrong and foolish course. He sent his prophet Jehu to him with a strong reproof: “Is it to the wicked that help is to be given, and is it for those hating Jehovah that you should have love? And for this there is indignation against you from the person of Jehovah. Nevertheless, there are good things that have been found with you, because . . . you have prepared your heart to search for the true God.” Incidentally, later on in his reign he made a similar mistake, earning a similar reproof.​—2 Chron. 19:2, 3; 20:35-37.

No question about it, as much as Jehovah was pleased with Jehoshaphat’s upright course and zeal for pure worship, He was not pleased with his consorting with and aiding God’s enemies. In the one instance it nearly cost him his life, and in the other it cost him his shipping fleet.

Since God’s Word is “beneficial teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness,” what can be learned from Jehoshaphat’s experiences?​—2 Tim. 3:16.

For one thing there is comfort to be drawn from the mercy and loving-kindness Jehovah. Even though Jehoshaphat did wrong and acted unwisely in consorting with and helping wicked Ahab, God did not desert him when he was in dire straits but rescued him because of the good record he had made. So we can have faith that God will help us when we get into difficulty because of some mistake on our part if we have a record of faithfulness.

Far more important is the lesson that Jehovah had the prophet Jehu drive home to Jehoshaphat: “Is it to the wicked that help is to be given, and is it for those hating Jehovah that you should have love?” In this Jehoshaphat had made a serious mistake as regards his loyalty to God, for loyalty required that he not help the enemies of Jehovah God.

Who are God’s enemies today that his servants are not to help? First of all, let it be noted that what is considered here are organizations, nations, ideologies and suchlike. Jehoshaphat had been persuaded to help the apostate nation of Israel in its war against Syria. It was not a matter showing ordinary courtesy or human kindness to another, which always is a proper thing. So today Christians “work what is good toward all,” showing kindness to those in need. (Gal. 6:10; Mark 12:31) But it is a different matter when worldly organizations want Jehovah’s people to assist in perpetuating this wicked system of things.​—Gal. 1:4.

It might therefore well be asked regarding the religious organizations in Christendom who seek the help of Jehovah’s servants in the war on social problems the way Ahab sought the help of Jehoshaphat: Are they keeping separate from the world as Jesus said his followers would be? Are they making known God’s name and pointing the people to God’s kingdom as mankind’s only hope? Are they living by Bible principles? Do they show the love that Jesus said would mark his followers? No!​—Matt. 24:14; John 13:34, 35; 15:19; 17:16, 17.

Then to what conclusion can we come? That these religious organizations are the friends, not of Jehovah God, but of his enemies. It can be no other way. They are a part of the world, and for Christians to become ‘friends of the world would constitute them enemies of God.’ There can be ‘no fellowship between light and darkness, between Christ and Belial.’ Jesus himself enunciated the principle by which his followers must be governed: “He that is not on my side is against me, and he that does not gather with me scatters.”​—Jas. 4:4; 2 Cor. 6:14, 15; Matt. 12:30.

And loyalty to God requires not only that one refuse to unite with any such religious organizations, but also that one remain neutral regarding the burning issues that are keeping the world in turmoil, be they ideological, political, social, racial or national. Only in this way can one show that one has realized the purpose for which Jehovah God caused to be recorded the reproof: “Is it to the wicked that help is to be given, and is it for those hating Jehovah that you should have love?”