2Chronicles 20:1-30

Sunday Morning Bible Study

January 5, 2003

An Unusual Victory

:1-4 The enemy comes

:1 the children of Moab… came against Jehoshaphat to battle.

Three great nations that form the eastern border of Judah all join forces to fight Jehoshaphat.

:2 behold, they be in Hazazontamar, which is Engedi.

Hazazontamar – a town on the west coast of the Dead Sea, about 22 miles southeast of Jerusalem. By the time Jehoshaphat hears of this invasion, they’re right outside the door.

:3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD

We make a lot of mistakes when we act out of fear. But sometimes fear is the thing we need to drive us to the Lord.

Lesson

You need help

Sometimes God uses our failures to bring us to the point where we call on Him and depend upon Him.

The last time Jehoshaphat was in a battle, he barely made it out alive. It was a total disaster. And now he’s facing three nations that have joined up to fight him, and they’re only twenty miles away!

Illustration

This is the lesson that Pastor Chuck learned through failure. These are his words:

“I believe that my first seventeen years of ministry, which really were failure, was an important part of God’s training process for me to prepare me for what He was wanting to do. I look at it as a great education. We started out in Corona with, I think around fifty people the first Sunday. After two years hard work, giving it our best, we had seventeen. Five, were my own family. Cheryl wasn’t born yet. I mean that’s not successful ministry friends, let me tell you!

“But God allowed us to experience those kinds of defeats, so that we would recognize that we don’t have magic formulas. We don’t have any magic ways. It isn’t us, it’s God, it’s the work of God. But He brought us to that place of brokenness, where we knew that we couldn’t do it. Looking to Him, and that was an important part of the whole training process of God, because God had this in mind, the whole while. I sure didn’t know it, I didn’t dream of it! Yet this is what God was wanting to do.

“But He had to first of all prepare the vessel, by breaking, crushing, bringing us to that place of giving up in ourselves and knowing that we couldn’t do it. So that when God did do it, we would be careful not to touch the glory. We wouldn’t go around bragging about, “What we have done in building this marvelous large work for God”, it’s what God has done in building His glorious, marvelous work, and we’ve had the privilege of being the spectators and watch God work.”

I look at times in my life where I feel like I’ve failed and want to wish they never happened. But perhaps God wants to be using those things to help me learn more and more that I must learn total trust in Him.

:5-13 Jehoshaphat prays

:6 O LORD God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven?

I think we ought to take notice of the kinds of prayers that God pays attention to. THIS is going to be one of those kinds of prayers.

Lesson

Who are you praying to?

Sometimes we really aren’t addressing God in our prayers. Sometimes we’re just “praying to ourselves”.

(Luke 18:9-14 KJV) And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: {10} Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

A Pharisee is a person who was extremely religious. A publican was a tax-collector, considered a traitor to Israel, and considered one of the worst kinds of sinners.

{11} The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. {12} I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

I like the way the King James puts it, that he prayed “with himself”. He isn’t talking to God, he’s talking to himself, telling himself what a great guy he is. This man has NO CONCEPT of how much he needs God.

{13} And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. {14} I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

God listens to a heart that is crying out for help. That may be you today.

Jehoshaphat is praying to God in heaven. He knows that with God nothing is impossible.

:7 and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever?

The land that Israel occupied had been promised to Abraham in God’s covenant with Abraham (Gen. 15:18-21).

Jehoshaphat is reminding God of His promises to Abraham and to Israel.

Lesson

Know God’s promises

I think it’s important to know what God has promised you and what He hasn’t promised you. The best way to find out is to read His Word.

Do you know God’s promises for you?

1. God promises us eternal life.

(1 John 5:11-13 KJV) And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. {12} He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. {13} These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

If we have the Son, we have eternal life. Have you made that choice yet to trust in Jesus? Have you made the choice to follow Jesus? Have you asked Jesus into your life? If so, then God says you HAVE eternal life. He’s promised it.

2. God promises to take care of our enemies.

(Isa 54:17 KJV) No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.

If we are His servants, He will take care of the enemy.

3. God promises to work things out for the good.

(Rom 8:28 KJV) And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

We may not always understand what is happening to us or when things will work out, but God says He’ll make it all good.

:9 If, when evil cometh upon us…then thou wilt hear and help.

This was part of Solomon’s request of the Lord, that God would honor cries for help made before the Temple.

God’s response to Solomon’s prayer was:

(2 Chr 7:14 KJV) If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

:10 …whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade …

When Israel came out of the wilderness on their way to the Promised Land, they passed by the lands of Edom, Moab, and Ammon, and God did not allow them to attack any of these people (Deut. 2). Jehoshaphat is saying that it is not fair that they now turn and attack them.

:12 we have no might against this great company

Yet Jehoshaphat has one of the largest armies that Judah has ever had. At last count, it was over a million strong (2Chr. 17:12-19)

Lesson

Even the strong need help

Over and over we’ve seen a king make a mistake when he became “strong”.

This happened to Rehoboam.

(2 Chr 12:1 KJV) And it came to pass, when Rehoboam had established the kingdom, and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the LORD, and all Israel with him.

When Asa had become strong, he relied on his own abilities and not the Lord (2Chr. 16:7)

It seems that Jehoshaphat is one of the rare examples of a king who has done the right thing even after he was strong.

The truth is, whether you think you’re strong or weak, you need God’s help.

At one point in His ministry, there was a huge crowd following Jesus. The people were growing hungry. The disciples had the answer – “send the people away”. Jesus responded and said,

(Mat 14:16 KJV) But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.

