War against Eastern Enemies
20 After this, the Moabites and Ammonites, together with some of the Meunites,[a] came to fight against Jehoshaphat.
Why do people want to fight against God? Why do people want to fight against the people of God? The Moabites and the Ammonites were half brothers from the descendants of Lot. The other were people who were not of Israel, wanted to come against God's as the half brothers did. We are all brothers. (One day we will come to realize that.)
2 People came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast number from beyond the Dead Sea and from Edom[b] has come to fight against you; they are already in Hazazon-tamar” (that is, En-gedi).
The message came to Jehoshaphat that he was being attacked and the attackers were very close. Imagine someone wanting to fight you and you had no idea you were the target. You are home doing something that need to be done and all of a sudden, a message is brought to you that someone wants to kill you and those in your house.
3 Jehoshaphat was afraid, and he resolved to seek the Lord. Then he proclaimed a fast for all Judah,
Jehoshaphat had the right habit. He had a daily routine of talking to God. God spoke to Moses to tell the people to come before him night and day. He wanted us to create a habit in talking to him. He knew he needed to be your first thought. Jehoshaphat immediately went to God. He was afraid and he made a decision to get all of Judah involved. Jehoshaphat was a good leader. He and all Israel came together as one. When Jehoshaphat called a fast, he knew that this was a time, that what we love to do daily, had to come to a hault. To walk away from food is a serious commitment to most people. This was a call for separation of denial from man to God.
4 who gathered to seek the Lord. They even came from all the cities of Judah to seek him.
When we pray and fast we show God, that we want nothing that will or can preoccupy or distract us from hearing clearly what we should do in a given matter. Israel was used to being under attack. Sometimes they were prepared but this time they were caught of guard.
Jehoshaphat’s Prayer
5 Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem in the Lord’s temple before the new courtyard.
Jehoshaphat next step after talking to God, calling all the people together and calling a fast, he stood and begin to pray.
6 He said:
Lord, God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven, and do you not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in your hand, and no one can stand against you.
Jehoshaphat prayed as our Lord and Savior; Our Father who is in heaven, holy is your name, your kingdom come, you have the power and the might and no one can stand against you. Jehoshaphat recognized and believed in the God of Abraham and the God who has always been with Israel.
7 Are you not our God who drove out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and who gave it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend?
Jehoshaphat asked God, are you our God? The God who helped Israel by fulfilling your promise to your friend Abraham? Jehoshaphat was calling God's hand and he used what God did to bring attention to what he promised. Unless you know God's Word like that, you can not pray as Jehoshaphat.
8 They have lived in the land and have built you a sanctuary in it for your name and have said,
Jehoshaphat said I recall a house was built with your name on it, by the people who You brought out of Egypt. God has given us to come boldly before the throne of grace and remind him of what he did or call him out on his covenant.
9 “If disaster comes on us—sword or judgment, pestilence or famine—we will stand before this temple and before you, for your name is in this temple. We will cry out to you because of our distress, and you will hear and deliver.”
Jehoshaphat boldly told God what he wanted him to do. The house Solomon built was built so that when they got in trouble they could call on God and you (God) promised to answer.
Again when we know the will of God, we can speak God's word as a receipt of purchase to claim what is rightfully ours. Jehoshaphat made a demand of the agreement God made to Solomon. God keeps his word. Whether, blessing or cursing, God is true to what he said. We must search the policy of God to activate what he promises he will do.
10 Now here are the Ammonites, Moabites, and the inhabitants of Mount Seir. You did not let Israel invade them when Israel came out of the land of Egypt, but Israel turned away from them and did not destroy them. 11 Look how they repay us by coming to drive us out of your possession that you gave us as an inheritance.
Jehosphaphat pointed out to God the problem. The same people you told us not to bother is bothering us. You told us to leave them alone and we did. Look at what they are trying to do to us.
12 Our God, will you not judge them? For we are powerless before this vast number that comes to fight against us. We do not know what to do, but we look to you.[c]
Jehoshaphat did not know what to do and he was bold enough to admit it. He wanted God to keep his promise and made it known to God that he wanted God to make these people back off. Jehoshaphat told God, we are helpless and in need of support. Jehoshaphat made it clear, you promised and we need you to make good on your word.
God’s Answer
13 All Judah was standing before the Lord with their dependents, their wives, and their children. 14 In the middle of the congregation, the Spirit of the Lord came on Jahaziel (son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite from Asaph’s descendants), 15 and he said, “Listen carefully, all Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat. This is what the Lord says: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast number, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16 Tomorrow, go down against them. You will see them coming up the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley facing the Wilderness of Jeruel. 17 You do not have to fight this battle. Position yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord. He is with you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Tomorrow, go out to face them, for the Lord is with you.’”
God heard what Jehoshaphat said and answered. This is not your fight. Stand still and watch what I will do. God said you have my support! The enemy will not attack today, however, be prepared to stand and see what is on my calendar tomorrow. God told them the exact location. God told Jehoshaphat do not be afraid. I will show you I am God.
