December 23rd, 2012 (Fourth Sunday in Advent)
2 Chronicles 20
“Impossible Situation — Hopeless Circumstances”
Bible Memory Verse for the Week: For nothing is impossible with God. — Luke 1:37
Background Information:
- Chap. 20 is replete with themes dear to the Chronicler; his basic concern with retribution theology, the centrality of Solomon’s dedicatory prayer and God’s promise in 7:14 to hear the prayer of his people who seek him, the need to depend on God rather than foreign alliances. (Raymond B. Dillard, Word Biblical Commentary, Vol. 15, 160)
- (vss 1-23) The leaders of Moab, Ammon and the Meunites must have heard of Jehoshaphat’s humiliating defeat against the Arameans (2 Chr 19). Thinking that Jehoshaphat was now weakened and vulnerable and yet still rich and prosperous because of the last 2 generations who enjoyed God’s blessing, they collectively attack Judah thinking Judah is weak and disillusioned.
- (v. 1) When the Israelites had come out of Egypt, Ammon, Moab, and the Edomites had refused Israel passage through their land, and God had forbidden Israel from destroying them. Now this is how they are repaying them: They are joining forces to destroy Judah. (Edom: Nm 20:18-20; Ammon: Dt 23:3-4; Moab; Jdg 11:17-18). (Dr. Tremper Longman, Quicknotes, 1 Chr Thru Job, 86)
- (v. 1) The Moabites and the Ammonites are all blood relatives of Israel. Both people groups descended from the daughters of Lot, Abraham’s nephew. Their ancestors were the children of an incestuous relationship between Lot and his two daughters after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gn 19).
V. 2 does mention specifically the Edomites. This nation was also related to Israel. Esau, the son of Isaac and the brother of Jacob (from whom the nation of Israel descended), is the ancestor of the Edomites (Gn 36). (Dr. Tremper Longman, Quicknotes, 1 Chr Thru Job, 86)
- (v. 2) Powerlessness before a numerically greater foe (20:12) is a characteristic theme in holy war narratives and the epic battle accounts in Chronicles (13:3; 14:9-11). (Raymond B. Dillard, Word Biblical Commentary, Vol. 15, 157)
- (v. 2) The attacking armies are described as “a vast horde,” a favorite way in which the Chronicler designates a numerically superior enemy in other battle narratives showing holy war themes (13:8; 14:10 [11]). (Raymond B. Dillard, Word Biblical Commentary, Vol. 15, 156)
- (v. 3) “Jehoshaphat feared” (v. 3)–a very natural reaction. Eventually he will hear from God’s servant the message “Do not fear” (v. 17). It has been said–I have not checked–that this counsel occurs 365 times in the Bible, enough for each day’s quota of fearful situations. Believers are not exempt from fear, but they have a God to take their fears to. (Leslie Allen, Mastering the OT, 1, 2 Chr, 306)
- (v. 18) We would do well to imitate the liturgical response reported by the Chronicler because “real worship is something you do–not something you watch.” This is especially true of “bowing down” or prostration (20:18). Lying on the ground or bowed with bent knees is a symbol of humility. This posture is both an act of repentance (Ps 38:6) and worship (138:2). (Andrew E. Hill, The NIV Application Commentary: 1 & 2 Chr, 491)
- (v. 21) The report of an army going into battle singing the praises of God is unique in the Bible, although music accompanies the appearance of the divine warrior when he executes judgment on earth (Ps 47; 96; 98). The event gives new meaning to the psalmist’s declaration that God’s “pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a man; the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love” (147:10-11). (Andrew E. Hill, The NIV Application Commentary: 1 & 2 Chr, 491)
- (v. 21) The modern historian may be tempted “to poke fun at Jehoshaphat in Chronicles for sending out the temple choir to meet an invading army; it is still funnier when the choir puts the foe to flight and causes great slaughter with a few well-directed psalms” (W. Stinespring, JBL 80, 209). Though the role of the musicians may be enlarged or enhanced in the eyes of a modern historian, one must not forget the role of music in warfare ancient and modern; armies through the millennia have gone into battle to musical cadence. Particularly within Israel’s tradition of holy war music has been assigned an important function (13:11-12; Josh 6:4-20; Jdg 7:18-20; Job 39:24-25); music accompanies the appearance of the divine warrior to execute judgment (Ps 47; 96; 98). Yahweh marches at the head of the armies of heaven and Israel (Dt 33:2-5, 26-29; Josh 5:13-15; Jdg 5; Ps 68:8-13); 2 Kgs 6:15;19; 7:6; Isa 13:1-13; Joel 3:9-12 [4:9-12]; Hab 3); his appearance on the Day of Yahweh is marked by a trumpet blast (Ex 19:16, 19, Isa 18:3; 27:13; Amos 2:2; Zeph 1:14-16; Zech 9:14; Mt 24:31; 1 Cor 15:52; Rv 8-9; 10:7; 11:15). (Raymond B. Dillard, Word Biblical Commentary, Vol. 15, 158)
