The People's Bible comments, "What often happens in this matter is that the father of lies masquerades as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14) and attempts to induce spiritually minded people into diluting the severity of the law with the compassion of the gospel. The result is the loss of both."
What was it about this instance that was wrong? Jehosaphat's alliance was with God's people to the north, not some heathen king (and even there, Solomon worked with Hiram of Tyre). How would they ever come to know better if Judah did not associate with them? Here are some helpful thoughts, again, from the People's Bible:
- God was not condemning every kind of working relationship with other groups of people, even with outright heathen. Rather, he had in mind those kinds of associations in which God's people make no effort to keep their spiritual distance. During the same time when Elijah, at the risk of losing his life, had been working to stem the rising tide of Baalism, Jehosaphat undercut Elijah's testimony by marrying his son to Ahab's daughter. He also told Ahab "I am as you are, and my people as your people."
- Ongoing dialogue within the context of some kind of religious association is not the only way to witness. Witnessing by actions while keeping a spiritual distance is sometimes preferable. In this case King Abijah has already previously made the issue clear to the North (chapter 13). Judah wasn't necessarily obligated to discuss further.
- Is it really love--love born of the gospel--that allows people to continue in error without any attempt to make the issues clear for them? Is it really love to muddy the waters for upcoming generations so that they will have less ability to discern light from darkness and truth from error?
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