Tuesday Devotional...2/14/12

2 Chronicles 20:1-20

 It came to pass after this also, that the children of Moab,

and the children of Ammon, and with them other

beside the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle.

Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat,  saying,

There cometh a great multitude against thee

from beyond the sea on this side Syria;

and, behold, they be in Hazazontamar, which is Engedi.

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

and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the LORD:

even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.

And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah

 and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court,

And said, O LORD God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven?

 and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen?

and in thine hand is there not power and might,

so that none is able to withstand thee?

Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants

of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it

to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever?

And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary

therein for thy name, saying,

If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment,

or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house,

and in thy presence, (for thy name is in this house,)

and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help.

And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab

and mount Seir, whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade,

when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they

turned from them, and destroyed them not;

Behold, I say, how they reward us, to come to cast us

out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit.

O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might

against this great company that cometh against us;

neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.

And all Judah stood before the LORD,

 with their little ones, their wives, and their children.

Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah,

the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph,

came the Spirit of the LORD in the midst of the congregation;

And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants

of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat,

Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed

 by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.

In all dangers, public or personal, our first business should be to seek help from God. Hence the advantage of days for national fasting and prayer. From the first to the last of our seeking the Lord, we must approach him with humiliation for our sins, trusting only in his mercy and power. Jehoshaphat acknowledges the sovereign dominion of the Divine Providence. Lord, exert it on our behalf. Whom should we seek to, whom should we trust to for relief, but the God we have chosen and served. Those that use what they have for God, may comfortably hope he will secure it to them. Every true believer is a son of Abraham, a friend of God; with such the everlasting covenant is established, to such every promise belongs. We are assured of God's love, by his dwelling in human nature in the person of the Saviour. Jehoshaphat mentions the temple, as a token of God's favourable presence. He pleads the injustice of his enemies. We may well appeal to God against those that render us evil for good. Though he had a great army, he said, We have no might without thee; we rely upon thee.

The Spirit of prophecy came upon a Levite in the midst of the congregation. The Spirit, like the wind, blows where and on whom He listeth. He encouraged them to trust in God. Let the Christian soldier go out against his spiritual enemies, and the God of peace will make him more than a conqueror. Our trials will prove our gain. The advantage will be all our own, but the whole glory must be given to God.

Jehoshaphat exhorted his troops to firm faith in God. Faith inspires a man with true courage; nor will any thing help more to the establishing of the heart in shaking times, than a firm belief of the power, and mercy, and promise of God.

Written by Annie A.