- (v. 22) Several features of the battle have parallels in other OT battles in which stress is laid on God’s independent action–e.g. the people’s singing, reminiscent of the shouting at the fall of Jericho (Josh 6:20); cf. enemies set against each other, Jgs 7:22; slaughter and the taking of spoil, 2 Kgs 7:3-16; 19:35. (J. G. McConville, The Daily Study Bible Series, 1 & 2 Chr, 195)
- (v. 23) For the self-destruction of Israel’s enemies, cf. Jg 7:22; 1 Sm 14:20, and in prophetical texts Ez 38:21; Hag 2:22; Zech 14:13. (H.G.M. Williamson, The New Century Bible Commentary, 1 & 2 Chr, 300)
- (v. 23) Whether God terrifies the coalition armies with the appearance of his heavenly army (as in 2 Sm 5:24; 2 Kgs 7:5-7) or sends a spirit of confusion and mistrust among the allies (as in Jgs 7:22; 2 Kgs 3:23) is unclear. What is clear is that God stirs the Transjordan armies into a spirit of frenzied self-destruction (20:22-23). First, the armies of Moab and Ammon slaughter the soldiers from Seir, perhaps out of distrust (20:23a). Then the Moabites and the Ammonites destroy each other so that no one escapes (20:23b-24a). (Andrew E. Hill, The NIV Application Commentary: 1 & 2 Chr, 492)
- (v. 35) How could he, who had had a new beginning in the Spirit, again try to reach his goal by human effort? (See Gal 3:3). One of our own synod’s writers has put it so well: “Each child of God is both saint and sinner. And he is not only prone to sin, but capable of great, flagrant sins.”
Whenever the Lord gives us something, it is our tendency–so weak and prone to sin as we are–to regard it as safely stowed away and in our possession now by absolute right instead of by God’s grace. We quickly lose our sense of grace and become jaded with what we have. So our eyes are drawn to something new, and our hearts begin to long for things we don’t yet have. Apparently Jehoshaphat began to long for the gold of Ophir and the prestige of being a great trader-king like Solomon, even though the Lord had already given him great wealth and honor (see 1 Kgs 22:48 and 2 Chr 17:5). (Paul O. Wendland, The People’s Bible, 2 Chr, 242)
- (v. 35) Do not choose your associates amongst those who do not fear God. Always safest to keep under Christian influences. You will do well even to sacrifice a measure of financial interest and worldly prospect rather than be associated in business with a man who is out of all sympathy with you in religion. (Joseph S. Exell, The Biblical Illustrator, 2 Chronicles, 101)
- (v. 37) The example of Jehoshaphat can teach us that the problem is never with the way God has blessed us; our real problem is always the enemy within. We will never be content until God removes the idols from our hearts, establishes his peace there, and teaches us to find perfect rest in him. Sometimes the way God does this is by throwing our plans into confusion and wrecking all our ships (v. 37). It is still his love at work, even when he’s wounding us. He wants to help us die to sin and rely instead upon him. (Paul O. Wendland, The People’s Bible, 2 Chr, 242-43)
- (v. 37) The effect of the final verses is to show that, however much a person’s life might be characterized by obedience to God, the possibility of lapse and compromise is forever present. The statement about the high places (v. 33), in contrast to that in 17:6, may show that Jehoshaphat’s reforms were not final–as no reform can be–and that a relaxed attitude on his part at the end of his reign allowed idolatry to obtain a foothold once more. The statement in v. 33b clearly implies an inconstancy on the part of the people which would point in this direction. (J. G. McConville, The Daily Study Bible Series, 1 & 2 Chr, 196)
- (vss. 31-37) Jehoshaphat did it again! He aligned himself with evil Ahaziah, king of Israel in a boat building project, and he and the nation suffered again (see 12-09-12 & 12-16-12 HFM messages from more details).
- (v. 37) If Jehoshaphat had been a mere man of the world probably this disaster would not have occurred, but God would not allow one of His own servants to prosper in such an undertaking. (Joseph S. Exell, The Biblical Illustrator, 2 Chronicles, 101)
The questions to be answered are . . . What can we learn from this incredible story of Jehoshaphat’s battle he never fought?
