Jezebel & “The Ships of Tarshish” – The Purge of God 2020, Part 3
The wearing effects “and fallout” of Covid19 may try to stop or just delay our human efforts, however, the committed plans trusted in the hands of God will always prevail! It is in this “spirit of perseverance” that we are back again – and plunging ahead with“The Purge of God” series… We will continue to expose the evil Jezebel system and take apart her spiritual armor –so that many can SEE and choose to be set free!
Last week the spirit of God stopped me in my tracks with a prophetic word I knew was right in line with our “Identifying & Getting rid of Jezebel” teaching! Not once, “but twice” in 24-hours (week of 5/4) did the Lord speak about the “spirit of compromise” and the critical lessons learned from“those ships that sailed off for Tarshish.”
There are two primary focus points from the biblical text: (1) Making “alliances and partnerships” with the enemies of God, i.e., those He has already judged, and (2) the acknowledgment that He is “The God of Heaven” over all creation.
-So let’s talk about these ships, how to “get off them” and just why they are headed for Tarshish in the first place. (-For they are Satan and Jezebel’s ships, my dear friends!)
“What are the ‘Ships of Tarshish’ and who’s on them?” -Guilt by association
Today’s “ships of Tarshish” are now metaphorical – representing Jezebel’s vehicles of sabotage designed to take our lives OFF COURSE – and into “uncharted territory.” Anyone can board these dark spiritual ships by entering into ungodly “relationships” and counsel that transport us out of the will of God and into a place called “no man’s land.” -A place where there is no opportunity, no chance at all for the fulfillment of God’s many good plans and promises in our lives!
Just like in the biblical narratives outlined in the books of 1st Chronicles and 2nd Kings, our expeditions to Tarshish will be one “of futility.” It is a vain effort in search of “fool’s gold” that takes place in the very company of fools. Indeed, in every scriptural inference and reference, Tarshish becomes a place of “un-Manifest” Destiny – and brings with it only deep sorrow and unmistakable regret.
The context for these divisive ships in our lives simply follows suit with everything we already know about the evil Jezebel spirit. In our review, we will see Jezebel seeking an UNHOLY CONFEDERATION and “alliance” of sorts to bring a good man down to the devil’s doorstep.
King Jehosaphat was someone who had earned the favor and trust of God. Jezebel’s job was to obstruct his path and to destroy his reputation and God’s favor in his life. Remember, the Jezebel spirit is one of jealously, covetousness, envy, hatred, and even murder.
Her pattern of influence and sabotage is always one from within (an inside game and job of infiltration) and never changes.
In our biblical exposition, we will see how the Jezebel spirit sets the stage for tragic partnerships and “shared judgment.” Her sole purpose is that of redirecting the destiny of the people of God. It is a plot of compromising interests that delivers King Jehosophat to a fate he really didn’t deserve (and truly had not earned).
Scripture clearly teaches us that a “Jezebellic partnership” and alliance – on any level – always premeditates and proceeds a series of unfortuitous events that are destined to take us straight to Hell. -Jezebel’s final destination.
As in the case of our “good king” Jehoshaphat (and his alliance with both King Ahab and Ahaziah), we see, again, how the spirit of Jezebel works best through spiritual seduction and deception.
In our story, this spirit finds a way to exploit “a moral and spiritual valley” in the life of King Jehosophat. To “turn over” the weaknesses in his character and use it against him. As the clever spiritual assassin she is, the Jezebel assignment was simply “to entangle” a good man with evil one —to hook up someone whom God favored and “approved” of with someone He had already judged and rejected.
The goal and strategy Jezebel executes should be understood as a spiritual pattern against mankind that can be identified throughout human history.
The enemy desperately needs the “SPIRIT OF COMPROMISE” for his plans to work and take full effect. By any means necessary he must “yoke-up” good and faithful servants (and especially God’s best) with those who are truly disqualified and working outside of God’s will.
The Jezebel spirit must consequently establish a “false unity” of peace to create a soul-tie between the righteous and those appointed to God’s judgment. An “enmeshment of destinies” is a key Jezebellic tactic.
