A Soothing Seduction
Let me show you what happens to every child of God who enters into a relationship with a bitter, unrighteous, rebellious person. There are awful consequences.
“And the fear of the Lord fell on all the kingdoms of the lands that were around Judah, so that they did not make war against Jehoshaphat” (2 Chronicles 17:10, NKJV). Jehoshaphat’s kingdom, Judah, was blessed and prospered abundantly, and nobody dared come against them.
That changed after Jehoshaphat entered into a relationship with Ahab. Scripture says, “After some years [Jehoshaphat] went down to visit Ahab in Samaria; and Ahab killed sheep and oxen in abundance for him and the people who were with him, and persuaded him to go up with him to Ramoth Gilead” (2 Chronicles 18:2-3).
The Hebrew word for persuaded in this passage means “a soothing seduction.” Jehoshaphat allowed himself to be seduced into war by Ahab, answering, “I am as you are.” In other words, “I’m your friend, so I’m with you all the way. I won’t let you down. You can count on me.” Tragically, when Jehoshaphat joined Ahab’s war, he only hastened his friend along the path of destruction and introduced trouble and sorrow into his own life.
Is your close friend full of bitterness, hatred, anger, and pursuing a war of some kind? Is he involved in a marriage war, a family war, or a personal war? Are you like a Jehoshaphat to him, offering help and encouragement? If so, look out, because you are about to be seduced into an unrighteous battle.
That’s right. Very soon, you will find yourself smack in the middle of your friend’s mess, and you will be asked to take a stand. If your friend is in a troubled marriage, for example, you are going to be forced to take a side; and you will end up sympathizing with him all the way through his divorce.
Beware, Christian, because whenever you extend comfort or encouragement to someone who is in rebellion, you take sides against the Holy Spirit. That actually makes you are a partaker in that person’s sin, and there will always be consequences.