Answer: With God nothing is impossible. So when Emmanuel is true in our lives, we have nothing to fear for when we are with God nothing is impossible nor hopeless. But, we need to seek God with all our hearts to insure that we are on God’s side.
The Word for the Day is . . . Fearless
As Christians what lessons can we learn about the Chronicler’s exclusive story of the battle Jehoshaphat never had to fight?:
I. When facing an impossible situation or hopeless circumstances, seek God with intensity. (2 Chr 20:1-3; 2 Sam 22:1-51; Ps 27:1-9; 31:1-6, 14-24; 44:1-8; 59:16-17; 62:21; 63:1-11; 70:1-5; 71:1-24; 86:1-10; 140:1-13; 142:1-7; Isa 28:16; 31:1; Jer 29:11-13; Lam 3:25)
Many in our age know full well the desolation and despair of the cry, “We do not know what to do.” When people’s temporal hopes are gone–and dreams of perfect happiness on earth inevitably prove illusory–the best secular answer is an acquiescent, perhaps bitter, resignation. Where there is faith in God, in glorious contrast, the “we do not know what to do” merely leads into “but our eyes are upon thee.” There is no excuse for Christian hopelessness. The Christian’s response in the blackest hour must be: “My eyes are upon thee.” (J. G. McConville, The Daily Study Bible Series, 1 & 2 Chr, 194)
Little wonder that Jehoshaphat was alarmed! Without warning this vast army appeared on his doorstep; he was left with precious little time to prepare. But though God’s people may at times be struck with fear because of the magnitude of the threats they face, they know what to do with their fears. So it was with Jehoshaphat. He did not–as a worldly king would–begin by calling out his troops for battle. Instead, he mustered his spiritual strength by declaring a national fast and by calling for a solemn religious gathering of the people. He knew that Judah’s help would come from “the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth” (Ps 121:2). (Paul O. Wendland, The People’s Bible, 2 Chr, 232)
Fasts were commonly proclaimed in times of war or other calamity (Jgs 20:26; 1 Sm 7:6; 31:13; 2 Sm 12:16-22; Zech 7). (Raymond B. Dillard, Word Biblical Commentary, Vol. 15, 156)
Wise and happy shall we be if the sense of helplessness begets in us the energy of a desperate faith. For these two, distrust of self and glad confidence in God, are not opposites, as naked distrust and trust are, but are complementary. He does not turn his eyes to God who has not turned them on himself, and seen there nothing to which to cling, nothing on which to lean. (Alexander MacLaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture, 2 Kgs – Eccl, 177)
Jehoshaphat “proclaimed a fast” (v. 3) to emphasize in the presence of the “LORD” (v. 4) Judah’s distress (just as in Jdg 20:26). Fasting did not exist as an official part of preexilic Hebrew religion, unless it be implied in Lv 16:29-31; but from the time of Samuel onward, it had been employed to stress the sincerity of the prayers of God’s people when they were facing special needs (1 Sm 7:6; cf. Acts 13:2-3). (Frank E. Gæbelein, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Vol. 4, 502)
If “we” are powerless, “our God” is all-powerful. (Leslie Allen, Mastering the OT, 1, 2 Chr, 307)
To humble oneself before God in the face of insurmountable odds humanly speaking and to trust him fully for deliverance are the essence of biblical faith. (Andrew E. Hill, The NIV Application Commentary: 1 & 2 Chr, 488)
The biblical record reports many fasts in connection with a time of war or other trouble (see 1 Sm 7:6; Ezra 8:23; Neh 1:4; Est 4:16; Isa 58:6; Jer 36:6; Dan 9:3; Joel 1:14). Even so, Jehoshaphat is the only king in Chronicles who called a national fast. The Chronicler exalted Jehoshaphat by reporting his extraordinary religious devotion. (Richard L. Pratt, 1 & 2 Chr, A Mentor Commentary, 335)
God allows you to go through a hard times so that God might bring you to the end of yourself. (Steve Brown; “Beloved Pagan: Keeping the Church Honest, Pt 3, The Gift of Powerlessness” 2 Chr 20, MP3)
Hope is the banner of the faithful. (H. C. Leupold, Exposition of Isaiah, 175)
I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom, and that of all about me seemed insufficient for the day. — Abraham Lincoln.
There is a direct correlation between God’s work, in and through His people, and the acknowledged helplessness of His people. To wit: The greater the acknowledged helplessness, the greater God’s power.