Dear friends, this is our foundation for “guilt by association.” The false unity doesn’t need or require outright collusion in the crime – or even our direct participation in their wicked deeds. No, our (spiritual) “agreement and association” are quite enough to putrify and defile the pure ointment in our lives. -To leaven our spiritual lump and impute spiritual liability.
Jezebel knows full well the principle of “evil matriculation” and how to connect us with those already destined for “shipwreck” and destruction. -Her job is to get you on that “damned” ship!
Jehosophat was already a Marked Man. Understanding your spiritual parentage and lineage…
A good man or woman of God is always “a target” for Jezebel.-From the anticipation of their birth to the time they hit the grave. Whenever God uses the term “good” to describe one of his faithful servants (particularly in Old Testament scripture) this doesn’t mean they are without flaw or personal defect. God is making a deeper designation about their true nature, integrity, and character towards His righteousness. Jezebel understands this moral dynamic quite well – and here is where our struggle to overcome her begins. No individual example demonstrates this paradox quite like the reign of King Jehosaphat of Judah.
Jezebel sees you coming –and she already knows your name.
Jehosephat was a good King, by far, but one with a history of troubled decisionmaking. What’s quite interesting is that the historical and prophetic record reveals that he very likely “inherited” some of his flaws and weaknesses from the character of his father King Asa.
There appears to be an undeniable similarity in the internal challenges of their leadership. Lineage does matter, however, this can not excuse Jehosophat’s questionable legacy – for every man must still devise his own way. To put this in an even greater moral context, the entire history of the kings of Israel and Judah, as a whole, is one that looks like a spiritual roller coaster. Periods of great reforms and times of repentance leading to national restoration – and times of deep rebellion and open idolatry causing years, decades, and sometimes even centuries of judgment.
King Jehoshaphat finds himself in this very tumultuous line of succession – and though it is in every king’s power “to decide” how they will lead, to be fair to his legacy – a generational pause is warranted for us to acknowledge (or at least consider) that our own genetic predisposition and familial lineage does play a large part and role in influencing who and what we will become.
An individual’s moral orientation, character traits, strengths, and weaknesses – are influenced by both their bloodline and their developmental environment. The only way to escape the “sin path” and trajectory leading to God’s judgment is the man of Christ. He ALONE can mitigate the plumbline of inescapable judgment… “And I will make justice the line,
and righteousness the plumb line;
and hail will sweep away the refuge of lies,
and waters will overwhelm the shelter.” (Isaiah 28:17)
In careful study and examination of Jehoshaphat’s generational lineage, we see that his predisposition “to compromise” and less than square decisionmaking (that punctuated much of his reign) was a thread woven into his fabric of his kingdom by King Asa.
“You shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,” -Deuteronomy 5:9
In 2 Chronicles 16: 1-6 we see that Jehoshaphat’s father entered into a “peace treaty” and agreement with Ben Hadad, the king of Syria, a known enemy to the people of God. King Asa had started out good and pleased the Lord by making many reforms in Judah. He removed all the idols from the land. Asa restored the altar of the Lord and gathered all the tribes of the nation together to make sacrifices, offerings, and acceptable worship to the true and living God.
King Asa even dealt with royal members of his own household (and removed his mother and queen who offered up sacrifices to Asherah). He heeded the words of the prophet Azariah who under the inspiration of the Spirit of God went to the king and told him that, “If you seek the Lord you will be found by Him, but if you forsake Him he will forsake you.” (2 Chronicles 15:2)
How was iniquity then found in his heart?!!
How did Asa go wrong? Asa leaned to his own understanding and allowed his pride, vanity, and arrogance to add his works to the commandments of God.
When God’s servants turn away from Him –and to the works of their flesh, they give Satan and Jezebel the victory. King Asa turned to Syria, his foreign neighbor, for aid “and partnership” to fight the nation’s enemies, instead of turning to God. Although God had delivered him decisive victories in the past when he put his trust in Him —Asa sent a clear message that he would now begin to rely on his own efforts (and the strength of others) rather than seeking the Lord’s.
