It always seems that way, doesn't it? When we do something good for God--standing up for Him, boldly proclaim the message, etc.--Satan tries to discourage us by throwing a problem in our path. And so was the case with Jehoshaphat. He just recently set up a very fair and godly judicial system in Judah when messengers brought bad news:
"A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Dead Sea. It is already in Hazezon Tamar" ~2 Chronicles 20:2
Why don't you get out your Bibles right now? While I will be posting the important passages in this article, it's always nice to have the whole chapter in your hand, so you can look ahead, look at the context, and discover things that you wouldn't otherwise discover.
From what I can gather, this army--comprised of Moabites, Ammonites, and people from Mount Seir--were nations which the Lord did not allow Israel to invade as they made their way from Egypt to the Promised Land. From the above verse I conclude that these people resided on the eastern side of the Jordan River and the Dead Sea. I did a tiny bit of research on where in the world Hazezon Tamar was, and found that some scholars think that this place was about 20 miles west-southwest of the Dead Sea. In any case however, when Jehoshaphat heard the news of the invading army, there was not much time at all. They were close.
Jehoshaphat responds in exactly the right way: he calls all his people together, and prays to God. Let's read Jehoshaphat's prayer, found in 2 Chronicles 20:6-12:
“LORD, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you. Our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? They have lived in it and have built in it a sanctuary for your Name, saying, ‘If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.’
“But now here are men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, whose territory you would not allow Israel to invade when they came from Egypt; so they turned away from them and did not destroy them. See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance. Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”
Truly, their eyes were on God. In this case it wasn't just one godly ruler praying to God; the entire nation had fasted for three days and now was waiting expectantly to see what God would do.
God didn't make them wait long. Soon, the spirit of the Lord came upon a Levite named Jahaziel, and he said to all Israel:
“Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.’” ~2 Chron. 20:15-17
Wow. Wow! So God's saying, "Don't worry about fighting this battle. I'll take care of that. You just go out there and hold your positions. Watch Me at work!" Isn't that amazing? The battle truly belonged to the Lord. You can imagine the excitement and high morale among the troops the next morning as Jehoshaphat gave them a few last words of cheer. Then they were off, with previously appointed singers going out in front of the soldiers, and singing at the top of their lungs:
"Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever" ~2 Chron. 20:21
Jehoshaphat and his army marched to the place where God has told them to go. When they finally came to the overlook from which their could see their enemy's camp, not a soul was alive. Before the soldiers had gotten there, God had set an ambush for their enemies. God made the men from Ammon and Moab start killing the men from Mount Seir, and when they finished off the Mount Seir folk, they started killing each other! So when Jehoshaphat and his army reached the camp of the Ammonites, the Moabites, and the Mount Seir-ites, they didn't have to fight at all. God had come through on His promise. He had won.
It took three whole days for Jehoshaphat and his soldiers to carry off all the plunder from their enemies' camp. Many items of great value were acquired, and through it all, these people praised God even more.
The battle truly belonged to the Lord. All they had to do was wait and watch Him at work.
~ ~ ~
This story has always been near and dear to my heart, especially because I can relate to it. There have been times in my own life when people, situations, or other problems loom larger than life, and seem bigger than I could deal with myself. I've turned these monsters over to God, and it's been absolutely amazing to watch Him at work. He slays these monsters, He wins these battles, and all I've had to do is wait, watch, and praise. God is awesome!
What about you? Have you ever had a problem that's too big to handle alone? Maybe you have one right now. Tell God about that problem. Give it to Him, and listen closely for what He wants you to do. Perhaps all you may have to do is wait and watch, and see God's power in action! Remember, after all, the battle is the Lord's. All you gotta do is follow His marching instructions!
watch Me work. Good for us to remember!
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