The ancillary to this proposition; “When the helplessness of God’s people is met with the help of God, God’s people properly do not get the credit.” (Steve Brown; “Beloved Pagan: Keeping the Church Honest, Pt 3, The Gift of Powerlessness” 2 Chr 20, MP3)
When we pour out our heart-cries to God, they must not ever become a criticism of who He is. Apparently, about 70 percent of the psalms are laments–in other words, songs of sorrow and crying out. A true lament never challenges or questions the worth of God. Instead, it reveals that His goodness and greatness are the only hope for a bleak situation. Even at our lowest ebb, there should be an underlying trust and, therefore, worship. (Matt Redman; The Unquenchable Worshiper, 27)
I discovered an astonishing truth: God is attracted to weakness. He can’t resist those who humbly and honestly admit how desperately they need him. (Jim Cymbala; Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire, 19)
More than any other time in history, mankind faces a crossroads. One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness. The other, to total extinction. Let us pray we have the wisdom to choose correctly.” — Woody Allen
But the history of spiritual awakenings indicates that revival always comes when conditions are the blackest and most hopeless. Nothing is too hard for God. He is able to change the whole situation overnight. The one essential on the human side is for consecrated men and women who will tirelessly call upon God in prayer. (Hoffman; 1956, 181)
Facing an impossibility gives us the opportunity to trust God.
II. There is power in corporate repentance when the entire assembly (body of Christ or church) is of one mind and heart before the Lord (2 Chr 20:4-5, 13, 18, 27; 1 Cor 12-14; 2 Cor 13:11)
Jehoshaphat recognized that he had heard the living voice of God, who simply used Jahaziel the prophet as his instrument to speak his Word. The entire assembly bowed down low in reverent awe at the God who promises such great things to his people. Loud songs of praise from the Levite choir broke the worshipful silence at last. (Paul O. Wendland, The People’s Bible, 2 Chr, 238)
III. When approaching God make sure your perspective is congruent with reality as God has chosen to reveal it. (2 Chr 20:6-12; Prv 3:5-6; Isa 55:6-9; Jn 8:32; 15:14-15 Rom 11:34; 1 Cor 1:18-2:16)
It begins with the facts of the past (20:6-9). It harks back a hundred years to Solomon, whose great prayer in chapter 6 this paragraph is surely intended to recall (with 20:9 cf. 6:28-30), then before that to David, whose words are actually quoted by Jehoshaphat (with 20:6 cf. 1 Chr 29:11f). Then our minds are carried back 400 years to the time of Joshua, when God drove out the Canaanites before Israel, and, in the same sentence, a thousand years to the days of Abraham, whose descendants were to be given the land. The anchoring of Jehoshaphat’s prayer in that remote point of history is of special interest. There must have been in mind the promises made to Abraham from the very beginning of his walk of faith, that Canaan would belong to his posterity, and the final demonstration of his faith, when he proved his right to be called the Friend of God by his willingness to sacrifice his son–in the very place where Jehoshaphat and his people were not assembled. The basis of the prayer is a conviction that “our God” and the “God of our fathers” are one and the same, and that his words and deeds in the past may be appealed to as facts, the like of which his praying people may expect to see repeated in their own time of need. (Michael Wilcock, The Message of Chr, 194)
We notice that Jehoshaphat begins his prayer by confessing his faith in the Lord. He is the only true God “in heaven.” Every other god is an idol. The true God has graciously bound himself by solemn promise to be the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their descendants. Though from Jehoshaphat’s point of view the attack of this vast army may have been sudden and unexpected, he knows that such is not the case as far as the Lord is concerned. “Power and might” are in God’s hands. God controls and directs the affairs of men. Clearly this matter also is under his command. (Paul O. Wendland, The People’s Bible, 2 Chr, 233-34)
Our Father will hear us, not because our prayer is so worthy but because his promise is so certain. (Paul O. Wendland, The People’s Bible, 2 Chr, 236)
We know that even if God doesn’t do what we want at the time, what he wants and gives us will be for our eternal good. (Paul O. Wendland, The People’s Bible, 2 Chr, 237)
Here the Chronicler portrays Jehoshaphat as making a direct appeal to Solomon’s prayer (20:9; cf. 6:28, 34), a prayer which God had promised to hear and answer (7:12-14). (Raymond B. Dillard, Word Biblical Commentary, Vol. 15, 157)