“For we have all become like one who is unclean [ceremonially, like a leper], and all our righteousness (our best deeds of rightness and justice) is like filthy rags or a polluted garment; we all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away [far from God’s favor, hurrying us toward destruction].” Isaiah 64:6
God would consequently send king Asa a final message through the seer Hanani who came and said to him: “Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on the Lord your God, therefore the army of Syria has escaped from your hands… and in this, you have done foolishly; therefore now you shall have wars.” (2 Chronicles 16: 9)
Asa became angry, instead of humbling himself, and put God’s messenger in prison. (Does this sound familiar? People have a way of shutting out those voices that do not echo and affirm their own.)
In his final account, Asa became diseased in his feet and was overcome by a severe malady. He stubbornly refused to seek the Lord but sought out the physicians, and then shortly thereafter died. King Asa would not end well and his son Jehoshaphat would inherit both his kingdom and his contrary predispositions.
“How does the good go wrong?”-The principle of Spiritual Agreement…
The power (for good or for evil) is always found in the principle of “agreement.” God created this as a spiritual principle and law in the earth and this is how it works:
The Jezebel-Satan connection simply operates the godly intent of this principle “to work for the good” in reverse – to bring about evil purposes.
King Jehosaphat also begins right following in his father’s early footprints – and this pleased the Lord. However, he went even further to continue in God’s ways and this made him a great king in the eyes of God and men. Jehoshaphat strengthened himself against God’s enemies, and the Bible says that “the Lord was with Jehoshaphat” because he walked in the ways of his former father David.” 2 Chronicles 2: 17:3 The chosen of God, King David himself was also a part of Jehosophat’s lineage and he was the first king to ever be compared to David (who was a type of Christ).
Jehoshaphat did not seek the Baals (false gods) of the surrounding nations but “he sought the Lord.” (1) He sent the Levites to teach the word of God throughout the territories, (2) he increased in power, in armies, and fortified the cities, (3) he amassed great wealth, power, influence, and respect from all the surrounding nations, (4) he secured peace for Judah, (5) he established judges, priests, and Levites to judge the people’s disputes before God, and (6) he removed many of the high places of (false) worship in the land. This was clearly a man who had surpassed his father and predecessor in “godly character” and favor. He was securely in full standing and position to end strong! —SO WHAT HAPPENED???
Fatal flaws are often those we cannot see. As men and women of God – seeking to do His holy and divine will – know there will be people who enter our lives that are not actually in agreement with the prophetic plans and purposes of God for our lives. Jehoshaphat was a man with a strong prophetic destiny. He had a good heart and demonstrated “genuine motives” and intentions to follow in God’s ways all the days of his life. In all of his goodness, Jehosophat desired to be in agreement with and in the company of others also called by God’s name. However, we must always remember that “good intentions” are not the same as godly ones…
Jehoshaphat was clearly blinded by this motivation of “goodwill” because he joined efforts with God’s enemy – Jezebel, and she was waiting for him in the house of Ahab.
Here now enters, stage left, the very wicked king named Ahab (of the northern tribes of Israel). Ahab was literally the husband of the biblical character “Queen Jezebel” herself. He was Jezebel’s right-hand and spiritual co-conspirator and companion in every way. I believe God allows these relational encounters because, ultimately, they will serve His didactic and prophetic purposes. –But oh do these lessons hurt!
Our king Jehoshaphat would go on for the first time to find himself in seriously bad company and counsel, setting a new precedent in his kingship, according to the biblical text. What the righteous remnant believers have to know is that “a backslidden” or lukewarm believer is more dangerous and can do more damage to us than an unbeliever ever could.
Ahab was a “backslidden king” in total covenant and commitment to Jezebel – and was therefore doomed by God from the start. Whether or not Jehoshaphat was completely aware of the fate of Ahab the scripture is not quite clear. However, the evidence suggests that in his efforts to “unite” and strengthen the northern and southern kingdoms through a political alliance — it was not really a matter of importance for Jehosophat.
