Good Tuesday to you my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
Have you ever been startled to watch God reach into a complex, maybe frightening situation, and do something spectacular? I left you yesterday on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem surrounded by thousands of very anxious people. These were Israelites who had come from all over the southern kingdom of Judah in response to King Jehoshaphat’s invitation and warning. Why a warning?
Word had come to Jehoshaphat that a very large invading army was coming up from the south, the Dead Sea region. It was actually three armies which had united as one. It was an unprovoked military assault and while no advanced warning had been given Jehoshaphat assumed their target was Jerusalem, the capital of the southern kingdom. Jehoshaphat had called people from all the towns and villages to come to Jerusalem to meet and make a plan. Now gathered on the huge Temple Mount these thousands of frightened Jews had watched their King rise up and pray, asking God to help them, to protect them.
King Jehoshaphat had ended his prayer with these words: “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, O God!” (2 Chronicles 20:12) Honestly now, when is the last time you have seen a leader, any leader, call out to God, asking for God’s help and admitting they do not know what they should do? I can’t remember ever seeing that!
The record tells us the people were calm: “All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the LORD.” These were Jewish people who treasured their heritage and their history. About 110 years before King Solomon had led a huge gathering of Israelites, on this very spot, the Temple Mount, in the dedication ceremony of this Temple just completed. Solomon had prayed, much as Jehoshaphat had prayed on this day. God had responded with fire which fell from heaven and burned up the animal sacrifices which had been placed on the great altar in front of the Temple.
The cloud of God’s Presence had descended that day and filled the Temple. (2 Chronicles 7:1,2) God had promised that He would keep His eyes and ears open to all that took place here. Sadly, Solomon and other kings after him, had turned away from God, but in recent times King Jehoshaphat had been passionate about leading the people back to being a God worshiping, God fearing, people of God. That is why the Temple Mount area was filled on this day with thousands of people who had come from many miles in all directions, waiting and watching to see if God might do something spectacular in response to Jehoshaphat’s prayer.
Suddenly a man stood up in the crowd and shouted to get the attention of the people and King Jehoshaphat. The man’s name was Jahaziel and he was known to King Jehoshaphat and others at the Temple as a Levite, actually a descendant from Asaph one of the close associates of King David. Jahaziel shouted: “Listen King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Jerusalem. This is what the LORD says to you.” (2 Chron. 20:14,15) A hush spread all across the huge crowd. It was obvious to those who knew Jahaziel that the Spirit of the LORD had come upon him and he was speaking a message directly from God for the king and all the people.
He continued: “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 God 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 Chronicles 20:15-17) The only sound was the breeze. People could hardly breathe in the power and sacredness of this moment.
Spontaneously the people all got down on their knees, many of them including King Jehoshaphat, putting their faces to the ground in adoration and worship of Almighty God who had just spoken through His servant. Some of the words sounded very familiar to these Israelites. Do you remember?
God had said exactly the same thing through Moses to the fleeing Hebrew slaves as they stood at the Red Sea with Pharaoh’s army chasing behind them: “Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only be still.” (Exodus 14:13,14) And do you remember the LORD commanded Moses to then stretch out his hand over the Red Sea and God divided it and the Hebrews ran through a water tunnel on dry ground! And when Pharaoh’s army attempted the same, the walls of water collapsed on them and drowned the Egyptian army! These Israelites, on their faces on the Temple Mount knew that story well, their parents and grandparents had told it to them at every Passover celebration!
But there was more! Twice Jahaziel has proclaimed “Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged.” Once again exactly the same words God had spoken to Joshua when Moses had died and it was Joshua whom God called to take the leadership of His people and lead them out of the desert, across the Jordan river and into the Land of God’s Promise; and take possession of that land, their inheritance. (Joshua 1:9)
These Israelites on their faces on the Temple Mount with King Jehoshaphat knew that story very well also, and how God had stopped the flow of the Jordan river so nearly 2 million Israelites, and all their animals and belongings, could cross over the dry river Jordan into the Land of God’s Promise and camp that first night at Gilgal! (Joshua 3&4)
A great sense of awe and the fear of the LORD swept across the huge crowd of God’s people on the Temple Mount that day! God was giving them the very same promises He had given their ancestors, both the first generation which fled Egypt and the second generation who entered the Land of God’s Promise. Now it was their turn to trust God in this fearful crisis!
Suddenly, do you hear them, instruments began to play and Levites raised their voices, and slowly the people rose up from the prostration and began to lift their voices, raise their arms and heads to God in worship and praise! Fear was dissipating, being replaced by HOPE in God! Like a wave the adoration moved through the great throng surrounding the Temple, echoing off the hills of the Mount of Olives on the east side. It should not be difficult for us to imagine this remarkable moment of hope and confidence in the God of their ancestors!!
I’ve found a song that I think fits here my friends. I think you’ll recognize the voice of Charity Gayle as one of the worshippers. Let’s join them with this worship song my friends and tomorrow we’ll return to the Temple Mount to see what God did next.
And as we worship, oh we need to pray for world leaders, none of whom have done in recent history what King Jehoshaphat did in leading his people to God. And yet hundreds of millions of people are living today in desperate conditions as their leaders depend on political negotiations or great armaments or treaties or military alliances rather than calling out to God for help! But if you and I still have breath in our lungs, there is still hope with our God!
Today’s Scripture: 2 Chronicles 20:13-19.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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