In this episode, we delve into the inspiring story of King Jehoshaphat as recounted in 2 Chronicles 19 and 20. Discover how his leadership and faith in God set new standards for Judah during turbulent times. Through the wise reforms he implemented throughout the land, Jehoshaphat demonstrated a commitment to justice and the word of God. His prayers and trust in divine intervention not only led to the defeat of formidable enemies but also left a lasting legacy that underscores the power of unwavering faith.
Welcome to Add Bible, an audio daily devotion from the Ezra Project. We join Allen J. Huth as he shares Bible passages and comments from over 30 years of his personal Bible reading journals.
SPEAKER 02 :
Today we are in 2 Chronicles chapters 19 and 20, the continuation of King Jehoshaphat. So let’s listen in to our guest reader, Senator Kevin Grantham, as he reads chapter 19, then we’ll hear chapter 20 from Faith Comes by Hearing.
SPEAKER 03 :
2 Chronicles 19 Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, returned in safety to his house in Jerusalem. But Jehu, the son of Hanani, the seer, went out to meet him and said to King Jehoshaphat, Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? Because of this, wrath has gone out against you from the Lord. Nevertheless, some good is found in you, for you destroyed the Asherahs out of the land, and have set your heart to seek God. Jehoshaphat lived at Jerusalem, and he went out again among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim, and brought them back to the Lord, the God of their fathers. He appointed judges in the land in all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city, and said to the judges, Consider what you do, for you judge not for man, but for the Lord. He is with you in giving judgment. Now then, let the fear of the Lord be upon you. Be careful what you do, for there is no injustice with the Lord our God, or partiality, or taking bribes. Moreover, in Jerusalem Jehoshaphat appointed certain Levites and priests and heads of families of Israel to give judgment for the Lord and to decide disputed cases. They had their seat at Jerusalem, and he charged them, Thus you shall do in the fear of the Lord, in faithfulness and with your whole heart, Whenever a case comes to you from your brothers who live in their cities concerning bloodshed, law or commandment, statues or rules, then you shall warn them that they may not incur guilt before the Lord and wrath may not come upon you and your brothers. Thus you shall do, and you will not incur guilt. And behold, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of the Lord, and Zebediah the son of Ishmael the governor of the house of Judah in all the king’s matters, and the Levites will serve you as officers. Deal courageously, and may the Lord be with the upright.
SPEAKER 06 :
2 Chronicles 20 After this, the Moabites and Ammonites, and with them some of the Meunites, came against Jehoshaphat for battle.
SPEAKER 05 :
Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, A great multitude is coming against you from Edom, from beyond the sea, and behold, they are in Hazazon Tamar.
SPEAKER 06 :
that is, En-Gedi. Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the Lord and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. And Judah assembled to seek help from the Lord. From all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord. And Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord before the new court, and said,
SPEAKER 07 :
O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you. Did you not, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? and they have lived in it and have built for you in it a sanctuary for your name, saying, If disaster comes upon us, the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and before you, for your name is in this house, and cry out to you in our affliction, and you will hear and save. And now behold, the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom you would not let Israel invade when they came from the land of Egypt, and whom they avoided and did not destroy. Behold, they reward us by coming to drive us out of your possession, which you have given us to inherit. O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.
SPEAKER 06 :
Meanwhile, all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives, and their children. And the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jehaziel, the son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jael, son of Mataniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly.
SPEAKER 04 :
And he said, Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat, Thus says the Lord to you, Do not be afraid, and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz. You will find them at the end of the valley, east of the wilderness of Jeruel. You will not need to fight in this battle.” Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them and the Lord will be with you.
SPEAKER 06 :
Then Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord, worshipping the Lord. And the Levites of the Kohathites and the Korahites stood up to praise the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice. And they rose early in the morning and went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. And when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said,
SPEAKER 07 :
Hear me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem. Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be established. Believe his prophets, and you will succeed.