His motives may have been noble and “of good intent,” but with God “the ends never justify the means.” Jezebel counts on people’s willfulness, stubbornness, and pride so they miss this precept entirely.
Jehoshaphat would first ally himself with Ahab by arranging a marriage between his son Jehoram and Ahab’s daughter Athaliah (as was the ancient custom) – sealing a formidable treaty and partnership. However, from God’s position, he was forming his first “unholy union” and spirit of compromise between the houses of Jezebel/Ahab and Jehosophat.
God’s curses and judgments against Jezebel (and Ahab) now have direct access to “the good king” – and this is always Satan’s plan. In the famous account of Ahab requesting king Jehoshaphat’s assistance to go to battle against Ramoth Gilead, we find God’s “double-edged sword” now moved to action.
Jehoshaphat, of course, agreed to Ahab’s request – for the sake of unity- and said to the northern king, “I am as you are, and my people as your people, we will be with you in the war.” (2 Chronicles 18:3) “But were they— really the same people, one being good and the other wicked?”-Were they truly worshipping the same God?
Ahab was infamous for bringing in the altars of Baal and worshipping Jezebel’s false gods in every high place. Jezebel, through God’s king Ahab, had turned the entire nation against the true and living God to idolatry and false worship. (Just as she has today.)
Unlike king Ahab, Jehoshaphat was a man who sought God’s counsel – so he asked Ahab to “inquire of the Lord” through a prophet in the land before going into battle. —Jezebel’s false prophets came forth first and lied “with a consensus” that they would “surely win the battle” at Ramoth-Gilead. However, Jehoshaphat insisted on a true voice from the Lord. Ahab then reluctantly calls upon God’s trusted prophet Micaiah who came forth and prophesied against king Ahab.
He promised Ahab that he would never return from this battle if he ever went up against Gilead. Because Ahab was a wicked, carnal, and willful man, Micaiah was attacked by Jezebel’s false prophets – and then confined to prison by the king. Both Jehoshaphat and Ahab still went up against Ramoth Gilead “together” anyway. -Just Imagine that! ???
Could king Jehosophat have been that deceived??? The answer is “Yes.” When a person enters Jezebel’s spiritual territory and camp they will without exception be infected by her spell. “Her atmosphere of deception and spiritual seduction” can completely take over and blind them to the truth right in front of their faces.
Jehoshaphat was completely “taken in” by what he perceived to be a valid cause – worthy of all his efforts and even his life. (This is exactly how the spirit of Jezebel works through the false religious system to create oaths and partnerships that are actually agreements with Hell.)
False covenants with Jezebel are always based on our compromising God’s Truth and then forsaking our obedience to it. We miss the purposes of God for our lives – being with them. Meanwhile, Jezebel creates a “false target,” goal and objective – as we shall see with the ships of Tarshish. -We must abandon these wicked partnerships if we are to ever reach our true destiny in God!
God had already condemned Ahab and sealed his fate through the prophet Elijah for his role in the murder of Naboth (carried out by Jezebel) to steal his vineyard and for the death of his prophets. We see that Jehosaphat, who seems to be unaware of Ahab’s inescapable fate, enters into his melodrama and “harvest of heartache.” For it was God’s will for Ahab to meet his own fate and destruction in this very battle. God’s ways are not like our ways and what “He allows” – he always allows for a DIVINE purpose.
By joining Ahab’s fleet, and riding with his chariots, Jehoshaphat becomes a marked man and a target of the enemy. (It is important to see how the spirit Jezebel works her craft. You don’t want to be identified with her stooges because their fate can very easily become yours.)
However, in Jehosophat’s case, God in His divine mercy spares and saves the king’s life. When Jehoshaphat is mistakenly identified by the enemy as being King Ahab – they realize it is not him and shout “We only want Ahab!” – and then let him go. This truly becomes a prophetic statement for it was only Ahab whom God appointed for death. Jehosophat miraculously escapes his misfortune with God’s help!
