The believer’s greatest danger is not found in times of persecution but in times of popularity.
Rarely does a believer have only one warning when approaching danger. Circumstances, conscience, reason, memory, Scripture, experience, friends—all these and many more can sound the alarm. Jehoshaphat knew that Ahab and Jezebel were missionaries for Baal. He should never have agreed to go to war with a man like that, jeopardizing his own people. He saw how Ahab reinforced his foolishness by employing false prophets. And the one true prophet, Micaiah, was imprisoned for telling the truth! His final words were, “Take heed, all you people!” (1 Ki 22:28). That sounds like a fire alarm to me! But now see Jehoshaphat’s naiveté. It’s often true that “the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light” (Lk 16:8). Why? We tend to give people the benefit of the doubt. And perhaps we’re flattered when worldlings show us attention. Here’s Ahab’s ploy: “I will disguise myself and go into battle; but you put on your robes” (1 Ki 22:30). Imagine, just like the glory days of David and Solomon, you ride into battle at the head of both armies! Won’t that be exciting? I’ll say! You might as well paint a bullseye around your heart. Like a giant chess game, everyone goes after the king. “Fight with no one small or great, but only with the king of Israel” (v 31). They all turned on Jehoshaphat. Then we read, “Jehoshaphat cried out” (v 32). Not cried out to the Lord, just cried out, but the Lord delivered him anyway. Herein lies an important lesson. When we are careless and end up in danger, the enemy says, No use asking God for help; you don’t deserve it. You got yourself into this; you must get yourself out. But by its very definition, mercy is undeserved. Cry out! He’s “a very present help in trouble” (Ps 46:1).