We've already learned in our study of Jehoshaphat that he was faithful to the Lord all his life, never dabbling in idolatry and actually tearing down the idolatrous altars and images in Judah. But like most of us, in his human weakness he occasionally fell prey to sin. He sometimes falls prey to doubts and fears too, just as we all do, and in today's text he receives news capable of striking fear in the heart of anyone: a coalition of armies is approaching to attack his nation.
"After this, the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to wage war against Jehoshaphat. Some people came and told Jehoshaphat, 'A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Dead Sea. It is already in Hazezon Tamar' (that is, En Gedi). Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town of Judah to seek Him." (2 Chronicles 20:1-4) When the author says "after this" he's referring to the events of the life of Jehoshaphat that we've already studied: his familial alliance with Ahab, his military alliance with Ahab, his trading alliance with Ahaziah, his being admonished by two prophets, his teaching program throughout Judah, and his appointing of godly judges throughout Judah.
The Moabites and Ammonites are related to the people of Israel and Judah but hate the people of Israel and Judah. They are descended from Moab and Ammon, the sons of Abraham's nephew Lot. The identity of the Meunites is not clear. They are mentioned only a few times in the Bible and appear to have been Arabs living just south of Judah. Later in 2 Chronicles 20 we'll find the author connecting them to the region of Mount Seir which lay south of Judah. Mount Seir was within the territory of Edom. The Edomites, descended from Jacob's brother Esau, are not kind to the Israelites on the pages of the Bible and refused them passage when the Lord rescued them from slavery in Egypt. Nevertheless, though the Moabites and Ammonites and Edomites showed no mercy to the Israelites, the Lord forbade the Israelites to destroy them and take their territories. We'll find Jehoshaphat making mention of this prohibition in our text today.
Jehoshaphat experiences fear when he's told a mighty army is coming up against him but he handles his fear constructively: by taking it to the Lord. He issues a decree that the people must fast and pray while he himself also fasts and prays. Then he stands up to address the Lord before a great assembly. "Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the Lord in front of the new courtyard and said: '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.'" (2 Chronicles 20:5-6) Jehoshaphat prays in a pattern we can all follow. He begins the prayer by proclaiming the Lord's power over all things and all people. When we come to the Lord in prayer we are coming to the One for whom nothing is impossible! He created all things and He is in control of all things. Keeping this in mind gives us the ability to pray confidently, knowing we are laying our requests before the One who can do "immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine". (Ephesians 3:20)
Jehoshaphat continues: "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.'" (2 Chronicles 20:5-9) This, too, is a pattern we would do well to follow. Jehoshaphat recalls the mighty things the Lord has already done. The Lord uprooted formidable and ancient nations in order to plant the nation of Israel in their place. Then the Lord established the tribes of Israel in the land and caused them to prosper. Is He not still the same God? Is He not still just as powerful as He ever was? Has He ever made a promise He could not keep? The Lord says of Himself, "I, the Lord, do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed." (Malachi 3:6) Jehoshaphat is depending on the Lord who has come through for his people in the past to come through for them again. Jehoshaphat is depending on the Lord to keep the promises He's made.
The people who lived in Judah during Jehoshaphat's reign were, by and large, faithful to the Lord and not engaging in idolatry. In the verses above we find Jehoshaphat saying something like, "We have not denied Your name. We have not turned to worthless idols. We have been studying Your word and seeking Your guidance. We have been bringing our offerings, sacrifices, incense, and prayers to Your temple as You commanded. Yet this fearsome army is coming against us! Remember that we have not turned away from You. Hear us when we call upon You!" I believe Jehoshaphat is struggling with something we all struggle with at one time or another---the question of why something bad happens to us when we're doing our best to live within the Lord's will. It's one thing to examine our lives and come to the conclusion that we've brought trouble on ourselves; it's another thing to examine our lives and come to the conclusion that our current hardship is not the result of maintaining a sinful lifestyle. Jehoshaphat doesn't know why hardship has come into his life and into the lives of the people when they've been trying their human best to honor the Lord by their mode of living.
Not only have Jehoshaphat and his subjects been trying to honor the Lord, but their ancestors obeyed Him by not destroying those nations of Canaan that the Lord ordered them not to destroy. Now those very nations want to destroy the nation of Judah! Jehoshaphat can't help thinking that if his ancestors had wiped out those nations they would not be a threat today. But the Lord did not want those nations wiped out and the Israelites showed them mercy. In return for the mercy shown to them by Israel, these heathen peoples want to wipe the Lord's people from the map, so Jehoshaphat says to the Lord, "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." (2 Chronicles 20:10-12)
Have you ever been really kind to someone only to have them betray you horribly? I have! It's enough to make us have bitter thoughts such as, "I regret that I ever did them good! Look how they've repaid me!" It's enough to make us wish we could repay them for their wickedness toward us but it's vital that we remember what the Lord said: "It is Mine to avenge; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them." (Deuteronomy 32:35) We must turn them over to the Lord and let Him deal with them. He will deal with them because as our Father it is His responsibility to avenge us. Upon that principle we find Jehoshaphat turning the enemy army over to the Lord. He says to the Lord, "Our forefathers obeyed Your instructions and did not lay a finger on these people. We have been at peace with them but in return for our kindness they want to make war with us. Will You not judge them for repaying our goodness with evil? We are vastly outnumbered and cannot fight them on our own so we look to You for victory over the enemy. We await Your response, Lord. We know our survival depends on You."
After laying this problem before the Lord, the king and all the people await His answer. "All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the Lord." (2 Chronicles 20:13) The Lord will answer in a mighty way! In tomorrow's text we'll find Him assuring the people that He is going to take action on their behalf. He will say to them through the prophet Jahaziel that they are not to be afraid or discouraged because He is going to fight this battle for them.
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