SPEAKER 06 :
And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the Lord and praise him in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say, Give thanks to the Lord, for his steadfast love endures forever. And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed. For the men of Ammon and Moab rose against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, devoting them to destruction. And when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they all helped to destroy one another. When Judah came to the watchtower of the wilderness, they looked toward the hoard, and behold, there were dead bodies lying on the ground. None had escaped. When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their spoil, they found among them, in great numbers, goods, clothing, and precious things, which they took for themselves until they could carry no more. They were three days in taking the spoil. It was so much. On the fourth day they assembled in the valley of Bureka, for there they blessed the Lord. Therefore the name of that place has been called the Valley of Bureka to this day. Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat at their head, returning to Jerusalem with joy, for the Lord had made them rejoice over their enemies. They came to Jerusalem with harps and lyres and trumpets to the house of the Lord. And the fear of God came on all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest all around. Thus Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azuba, the daughter of Shilhi. He walked in the way of Asa his father and did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the Lord. The high places, however, were not taken away. The people had not yet set their hearts upon the God of their fathers. Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, from first to last, are written in the chronicles of Jehu, the son of Hanani, which are recorded in the book of the kings of Israel. After this, Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, joined with Ahaziah, king of Israel, who acted wickedly. He joined him in building ships to go to Tarshish, and they built the ships in Ezean-Geber. Then Eliezer, the son of Dodevehu of Merisha, prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying… Because you have joined with Ahaziah, the Lord will destroy what you have made. And the ships were wrecked and were not able to go to Tarshish.
SPEAKER 02 :
In 1983, at 28 years old, I read 2 Chronicles 19 and 20 on the same day and I wrote in my personal Bible reading journal, God answers prayer. Jehoshaphat sought the Lord when faced with a major battle. He fasted and waited upon the Lord, and the Lord answered him and delivered Judah from the enemy. Praise God for answered prayer in time of need. 14 years later, in 1997, at 42 years old, I read 2 Chronicles 20-22 on the same day. Concerning this chapter, I wrote, Jehoshaphat was committed to God. He prayed for deliverance and God honored his prayers, defeating his enemy without a fight. Praise God. 12 years later, in 2009, at 54 years old, I read 2 Chronicles 20-22 together and I wrote about this chapter. For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming up against us, nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on you. Often we don’t know what to do, like Jehoshaphat, so we must keep our eyes on the Lord. For the battle is not yours, but God’s, according to chapter 20, verse 15. And then I quoted verse 17. You need not fight in this battle. Station yourselves and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf. ought to face our challenges like this. 2 Chronicles chapter 20 contains another one of these great prayers of Scripture. Earlier in Chronicles, we heard the prayer of David. Then we heard the prayer of Solomon. Now we see the prayer of Jehoshaphat. If you want to improve your prayer life, go back and read these wonderful prayers in the Scripture. Maybe you’ll finish your prayers like Jehoshaphat finished his in chapter 20, verse 12. For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you. And maybe you’ll get an answer, like Jehoshaphat did in verse 15. Thus says the Lord to you, Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. We continue in verse 17. You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf. Our application from these chapters is right here. Are you in a battle? Are you facing a challenge? Does it look insurmountable? Is a great horde coming against you? Are you powerless? Are you out of options? You don’t know what to do. But do you keep your eyes on the Lord? Do you believe that the battle is not yours, but God’s? Do you have enough faith to believe that you won’t even have to fight this battle? The Lord will give you the victory. Chapter 20, verse 20. Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be established. Believe his prophets, and you will succeed. Do you face your battles like Jehoshaphat faced his? Father, for all those that are in a struggle right now, for all those that have a horde against them, for all those that seem to be powerless against the enemy, please intervene today. Jehoshaphat came to you. May we come to you and ask you for your intervention in our battles. And Lord, give us the faith to watch you fight on our behalf. And as you do, just like they did, they paraded around the battlefield singing praises to God. May we, in the midst of our battle, give thanks to the Lord for his steadfast love endures forever. Amen. AdBible is sponsored by the Ezra Project, connecting God’s people to God’s Word. We are financially supported by friends like you who believe we need to provide quality Bible reading resources to enhance Bible engagement in your community and across the world. We pray you will consider partnering with us to keep AdBible on the radio where you are listening and to expand our outreach to more listeners around the world. To do so, visit EzraProject.net and locate the Donate button. Or send your support to the Ezra Project, 1399 South Havana Street, Suite 201E, Aurora, Colorado, 80012. All givers over $20 will receive a study booklet called 12 Practical Principles of Leadership According to Ezra. It is a dynamic and fun study of how the priest and scribe Ezra led the people of Jerusalem back to God’s Word. Exactly what our mission is today at the Ezra Project. Thank you for considering a financial gift so we can continue to connect God’s people to God’s Word.
