FAITH IN THE TRIAL. 2nd Chronicles 20 The writer of the chronicles gave special attention to this event because those who returned from Babylon were being harassed by the descendants of the same people who had come against Judah during Jehoshaphat's reign. This would encourage the exiles to trust in the Lord and dedicate themselves to obeying and serving Him.
It would have been an event of great impact for those who read the account the chronicler wrote about the invading army, the concern of the people, the prayer of Jehoshaphat, and the answer of the Lord through Jahaziel. This remarkable account of God's work for His people would have encouraged those who were beginning again the testimony of the nation to seek the Lord themselves in every situation that seemed insurmountable.
When faced with disaster and feeling completely inadequate to meet the need, fasting, withdrawing from normal daily events, dedicating ourselves to what God desires, and earnest prayer are the actions we should take. Fear and fasting often go hand in hand. Prayer and fasting can replace fear when we seek the Lord with whole-hearted desire and genuine faith. Believers tend to grow more in their walk of faith under opposition and stress than when the world is kind and shows favor to us. In fact, when the world is favorable, we are actually in danger.
When Jehoshaphat was afraid of the invading armies, he knew his only hope was in God. If God worked for them and was favorable to His people, His power, and His alone, was able to deliver them. By setting himself to seek the Lord, his influence spread throughout the entire nation of Judah, who knew him because he had previously visited all of them. Men, women, and children called a halt to their normal daily routines and fasted as a way to focus on the urgency of the moment and their collective need for God.
There is no doubt that Jehoshaphat was a believer who had experienced and valued salvation by grace through faith in the Lord. His prayer showed his gratitude and understanding of God. He recognized his own weaknesses and limitations, as well as those of the people he governed. He acknowledged God's power and wisdom and his need to understand God's will; “Our eyes are upon Thee!”
The account of this event starts with Jehoshaphat’s prayer as a reminder of our need for the Lord's presence and His sovereign authority over all kingdoms on earth. The second part describes the Lord’s response through a musician, a descendant of Asaph, the chief singer of Israel during David’s reign. God chooses whom He will as a messenger when it best serves His purpose. He selected the singing of His people to cause the enemies to turn against each other. The power of praise to the Lord was demonstrated in this event to remind the returnees that God remains unchanged. The third part of the account details the great victory, which was so remarkable that the fear of God fell on all the neighboring countries of Judah, as they heard how the Lord fought against their enemies.
The prayer of Jehoshaphat started with committing the situation to God, knowing that only God could save them. He appealed to God's sovereignty, recognizing that God knew the entire situation. By praising God for His power, he highlighted their dependence on Him because they were unable to defeat the enemy on their own. He wisely sought God's favor, recalling that God had given them the promised land and is a covenant-keeping God. He appealed to God for the nation because they belonged to Him as His people.
The prayer of Jehoshaphat also included praise for God's glory and the comfort to be gained from His promises. In this prayer, he professed complete dependence on God for deliverance by focusing entirely on God's power, not human ability or ingenuity. His prayer showed an intelligent awareness that the God who gave them the land in the first place could preserve the land and protect it from the invaders who wanted to take it over. God's answer came through a servant of longstanding reputation. The men, women, and children were standing and waiting for an answer, and it came immediately. The Spirit of the Lord came, and the answer was clear. "The battle is not yours, but God's."
The testimony of Jahaziel was clear and specific, making it clear what the responsibility of God's people was. They were not to fear or feel trepidation, but were told, "Tomorrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you." They did not know how victory would come, but they were to be part of the process. It is always right, when God answers prayer, to bow, kneel, fall down before Him, worship, and then stand up and praise Him. "Whoso offereth praise glorifies God." The outcome was certain, but how it would be achieved was not. It is essential for God's people to be in the right place, at the right time, in the proper spiritual condition, and to be prepared at all times to do the right thing, as our God makes it clear to us.
It is important that thanksgiving be given whenever prayer is made. Not all answers to prayer come immediately, but when the matter is urgent, we can expect our Father to give us the response that best suits His sovereign will. It is well for us to remember who we are and to whom we belong when we pray. God is sovereign over every situation in life we face, and as His children, it is only right that we earnestly supplicate our Gracious Father in our times of need.
A good principle of leadership is to understand people well enough that they know you genuinely care for them and will respond to your encouragement when it is given out of reverence for God. Recognizing our limitations is a vital part of wise prayer. When we are unsure of what to do, we can pray confidently to an all-knowing God. We then keep our focus on Him for answers and the necessary understanding of our responsibilities. Expressions of trust in God, gratitude, and hope—even in times of despair—are appropriate when sincere, heartfelt prayer is offered. "We don't know what to do. Our eyes are on Thee."
God was prepared to do what was necessary, but they were not to stay home and relax. An immediate responsibility awaited them. It wasn't to go home and get ready; it was, "Tomorrow, go ye down against them." Then they were to "set themselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord with you." God was identifying Himself with His people, and He wanted them to identify themselves with Him. It is not right for a believer to try to stay hidden and still expect God to do what is needed.
When the time for action came, they didn't hesitate; instead, they rose early in the morning and set out. It was a blessing that Jehoshaphat, their leader, was there before them and ready to encourage everyone with straightforward words: "Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe His prophets, so shall ye prosper." Notably, the choir went ahead of the army. When it was time to face the enemies, the sound of singing praise to the Lord, the God of Israel, was loud and clear. It was a song of victory. “Give thanks to the Lord for His love, His mercy, endures forever!”
