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19 King Jehoshaphat of Judah returned to his home in Jerusalem in peace.

Jehoshaphat did not seek God's permission to go to King Ahab.  It had been years since he saw him and he decided to take a trip that almost cost him his life.  Asa is dead and Jehoshaphat is home, having almost lost his life.  When God tells you to seek him, he meant in everything.  Jehoshaphat's father Asa, programmed God and ended his life without a close or any relationship with God.  We need God's results in all we do.  When is it safe not to seek God?  If you are breathing, we must seek him daily.  We seek God in his Word.  Where ever we are in the Word, we will find our assignment.  When we consistently seek his Word, we will develop habits that reflect him. 

Jehoshaphat married Asa's daughter.  Sometimes we feel because we are family, we don't have to talk to God.  God does not want us to familiarize ourselves with anyone so much so it will replace having to check with him because we identify our concerns with family.  When Jehoshaphat married Asa's daughter, he was at the beginning of losing his life.  Marrying Asa's daughter then, making an alliance with Asa was costly.

 2 Then Jehu son of the seer Hanani went out to confront him[a] and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Do you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? Because of this, the Lord’s wrath is on you. 

The son of a Seer, Jehu confronted Jehoshaphat when he returned home.  Jehu asked Jehoshaphat a question in saying, do you help the wicked? Do you love those who hate the Lord?  This was a two-part question with the same answer.  The answer is No to both parts.  We must identify who the wicked are and we must be reminded that there are some people who hate the Lord.  Jehoshaphat saw and heard what Asa did with his own ears and eyes.  Jehoshaphat seems to be a man who hoped things would work out for God even though he knew his father-in-law's reputation.  Jehoshaphat ignored all signs.

1.  Married Asa's daughter

2. Knew Asa did not seek God before wanting to go to war.

3.  Asked for a Word from God before helping Asa

4.  Ignored the Word the prophet spoke

There was no reason Jehoshaphat should have went along with Asa.

Asa loved doing wrong.  Jehoshaphat knew that and was confronted by a man of God who confronted him about his issue.  Jehoshaphat helped a man who hated God.  God called it like it was.  God knows the very intent of our hearts.  God sees the intimate threads that hold us together seen and unseen.

3 However, some good is found in you, for you have eradicated the Asherah poles from the land and have determined in your heart to seek God.”

Jehoshaphat was reminded by the same seer's son, that your heart does and has pleased the Lord.  You got the house in order by destroying those things that displeased God and you wanted to see God's Word being taught to people and you provided the necessary means to make sure all were being educated in the Word of God.  

Jehoshaphat’s Reforms

4 Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem, and once again he went out among the people from Beer-sheba to the hill country of Ephraim and brought them back to the Lord, the God of their ancestors.

 Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And Jehoshaphat dwelt at Jerusalem,.... And went out no more to Samaria, nor concerned himself about the affairs of Israel, but attended to his own: 

and he went out again through the people; took a tour throughout his dominions now, in his own person, as before by his princes, with the priests and Levites: 

from Beersheba to Mount Ephraim; Beersheba was the southern boundary of the land of Judah, and Mount Ephraim lay to the north and was the northern boundary of it since the division of the kingdom: 

and brought them back to the Lord God of their fathers; from idolatry to the pure worship of God, such who had relapsed since the first reformation, or had not been influenced by it.

5 He appointed judges in all the fortified cities of the land of Judah, city by city. 

Jehoshaphat appointed support to all the cities of the land of Judah city by city.  The judges had to know the word of God.  When Jesus comes or returns during his thousand-year reign on earth, he will set up His kingdom on earth, he will use this same method to administer God's plan as Jehoshaphat used.  He will appoint judges who know the Word of God and allow them to rule over their assigned territory.

6 Then he said to the judges, “Consider what you are doing, for you do not judge for a man, but for the Lord, who is with you in the matter of judgment.

Jehoshaphat told the judges, you are to consider what you are doing.  You are acting in God's stead. Judge by the Word of God.  Use God's Word in every matter concerning man.

7 And now, may the terror of the Lord be on you. Watch what you do, for there is no injustice or partiality or taking bribes with the Lord our God.”

Know that the terror of the Lord is on you.  Terror means extreme fear.  Today judges have that position and must be careful in how they rule.  A judge must rule with the fear of God.  I pray for our United States Supreme Court.  The Supreme court has steered away from God and must return so that the wrath of God will not be on our land and our people. Judges must use God's Word all the time for all people.

8 Jehoshaphat also appointed in Jerusalem some of the Levites and priests and some of the Israelite family heads for deciding the Lord’s will and for settling disputes of the residents of[b] Jerusalem. 

9 He commanded them, saying, “In the fear of the Lord, with integrity, and wholeheartedly, you are to do the following: 10 For every dispute that comes to you from your brothers who dwell in their cities—whether it regards differences of bloodguilt, law, commandment, statutes, or judgments—you are to warn them, so they will not incur guilt before the Lord and wrath will not come on you and your brothers. Do this, and you will not incur guilt.

11 “Note that Amariah, the chief priest, is over you in all matters related to the Lord, and Zebadiah son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, in all matters related to the king, and the Levites are officers in your presence. Be strong; may the Lord be with those who do what is good.”

Jerusalem was the capital.  This is where the Ark of the Covenant Resides.  Jehoshaphat made it clear that Jerusalem knew exactly how to conduct business.  He told the leaders who were in charge, who was the lead person, and who it was to handle all matters.  He told those in his cabinet how to handle all problems.  He told them you must handle people's concerns as God.  Whatever the problem is, as leaders you must seek God's Word to examine the directions given for the people.  When you do as God says then you relieve yourself of the final outcome or consequences that come from God only. God left us a supreme plan.  It is up to us to seek his Word to find out how all matters are to be resolved.  Inside we know what is right.  The word confirms what you already know.  We are to return to the Lord.  There is something in us that is programmed right, that is why the enemy puts up such a big fight. It is time to come back to the God we already know.