18 Then Jehoshaphat knelt low with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord to worship him. 19 Then the Levites from the sons of the Kohathites and the Korahites stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel shouting loudly.
God answered and the people fell down. The Levites knew exactly what to do; they began to sing praises to God. When God speaks, praise comes naturally. When God speaks people fall down and worship him. It is spontaneous. They were not coerced and told to fall down, they heard God and responded accordingly.
Victory and Plunder
20 In the morning they got up early and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa. As they were about to go out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem. Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be established; believe in his prophets, and you will succeed.”
The people followed directions. They got up the next morning and did as the man of God instructed. Jehoshaphat gathered the people and said trust God and you will have his support and trust the people that speak his word and you will get the answer you need to move forward.
21 Then he consulted with the people and appointed some to sing for the Lord and some to praise the splendor of his holiness. When they went out in front of the armed forces, they kept singing:[d]
Give thanks to the Lord,
for his faithful love endures forever.
When I am afraid I sing. The more I sing, the more I trust. Jehoshaphat instructed Israel to sing and keep singing. They sang in preparation and they kept singing until they were facing their enemies. What a way to respond when you are under attack. David after fasting for several days for the life of his sick newborn, shocked the servants when he said I will eat after hearing his son died. This blew their minds. When the soldiers came looking for Jesus to arrest him, and they asked Jesus where was Jesus? He responded, here I am, and the soldiers were amazed and fell down that he told the truth. I know the attackers were lost for Words when they heard Israel sing. When we do the simple things God tells us to do, we blow the minds of all who want to harm us. Turning the other cheek works!
22 The moment they began their shouts and praises, the Lord set an ambush against the Ammonites, Moabites, and the inhabitants of Mount Seir who came to fight against Judah, and they were defeated. 23 The Ammonites and Moabites turned against the inhabitants of Mount Seir and completely annihilated them. When they had finished with the inhabitants of Seir, they helped destroy each other.
The Lord had his own army. He told them that this fight is mine and I brought my own army. Everyone who came to fight Judah was destroyed. The enemy turned on themselves. First, the half brothers killed the others and the half brothers turned on themselves. After many years of trying to get these attackers to change, they did not and now they turn on themselves and take their own lives.
24 When Judah came to a place overlooking the wilderness, they looked for the large army, but there were only corpses lying on the ground; nobody had escaped. 25 Then Jehoshaphat and his people went to gather the plunder. They found among them[e] an abundance of goods on the bodies[f]and valuable items. So they stripped them until nobody could carry any more. They were gathering the plunder for three days because there was so much. 26 They assembled in the Valley of Beracah[g] on the fourth day, for there they blessed the Lord. Therefore, that place is still called the Valley of Beracah today.
Judah watched God. God did what he said. Judah collected the goods from those who came to attack them. It took three days to gather all the goods because it was a lot. On the fourth day they went back home and praised God for what he alone did. They gave that place a name so that others could be reminded of what God did in this place.
27 Then all the men of Judah and Jerusalem turned back with Jehoshaphat their leader, returning joyfully to Jerusalem, for the Lord enabled them to rejoice over their enemies. 28 So they came into Jerusalem to the Lord’s temple with harps, lyres, and trumpets.
The people followed the leader. The people had a good time rejoicing because their enemies were destroyed. When we have good leaders, people are happy. People do not feel taxed and weighty. They came back to where they started and continued doing what they were doing as if they had no interruptions. They started out praising and they ended up praising. God did the work in the middle.
29 The terror of God was on all the kingdoms of the lands when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. 30 Then Jehoshaphat’s kingdom was quiet, for his God gave him rest on every side.
When others see what God does for us, it demands silence. God knows how to amaze people. The enemies of God cannot figure God out. When we let God be God there will be peace.
Summary of Jehoshaphat’s Reign
31 Jehoshaphat became king over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi. 32 He walked in the ways of Asa his father; he did not turn away from it but did what was right in the Lord’s sight. 33 However, the high places were not taken away; the people had not yet set their hearts on the God of their ancestors.
34 The rest of the events of Jehoshaphat’s reign from beginning to end are written in the Events of Jehu son of Hanani, which is recorded in the Book of Israel’s Kings.
Jehoshaphat was a good leader and a good man.
Jehoshaphat’s Fleet of Ships
35 After this, Judah’s King Jehoshaphat made an alliance with Israel’s King Ahaziah, who was guilty of wrongdoing. 36 Jehoshaphat formed an alliance with him to make ships to go to Tarshish, and they made the ships in Ezion-geber. 37 Then Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you formed an alliance with Ahaziah, the Lord has broken up what you have made.” So the ships were wrecked and were not able to go to Tarshish.
Jehoshaphat made an agreement again with another disobedient king. God again stepped in. God did not allow a good man to be destroyed by making another bad decision. God watches us and corrects us. We do wrong, God says okay, here we go again. You are not getting by. God is our Father. He wants to save us. Ask Peter, does he give up on us easily? The answer is still no. God loves us more than we can define. Jehoshaphat was asked again to make ships and the second time he remembered God and said no. Jehoshaphat learned obedience after the second time he was asked to go against the will of God. (1 King 22:49)
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