When the Lord grants victories to His people, thankfulness and praise outweigh weapons of war. Thankfulness is more valuable than careful strategy when the odds are against you. Before trying to do something for God, give Him thanks for who He is, what He has done for us, His goodness, mercy, grace, and glory. “With prayer, supplication and thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.”
The sound of singing in the morning air is usually not linked to war. The unsettling words of praise make enemies more afraid than before because they suggest something greater than soldiers and swords are coming to face them – for the battle belongs to the Lord. The singing and words of their hymn would have struck a chord, perhaps even inspiring fear in those who heard it as they approached, as if they were hearing 'Songs of victory, songs of glory.'
Whatever method of ambush God used, it worked exactly as He intended. The powerful singing, the sounds of a marching army, and God's intervention through some form of trap so confused the enemies that they couldn't identify who their real enemy was, and they ended up attacking each other, fearing the person next to them was the enemy. "God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform." By the time the people of Judah reached the battlefield, the fight was already over. "The battle is God's."
Singing saints and the Lord God of hosts form a powerful combination for success in God's work. When God's people sing even during difficult times, a special strength is given to rise above the current distress. "The joy of the Lord is your strength" remains true for us during times of difficulty and weakness. When God fights for us to meet our needs, He takes responsibility for the entire situation. Our limitations and weaknesses highlight God's strength and power, showing that His interests align with those of those in need. When our eyes are fixed on God and His greatness, He removes the natural fears that we have. Our prayers and supplications are made, and we trust that He hears us. So, when our position aligns with what He has revealed to us, we can stand still and see His salvation. In Him alone, we have placed our trust.
What a blessed relief it is when we are certain that this is what God wants, and we have no doubts about it. That principle has remained consistent for us. Our confidence is in God. Those who speak for Him must be trusted, and their words accepted as genuine. “The splendor of His holiness” should always be before us. Joy, love, and reverent awe are all parts of His holiness. In ourselves, we have no power, but we can be secure in our reliance on Him, and we praise Him “in the beauty of holiness” so that His will is done. “Ask in faith, nothing wavering.”
There are things only God can do when, in our weakness, we look ahead. But by standing still and acknowledging Him, we eliminate our fear and dread. We know we are among God’s people and that He understands the situation. In faith, we stop planning and scheming, waiting to see His acts of salvation. Victory often comes unexpectedly when God is in control, not just of His people but also of the battlefield, the circumstances facing the enemy, and the final outcome. His people left singing, returning with great joy, and significantly enriched because of all the opposition they left behind. Additionally, neighboring countries were made to fear because "the Lord fought against the enemies of Israel."
God gave rest to His people, and they glorified Him. Although Jehoshaphat reigned for twenty-five years doing what was right, the people he ruled had not sincerely prepared their hearts for God. They came to expect that God was working on their behalf, which was true, but they believed they had no responsibility to remove the high places because they probably worshipped the Lord in their own way at the places they chose, instead of where the Lord had placed His name. Similar practices occur today among those who may be Christians but want to worship God in their own way without accepting scriptural guidance. Unfortunately, Jehoshaphat's story ends with spiritual failure because he entered into an unequal yoke business deal that didn't succeed. He apparently hadn't learned that alliances with the ungodly tend to fail. He could have learned that from those who went before him, but he did not. He teamed up with Ahab's son, just as his father had joined with Ahab. There are times in the lives of some of God's people when victory and blessing, clearly from God, have occurred, but the desire for more of this world's goods begins to take hold. Unequal yokes are wrong because they rest on unequal foundations. Faith contrasted with works. When considering entering a questionable business venture, stop to think: What are my motives? What do I expect to gain? What might I lose? What problems might I avoid by forming this partnership? What problems could I face? Is this partnership a quick fix or the best solution for the long term? Have I prayed to God and sought counsel from godly men? Are the goals of both partners aligned? Would I be willing to accept less money in order to do God's will? When faith is tested, it often involves trials that impact me emotionally, spiritually, and physically. A trial will challenge my obedience to God, my commitment to truth, my responsibility to the Lord's assembly, my testimony to the world as a Christian, my family life, and my personal devotional practices. There will be pressure to compromise my values, honesty, and fairness to gain profit at the expense of others. No financial gain that harms my joy or testimony can compensate for what I will lose by being unequally yoked. Stay committed to doing what God wants in ways that please and honor Him.
Some things we must do ourselves, such as confessing and turning from sin. Other things are beyond our power, so we confidently rely on our heavenly Father. The battle against evil is ultimately His; His strength is perfected in our weakness. Through prayerful trust, we stand still and watch God do what is best. He may use miraculous means that have no natural explanation. He may make nature work for Him, for it is His by virtue of creation. He may choose to use us to do something for Him that is not ordinary. He may even just want the singers to sing, as His tune they are called to carry. Whenever God acts, it's a cause for rejoicing; we bow and acknowledge His grace. We come with joy for His work when we stand still and trust by faith. Others may not recognize what we see; to them, His work might seem like a failure. But when God accomplishes what He wants in His own way, He often works beyond natural laws.