Today in God's Word—March 2023
East Tallassee Church of Christ
March 2, 2 Chronicles 20
O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde, that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you." - 2 Chronicles 20:12
Fear may not be the highest motivation, but it is often a powerful and effective one. Sometimes we procrastinate and delay doing what we know we should do until we’re afraid enough to do it. It might be a threat to one's health or life. It could be about the possibility of wrecking a marriage or losing a family. It may be about responding to the gospel personally and taking God's call on our lives seriously. In any of these cases, when a threat comes that is big and scary enough to get our attention and cause us to do what we should, fear is good when it prompts needed action.
In the face of a threatening invasion, Jehoshaphat did the right things. When the news came about the impending attack by a coalition of Judah's enemies, the size of the threat scared Jehoshaphat. Fear provoked the king to do the right things. He set his face to seek the LORD. He called a fast and called his people together to seek the LORD. He was intentional, he was penitent and he exercised his leadership to spread his reaction to the crisis to the whole nation.
In that solemn assembly, Jehoshaphat prayed one of the finest prayers in all the Bible. It’s a beautiful model of how to seek the Lord in the midst of an impending crisis. Let's notice some components of Jehoshaphat's prayer.
When we pray to God about our problems and threats, we need to see a great big God. Jehoshaphat magnified God as the LORD God in heaven who rules over all the nations. He praised God’s power and might that no one can withstand. When we pray, we need to see God as Almighty to realize that whatever threatens us is no challenge to God at all.
Then the king cited some great blessings and favors God had shown Israel in the past. He had given them the land of Canaan and victory over the Canaanites. When you and I can look back and remember how God has blessed and helped us in the past, we find faith and courage to ask about present needs and problems.
God promised Solomon that he would hear and answer his people who humbled themselves and cried out to him. Judah's present situation was a perfect time to trust that God would keep his promises to defend and deliver them. Our threats will probably never be from a coalition of Moabites and Ammonites. But whatever the threat, God's people who humble themselves before him can ask in confidence. We know that Ged always keeps his promises to hear and help his people.
Jehoshaphat was the most powerful man in the kingdom, but he acknowledged that they were powerless against the horde headed their way. The people looked to their king to know what to do to protect and lead them. But Jehoshaphat humbly admitted, "We do not know what to do." This would be a much better strategy for our prayers when we're in trouble, too. We don't need God to rubber-stamp our will and plan. We need to admit we don't know, and put it in his wise and good hands.
The king made it clear that they were like dependent children, looking to God for guidance, and expecting him to intervene on their behalf. They were depending on God. Our power and strength and wisdom does not impress God. But humble faith does attract his attention. The king's prayer reminded me that Christ told Paul, “my power is made perfect in your weakness.” It also reminded me of the New Testament promises that God gives grace to the humble and exalts them.
God did as he told the people he would do. He destroyed the enemies who threatened them. They didn't even have to fight. The men of Judah carried spoils from the battlefield for four
days after the fight among the coalition members destroyed them all.
Jehoshaphat made another unwise alliance with Israel, this time with Ahab's son Ahaziah. (Had he forgotten running for his life the last time he got involved with Israel's evil king?) The two kings went into the shipping business together. But God put an end to their partnership by destroying their ships. If you and I are frustrated when our plans and ventures fail, perhaps we should learn that God is still in control. Jehoshaphat's life reminds us that God knows what is best for us. Who knows what Jehoshaphat was spared by the Lord's intervention? Do we learn from past mistakes? We can if a failure leads us to trust God and commit our plans to him.
Jehoshaphat certainly had a funny sounding name. But we can learn valuable lessons from his finest moments and also from his failures. We find both encouragement and warning in Jehoshaphat's relationship with God. I trust you will agree with me that we need regular doses of both.
Copyright © 2023 by Michael B. McElroy. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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