That’s when the disciples admitted they needed help. And Jesus took a few loaves and fish and fed five thousand.

:13 all Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones …

Families stood together and called on the Lord together.

:14-19 God’s answer

:14 Then upon Jahaziel …a Levite of the sons of Asaph

a Levite of the sons of Asaph – this means he was a musician. The sons of Asaph were worship leaders.

:15 for the battle is not yours, but God's

Lesson

God’s battles

There are times when God asks His people to go out and swing their swords.

But this is not one of them.

How do I know which battles are God’s? I think we need to be praying and asking God to speak to us.

There are some battles that are just too big for us.

Perhaps it’s a person who hates us and we can’t do a thing about it.

Perhaps it’s some dream we have that is simply beyond our ability.

There are other battles that God wants us to trust Him with, but then go out and fight. Not every battle will be won like this one.

I get concerned when I hear an unemployed person say, “Well I’m just trusting the Lord”. God wants you to trust Him, but He also wants you to go out and look for a job.

There are other battles that we can handle, but we shouldn’t.

I think these are the most difficult to figure out.

However we are to respond, we are to respond by trusting Him.

:16 they come up by the cliff of Ziz…

Ziz – “flower” – Six miles north of Hazazon Tamar. They’re getting even closer …

:18 Jehoshaphat bowed his head

Jehoshaphat and the people recognized that this was a true prophecy.

:19 the children of the Kohathites…Korhites, stood up to praise

Jahaziel, being from the family of Asaph, was of the Levitical family of Merari (1Chr. 6:39-47).

The Kohathites and the Korhites were another line of the Levitical singers, descendants of the worship leader Heman the grandson of Samuel (1Chr. 6:33-38).

It wasn’t just Jahaziel’s own close group that praised the Lord, all the Levites praised the Lord. God was at work.

:20-30 The Battle

:20 Tekoa …Jehoshaphat said …Believe in the LORD your God

Tekoa – A city about ten miles south of Jerusalem and ten miles northwest of Ziz. It is up in the hills, getting close to a place where they can look down into the valley and see the enemy armies.

Jehoshaphat is encouraging the people to keep trusting in the Lord. They are to trust in the word that the prophet had spoken the day before.

Lesson

Follow through

Sometimes in church we sense God speaking to us and we begin to think about things the Lord would like for us to do.

But the next morning, things aren’t always quite as clear.

We need Jehoshaphat’s to encourage us to keep with our commitments.

This is one reason why we give an opportunity at the end of the service to make a decision to follow the Lord.

It’s one thing to silently think to yourself about something you need to do. But when you actually open your mouth and tell someone else, then you’ve taken another step closer to following through.

:21 he appointed singers …they went out before the army

I don’t think they sent the singers out in front of the army because they might scare the enemy away with their singing.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Jahaziel was one of the singers out front.

He was a descendant of “Asaph”, which meant that he was one of the singers in the Temple.

I think this says something about people who have a “prophecy” for you, but who don’t want to take any accountability for the prophecy.

Lesson

Trust shown by praise

Some people have taken this as if we are to somehow “psych” ourselves into victory by singing praise songs. Others have this idea that if we sing enough praise songs that somehow we can twist God’s arm to respond.

I believe that this decision to begin worshipping is simply based on the fact that they’ve come to the point where they actually believe that God is going to do what He said He would. They actually believe that God is going to take care of them. They actually believe that they won’t have to fight. That means that the army can have the day off and the singers can go out and lead the people.

What you believe about God should affect the way you do things.

If you really believe that God will never leave you, are there certain things you wouldn’t do because God is standing there watching you?

In the same way, because these folks realize that God has actually heard their prayer and that God is able to help them and God has promised that He will help them, they are just overjoyed and want to express their thanks to the Lord.

Has God heard your prayer? Is God able to help you? Will God help you?

:21 Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever

Lesson

Trust in His mercy

They aren’t saying, “God wipe them out because we’re so good and they’re evil”.

They know that they are only going to win because of God’s mercy.

They aren’t trusting in their own righteousness.

It makes me think of our own nation, facing this war with Iraq. I think we ought to be praying something like this as well.

:22 when they began … to praise, the LORD set ambushments …

ambushments – ‘arab – (Piel) ambushers, liers-in-wait (pl. participle). The language is pretty vague here. Something happens that causes the armies to turn on each other.

Lesson

Praise is a weapon of war

It seems that God was delighted in the praise of His people. God seems delighted that His people actually trust Him.

He responds to their praise and trust by taking care of the problem.

In contrast, when people are filled with unbelief, God sometimes chooses not to help. When Jesus was in his hometown …

(Mat 13:58 KJV) And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Faith is essential in our relationship with God.

(Heb 11:6 KJV) But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Praise is an expression of trust, of faith.

We don’t praise Him in order to get Him to work. We praise Him because we trust Him. We trust Him no matter what He decides to do.

We need to learn to face our battles with faith-filled praise.

Sometimes you just can’t see the answer.

Put on a tape or a CD. Turn the radio to praise music.

Some of you have noticed that when we sing our praise songs, the battles get easier, even while we’re in church.

:23 every one helped to destroy another.

All three armies turned on each other.

:24 when Judah came toward the watch tower …behold, they were dead bodies

It seems that they didn’t get to see the actual battle. They just saw the results. Dead bodies.

:25 they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much.

They got dragged into a fight they didn’t want. They trusted the Lord. They ended up carrying away the spoils.