20140816 Saturday, August 16 2014
2 Chronicles 18: The Two Kinds Of Patriotism

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"Shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?"

"Nation" means place of birth i.e. nativity - not merely as of where, but moreover from whom. Families of people grew into "nations." The nation of Israel is the prime example; from the family of a man named Jacob came the Israelites (see The Origin Of Israel) - a nation that also was given its own country by the LORD (see The Boundary Law and Where Is Palestine?).

"King" means the head of a kin - the father of a family. In that way, Jacob was a "king" (see The First Census Of Israel).

"Patriotism" literally means father-ism - loyalty to the father, the king, the head of a kin.

Humans have a human father and a Spiritual Father. The Fifth Commandment is "20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee." (Exodus 20:12 KJV). But, as is made obvious by obeying God's Commandment itself, the Word of God our Father is to be honored and obeyed above all. Human physical fathers and nations are temporary, while the God The Father and the Kingdom of God are forever.

"12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 12:9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?" (Hebrews 12:7-9 KJV)

Patriotism to God our Father must always be over mere worldly patriotism. The day is coming when all nations are going to learn to be patriotic to God (see The Zion Prophecy).

"2:2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.

2:3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 2:4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." (Isaiah 2:2-3 KJV)

In the meantime, and even at that future time, that does not mean that national patriotism and Patriotism to God are not the same, when a nation has a righteous leader who governs according to the Word of God (e.g. Moses, Joshua, David), but when a national leader becomes Satanic, the patriotism to God must be maintained first and foremost. An example of that occurred in the time of King Jehoshaphat of Judah and King Ahab of Israel.

After the LORD (Who was and is Jesus Christ - see Genesis 1: In The Beginning Was The Word and The Kingdom Of The LORD God) divided the united kingdom of Israel into "Israel" and "Judah" (see Israel In History and Prophecy: Israel and Judah), the two kingdoms were sometimes allied, while at other times at war. In the time of Jehoshaphat and Ahab, they were allied.

"18:1 Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined affinity with Ahab.

18:2 And after certain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. And Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people that he had with him, and persuaded him to go up with him to Ramothgilead." (2 Chronicles 18:1-2 KJV)

Ahab and his wife Jezebel were corrupt and evil (see The End Of The Line For Ahab And Jezebel and The Dogs of Ahab and Jezebel), while Jehoshaphat was righteous. The patriotism of the people to them, and to the LORD, was very different because those to Ahab were only to Ahab, while those to Jehoshaphat were to Jehoshaphat because Jehoshaphat was patriotic to God. One of the results of the people's retarded "patriotism" to Ahab alone was that the people, even the supposed prophets, became spineless "yes men" to Ahab. They followed their "leader" even when he was leading them away from the LORD.

"18:3 And Ahab king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Wilt thou go with me to Ramothgilead?

And he answered him, I am as thou art, and my people as thy people; and we will be with thee in the war.

18:4 And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day.

18:5 Therefore the king of Israel gathered together of prophets four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for God will deliver it into the king's hand.

18:6 But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might enquire of him?" (2 Chronicles 18:3-6 KJV)

Jehoshaphat, on the other hand, demanded to hear from a true prophet of the LORD - just one would be enough. Ahab however resisted the demand because prophets who told the truth didn't tell the corrupt king what he wanted to hear ("I hate him; for he never prophesied good unto me"). They were patriotic to God, and to King Jehoshaphat who was patriotic to God - but they were not patriotic to an evil man who was then occupying the throne of the nation.

"18:7 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he never prophesied good unto me, but always evil: the same is Micaiah the son of Imla.

And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.

18:8 And the king of Israel called for one of his officers, and said, Fetch quickly Micaiah the son of Imla.

18:9 And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah sat either of them on his throne, clothed in their robes, and they sat in a void place at the entering in of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them. 18:10 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made him horns of iron, and said, Thus saith the LORD, With these thou shalt push Syria until they be consumed.

18:11 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramothgilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

18:12 And the messenger that went to call Micaiah spake to him, saying, Behold, the words of the prophets declare good to the king with one assent; let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and speak thou good.

18:13 And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, even what my God saith, that will I speak.

18:14 And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear?

And he said, Go ye up, and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand.

18:15 And the king said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou say nothing but the truth to me in the name of the LORD?

18:16 Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house in peace.

18:17 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would not prophesy good unto me, but evil?

18:18 Again he said, Therefore hear the word of the LORD; I saw the LORD sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left. 18:19 And the LORD said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one spake saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner.

18:20 Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will entice him.

And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith?

18:21 And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.

And the LORD said, Thou shalt entice him, and thou shalt also prevail: go out, and do even so.

18:22 Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil against thee.

18:23 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and smote Micaiah upon the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee?

18:24 And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see on that day when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.

18:25 Then the king of Israel said, Take ye Micaiah, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son; 18:26 And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I return in peace.

18:27 And Micaiah said, If thou certainly return in peace, then hath not the LORD spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, all ye people." (2 Chronicles 18:7-27 KJV)

The lies of Ahab's "patriotic" prophets were exposed when Ahab was mortally wounded in the battle in which they said that Ahab would be safe and victorious.

"18:28 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramothgilead. 18:29 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and will go to the battle; but put thou on thy robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself; and they went to the battle.

18:30 Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of the chariots that were with him, saying, Fight ye not with small or great, save only with the king of Israel. 18:31 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they compassed about him to fight: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him; and God moved them to depart from him. 18:32 For it came to pass, that, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back again from pursuing him.

18:33 And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: therefore he said to his chariot man, Turn thine hand, that thou mayest carry me out of the host; for I am wounded. 18:34 And the battle increased that day: howbeit the king of Israel stayed himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the even: and about the time of the sun going down he died." (2 Chronicles 18:28-34 KJV)

Fact Finder: What does the LORD warn about false prophets who put politics ahead of truth?
See What's The Bible Word For False Prophet? and The Other Proof Of False Prophets