Ahab’s destiny was to get hit by a “random arrow.” (Nothing is ever by chance or coincidence with God.) He is taken out of the battle and onto the sidelines by his soldiers where he later dies. This is an example of how the hand of God can work for us or against us – at His holy command. We are not to take his good graces lightly.
The ships of Tarshish will always fail us…
The Jezebel spirit acts in concert with many “other cohorts” and conspirators in our lives to bring us into a place of barrenness, unfruitfulness, misdirection, and misfortune! One wrong turn into her camp of ill-fated intentions can cost you years – or even a lifetime of regrets.
Jehoshaphat’s compromise and escape from “Jezebel’s death trap” wasn’t enough to shake him into “an awareness” of the dangers in affiliating with the house of Ahab. He would later turn and make another pact and agreement with Ahab and Jezebel’s son Ahaziah, who reigned in Ahab’s place. This time, however, God would have to judge Jehsophat for this grievous trespass.
“After this Jehoshaphat king of Judah allied himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who acted very wickedly. 36 And he allied himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish, and they made the ships in Ezion Geber. 37 But Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the Lord has destroyed your works.” Then the ships were wrecked, so that they were not able to go to Tarshish.” -2 Chronicles 20: 35-37
“Jehoshaphat made merchant ships to go to Ophir for gold; but they never sailed, for the ships were wrecked at Ezion Geber. Then Ahaziah the son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants go with your servants in the ships.” But Jehoshaphat would not.” -1 Kings 22: 47-50
In the two scriptural accounts, we see the “first mention” of Jehosophat’s final legacy. One of compromise, and of going along with those who are evil – but only so far. He would plan the expedition with Ahaziah but had enough sense not to sail with them to save the fleet.
Unfortunately for Jehsophat, this bad decision was enough to tarnish his ultimate legacy and good name before God and the nation. This is what we can expect when we contrive plans with God’s enemies. We can be sure that our ideas, good intentions, and “works” will, ultimately, not work out our way and in our favor.
Ships “Wrecked” – “Those works will not stand up before God.”
–What God does promise us is that those ships will never sail for Tarshish. Our (good) works for Jezebel’s system will be destroyed and must also stand before the “judgment of God” according to scripture. “Every man’s work shall be made manifest; for the Day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire, and the fire shall test every man’s work of what sort it is.” -1 Corinthians 3: 13
If it should produce, Aliens would swallow it up.” -Hosea 8:7
The good people that go along with “spiritual error” pay a hefty price for it in the end. You can go along with whatever you want – but you won’t reach your appointed destination. God will have to “shipwreck” that effort because it’s destined for fools and is headed off His course. Furthermore, is it any coincidence that those ships of Tarshish were made in Jezebel’s hometown in the Phonecian city of Sidon? Certainly not! –But let’s explain how this all happens…
Jehoshaphat in his zeal for the “good things of God” failed to honor the God of all good things. He was led astray by his own heart’s desire. Even the good in us can be exploited for evil when it is not “purified and submitted to God.”
Jehoshaphat was most certainly thinking about the “good ole days” of King Solomon’s reign – the richest and wisest king that ever reigned – and those ships of Tarshish that would “sail off to Ophir” every three years and “would return carrying gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.” (2 Chronicles 9:21) However, he also forgot this part of the lesson of his lineage…
–How Solomon began was not how he ended. (It’s a prophetic pattern in scripture leading all the way to the reign of the anti-Christ agenda 666 and how the people of God will respond to this false Messiah.)
