My teaching on 2 Chronicles 20;1-30- Prayer, Praise, and Peace

2 Chronicles 20

1-2: the announcement of the coming battle
After Jehoshaphat’s reform on both the religious and judicial spheres this announcement comes to him. Now, this seems to follow an act that was good in the eyes of God, J-phat gets rid of idol worship and sets things as should be. So, it seems like this isn’t a trial to discipline them in an act of disobedience but a trial to exercise their faith and have Gods name magnified. (application: when it seems like you are at your best and doing much for the Lord, don’t fall back and relax, He may send a trial to flex the muscle that you’ve been working on)

3-13: J-phat, all Judah and Jerusalem seeking the Lord.
(vs. 3) The fear of J-phat brought his focus back to the Lord. Unlike some of the other kings that we have seen, J-phat seeks the Lord in a time of need, and even though he brought a reform to Judah and Jerusalem he doesn’t rely on what he can do in this situation but runs to the Lord, the one whom can rescue him from the hands of his enemies. J-Phat also brings all of Israel to fast with him and pray to the Lord; this is a great witness to all around to see their king humble himself and draw strength from the Lord in his weakness. This is king and nation appealing to God. The fast was an expression of the special intensity of the peoples prayer- esv note.
J-Phat’s prayer in the Lords house- in this prayer he touches on God’s character, covenant, and mans dependence on God.
1.) God’s Sovereignty- (vs.6) God is seated in the heavens, which indicates His position as ruling over all the inhabitants, kingdoms and nations, also having power and might in His hand in which no man could stand against Him or his people.
2.) God’s covenant- (vs. 7) This brings to mind the covenant God made with Abraham in genesis 13:14-17, 17:7 where God promises the land to Abrahams descendants.
3.) Gods presence- (vs. 8-9) in v7 J-phat is reverent to the loftiness or transcendence of God, that He is LORD, high and exalted, but also here in v 8-9 He is comforted with the intimacy that He shares with God provided through the temple. The fact that God listens to them when disaster comes upon them. J-phat recognizes that the presence of God is in the same place where the name of God is at. The name of God which holds His character, and the presence of God are inseparable. The name of God signifies the presence of God that is in the temple. And also he acknowledges the salvation of the LORD in the midst of affliction and trouble that when His people cry out for Him; He will hear and save.
4.) God’s goodness- (vs. 10) deut 2: 4,9,19 - God did not allow Israel to harass them or take the land of the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mt. Seir. Mt Seir belonged to Esau, Moab to Ar (descendants of lot) and Ammon also to lot.
5.) Gods possession(vs. 11)- although they live on the land, it is truly God’s possession given to them as an inheritance.
6.) The people of God’s dependence on the Lord (vs. 12)- they noticed their weakness against so great of an adversary and their inability to do anything, in their power, against them. But, and there is a but at the end of this sentence, one that has a weightiness attached to it, “but our eyes are upon You.” J-Phat isn’t focused on the people attacking them because, as he prayed, but he is focused on the God that he knows, through covenantal history, has the power to save then. So, they notice that they don’t have the strength or knowledge to fight them, but they have the Lord on their side. Vs. 13 shows the greatness of the assembly that was at this prayer/fast meeting. Also, the great number of witnesses that are going to see and hear the message that Jahaziel is going to proclaim via the Spirit of God.
(application: all things work together for those who love God and seek His face. Remembering God’s promises, covenants, and salvation gives us strength in so great a trials and afflictions.)

14-19: Jahaziel’s prophecy and the nations praise.
14-17- The Lord answers the prayer/petition of the people by having His Spirit fall upon Jahaziel to prophecy victory for the nation, without them lifting a finger in the battle. 15- the LORD comforts them in declaring that they should not fear or be dismayed/ discouraged because the battle does not belong to them but to the LORD. Ultimately every battle against the people of God is against God Himself, and as J-phat declared in vs. 6, He has in His hands power and might to destroy all who stand against Him. (for the Christian now, we see that our vindication comes on the cross by Christ destroying sin, and also, in the day of judgment when all those who persecuted because of the Gospel, they will be defeated without us battling but by God judging.) 16- the Lord gives instructions of what the people are to do in this battle, which, in vs. 17, is to not fight but position themselves and stand still and see the salvation, that’s it. They find their strength not in human might, but in the promise God declares to them by Jahaziel to have faith and trust in God and just see! To behold with their eyes the salvation of the nation through Gods declaration. To position, to place yourself in the faithfulness of the Lord and promises He has declared, and not only place yourself there but stand still. Do not waiver, or buckle under pressure, to be planted in His power to bring salvation and when we behold that salvation remember that the Lord is with us. Vs.18 & 19- when hearing of the faithfulness of God, the salvation of God, the power and might of God; although he had spoken of it in his prayer to God, once God answered Him through J-haz that was enough for J-phat and all who were with him to fall and worship the Lord. The Hebrew word here is shachah- to prostrate oneself in homage to royalty or God (in which God is both), to bow oneself down, to fall down, to sink, to humbly beseech, to worship. Although the battle has not taken place the promise of salvation was enough for all to praise the Lord.
(application: for us, N.T believers, we have already seen this done on the cross in a grand scale. We did not fight sin, or death but Christ took on this battle for His people, and in doing so, we look at this salvation and praise Him for it. We position ourselves in the faithfulness of God saving us, and we stand still in this salvation and not waver from it.)

20-25: The battle and the aftermath
20-21: J-Phat follows the instructions that the Lord gave Him, to position themselves-(20) believe in the LORD and believe in His prophets. And stand still- (20) shall be established and shall prosper, the prospering is tied to the salvation that they will see and also the spoil they shall reap after the victory. After consulting with the people, he gives the “gameplan” to those appointed to sing and praise the holiness of the LORD, which is (21) sing and praise the holiness of the LORD. So, after J-Phat gives them the “gameplan” in the “locker room” they go and begin to sing and praise the Lord, and when they did that the Lord “wrecks shop” on the enemies of His people. Before they even get to see the massive army, the LORD lays them desolate. Once the faith of the people is confirmed by their singing, God acts upon that faith!
vs. 24- the LORD causes them to kill each other and the battle is over, before the sound of the “ding” the LORD is victorious, and His people are saved.
25-God changes the position that they were in, from being afraid of a massive army taking their land, God “flips the script” and has Judah and Jerusalem take the spoil of all those who were killed, which was everyone. The spoil was so great that it took 3 days going back to take all that was on the dead bodies.
(application: songs to the Lord may be used as ammo against the enemy. Recounting the mercy, grace, and salvation of the Lord through the cross brings to mind all that the Lord has done and His victorious nature against all who war against Him and His people.)

26-30: joy, peace and tranquility
They return back to Judah and Jerusalem rejoicing and singing to the Lord for being rescued from a sure to be loss. This account started with fear being in J-Phat but now those who fear are all the kingdoms and countries because of the victory brought by the Lord and J-phat is given peace and quite and rest all around.