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  JEHOSHAPHAT MADE SHIPS OF THARSHISH
  by C.H. Spurgeon
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Summary: Jehoshaphat's failure serves as a warning to God's people to
avoid being unequally yoked with unbelievers and to cultivate a love for
Jesus that leads to holiness.

Topics: "Unequally Yoked", "Divine Providence"
Scripture References: 2 Chronicles 20:37, Psalm 37:23-24, Proverbs 13:20, Isaiah 55:8-9, Matthew 6:33, Romans 8:28, 2 Corinthians 6:14, Hebrews 12:6, James 4:4, 1 John 2:15-17

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DESCRIPTION
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C.H. Spurgeon reflects on the story of Jehoshaphat, whose ships failed
to reach their destination due to his alliance with a sinful family,
contrasting this with Solomon's successful ventures. He emphasizes that
God's providence can lead to both success and failure, and encourages
believers to bless the Lord even in disappointment. Spurgeon warns
against being unequally yoked with unbelievers, as it can lead to
suffering and broken works. He urges the faithful to seek holiness and
separation from sin, drawing lessons from Jehoshaphat's experience.
Ultimately, the sermon calls for a deeper love for Jesus to avoid the
pitfalls of worldly alliances.

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CONTENT
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Solomon's ships had returned in safety, but Jehoshaphat's vessels never
reached the land of gold. Providence prospers one, and frustrates the
desires of another, in the same business and at the same spot, yet the
Great Ruler is as good and wise at one time as another. May we have
grace to-day, in the remembrance of this text, to bless the Lord for
ships broken at Ezion-geber, as well as for vessels freighted with
temporal blessings; let us not envy the more successful, nor murmur at
our losses as though we were singularly and specially tried.

Like Jehoshaphat, we may be precious in the Lord's sight, although our
schemes end in disappointment.

The secret cause of Jehoshaphat's loss is well worthy of notice, for it
is the root of very much of the suffering of the Lord's people; it was
his alliance with a sinful family, his fellowship with sinners. In 2
Chron. 20:37, we are told that the Lord sent a prophet to declare,
"Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the Lord hath broken thy
works." This was a fatherly chastisement, which appears to have been
blest to him; for in the verse which succeeds our morning's text we find
him refusing to allow his servants to sail in the same vessels with
those of the wicked king.

Would to God that Jehoshaphat's experience might be a warning to the
rest of the Lord's people, to avoid being unequally yoked together with
unbelievers! A life of misery is usually the lot of those who are united
in marriage, or in any other way of their own choosing, with the men of
the world. O for such love to Jesus that, like Him, we may be holy,
harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners; for if it be not so with
us, we may expect to hear it often said, "The Lord hath broken thy
works."

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/ch-spurgeon/jehoshaphat-made-ships-of-tharshish/
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