Jehoshaphat got a vision that was certainly “influenced by the Jezebel spirit” which fueled an ambition clearly not from God. This is without question if it involved aligning himself with the house of Ahab and Jezebel. Many are drawn to those who seem to be “a good brother or good sister” in the Lord – but just like Jehosophat, you knew they were from the house of Jezebel and Ahab. One compromise in Jehosophat’s life simply led to another, however, he won many battles for the Lord and was known for seeking the Lord in prayer and fasting and God moved mightily on behalf of the nation. This was the true tragedy and “conundrum” of Jehosophat and his legacy! “It’s not how we start it’s how we FINISH our race that counts.” (See below)
God is always concerned about the heart of man “and how we run our race” and not just our life’s position or the “call of on our life.” “For many are called, but few are chosen.” -Matthew 22:14 And we know that “God is no respecter of persons but is a respecter of faith.” Acts 10:34
WHATEVER IS IN OUR HEARTS – and that remains “unsubmitted to God” – is what Jezebel will use against us to hook into our lives. The word of God serves as a “mirror for the soul.” As we look at the history of ancient Israel it is important to remember that the “word of God was written for our instruction so that we would have hope” – and is also our tutor! -Israel is a microcosm of the human condition and is a reflection of every nation and person on the planet before our regeneration in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Looking at the history of God’s people becomes critical to the review of our very souls. Jehoshaphat is a very important biblical character, typology, and “object-lesson” (1) because we can see our own weaknesses, shortcomings, and vanity in the character of Jehosophat and (2) because God is going to use Jehoshaphat’s very name, which means “God has judged” as the literal place where the fate of all the nations of the earth will be decided. Just as Jehosophat’s “spiritual crossroads” is one that we can all identify with – it is also one that ALL nations on earth will have to face.
The prophetic books of Joel & Amos speak of the ancient king in the final culminating events of humanity itself as God brings His final judgment to “The Battle of Armageddon.” This will all happen in a place called “The Valley of Jehoshaphat” a.k.a. “The Valley of Decision.”
If you sow to the wind, you will REAP THE WHIRLWIND…
God’s judgments are inescapable. Money won’t be able to save you. Religion can’t save you. Righteous works, deeds, and Christian activities can’t save you. Man’s empty answers to the Covid-19 pandemic – with promises of “cures” and vaccines can’t save you. Stockpiling supplies and reserves up to the sky can’t save you. “By the time you figure it all out,” it will likely be too late so that won’t save you either.
Not even the “transhuman agenda” to extend man’s mortality can save your life…for “time and chance happen to every man.” (Ecclesiastes 9:11) God’s final plan of accountability and judgment for you and this world will come at the appointed time and one that you won’t expect.
“For it is appointed once for a man to die and afterward the judgment.” -Hebrews 9:27
It’s always much closer than you think. No. The only way to prepare for this reality is to deal with the “here and now.” Know that the spirit of Jezebel is “the Terminator” of the people of God – and has been sent to take you out of the game entirely.
Can you identify those who are only planted in your life as “spiritual decoys” designed to hinder your progress and take your life away? Those who take on “a form of godliness,” but truly deny His power, replace it with their own “works” and who do not worship Him in spirit and in Truth..? As for God, to them, “he is simply the god of their vain understanding.” –Do you know them disguised as “a confidant” or “a good friend,” a brother or sister gal in the Lord? Or are they in the form of some other intimate relationship partner or playmate? Jezebel doesn’t care for she uses them all for her purposes.
Know that Jezebel’s eunuchs, followers, fans, and servants ARE NEVER in your life to help you. It doesn’t matter what they say or how they manifest themselves. They are snares to your very soul and will not only secretly undermine your efforts with their falsehood and lies, but will also “confuse and frustrate” your spirit – while they “secretly” sabotage your most sincere efforts and desires towards God. (She actually operates best in secret.)
You have to make the decision to “come out of agreement” with Jezebel (or not) and into full surrender to God – or both you and everyone involved with her are all going down to the “Valley of Jeshosphat” together.
Satan doesn’t mind placing his very best soldiers into captivity in order to “pull you into the whirlwind of vanity and emptiness.” Our ONLY VICTORY is to gain KNOWLEDGE OVER HER DEVICES and to know ourselves!
If Jezebel can’t stop you from running your race – her job is to make sure you DON’T FINISH WELL — or at all. Right after we learn about Jehoshaphat’s failed expedition to Tarshish the next and final thing we read about his life is this:
“Did you happen to see which direction those Ships of Tarshish went?” “Thar’e she blows!” Oh no, I’m sorry, that was actually a CRASH course…
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