If the cause is God’s the forces we employ and the mode of our warfare must also be His. The Koran might be accompanied with the sword, but not the gospel. Its weapon was a Cross, and in that sign it triumphed. So in all the battle of life he who would win the victory for God must use the Divine armor. Eloquence, learning, wealth, and even physical force, have contributed at times to the success of the Church, but quite as often they have been hindrances. The method of Jesus is meekness and truth, the Word ever spoken, the life quietly lived, and the testimony borne and the faith kept clear and strong in the darkest and most distressful hour. How often in the conflict of life we try to fight the battle in our own way! We seek to conquer indwelling sin, to overcome the attack of the enemy who would destroy us, by some methods of our own. We always fail. (Joseph S. Exell, The Biblical Illustrator, 2 Chronicles, 96)
Jehoshaphat’s reference to the permanent bestowal of the land to Israel fit well with his situation. The approaching armies threatened Judah’s possession of the land, but God had given it to them forever. The king intensified his perspective by describing Abraham as your (God’s) friend (20:7). Only Isa 41:8 refers to Abraham in this manner (see also Jas 2:23). The intimate relationship between God and Abraham pointed to the importance of God protecting Judah’s rights to the land of promise. (Richard L. Pratt, 1 & 2 Chr, A Mentor Commentary, 336)
Jehoshaphat is told where the armies will assemble, so that his forces can march to meet them. However, he is not to fight them; rather, the Lord says, “take your position, stand still, and see the victory of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem” (20:17). This is a clear allusion to Ex 14:13, where Moses instructs the Israelites at the Red Sea, “Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the LORD will accomplish for you today” (note that the same Hebrew word is translated “victory” in 20:17, and “deliverance” in Ex 14:13). Just as God had fought for Israel against Egypt at the Red Sea (see Ex 14:14, 25), so God will fight now against Ammon, Moab, and Edom. (Steven S. Tuell, Interpretation: 1 & 2 Chr, 183)
The pagans who have the power have been ordained by God. Thank Him for it. The pagans who have the power, have the power for the benefit of God’s people. (Steve Brown; “Beloved Pagan: Keeping the Church Honest Pt 3, The Gift of Powerlessness” 2 Chr 20, MP3)
“When God wants to do an impossible task, he finds and calls an impossible man . . . and He crushes him.” ( Dr. Allan Redpath on the Apostle Paul).
The great Husdon Taylor, the founder of the China Inland Mission, used to say that the right way to translate the text, ‘Have faith in God’ (Mk 11:22) is this: ‘Trust the faithfulness of God.’ This translation does not put the emphasis on your faith and say that you have to hold on desperately to God. (D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones; The All-Sufficient God: Sermons on Isaiah 40, 71-72)
IV. Impossible situations or hopeless circumstances evaporate in the light of a Word from God when He tells you the battle is His so “Do not fear.” (2 Chr 20:14-15, 22-24; Gn 15:1; Ex 14:13-14; Nm 14:1-10; Dt 20:1-5; 31:6; Jdg 6:1-23; 1 Sm 14:47; 2 Chr 32:1-8; Isa 41:8-13; Mt 1:20; Mk 4:36-41; Rom 8:37; 1 Jn 4:4)
At what is often the moment of divine victory (cf. E.g. Josh 19:9f.; also Ps 30:5), the army advances, to be exhorted afresh by the king in a brief sermon. It is based partly on Isa 7:9, but the words from there of belief and assurance are paralleled by the words: BELIEVE HIS PROPHETS, AND YOU WILL SUCCEED. (Peter R. Ackroyd, 1 & 2 Chr, Ezra, Neh, 150)
The king saw to it that the songs of praise begun in the temple continued as they marched. Men were appointed to sing the victory song of faith, “Give thanks to the LORD,” before the victory was even realized. What God promises is as good as done even before it actually happens. (Paul O. Wendland, The People’s Bible, 2 Chr, 238)
A flash of inspiration came to one of the Levitical singers who had, no doubt, been deeply moved and had unconsciously fitted himself for receiving it. Divinely breathed confidence illuminated his waiting spirit, and a great message of encouragement poured from his lips. His words heartened the host more than a hundred trumpets braying in their ears. How much one man who has drunk in God’s assurance of victory can do to send a thrill of his own courage through more timorous hearts! Courage is no less contagious than panic. This Levite becomes the commander of the army, and Jehoshaphat and his captains “bow their heads” and accept his plan for tomorrow, hearing in his ringing accents a message from Jehovah. (Alexander MacLaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture, 2 Kgs – Eccl, 172-73)
Fittingly, the story of the Yahweh war against the Transjordan coalition ends where it began–at the temple of the Lord God of Israel. The march of triumph from the battle site to the Jerusalem sanctuary confirms God’s answer to the king’s prayer–the battle was indeed God’s (20:15). The atmosphere of the march of triumph is depicted almost as a festival worship processional; the musical instruments that accompanied the singing of the Levites in battle (20:21) are now employed in the joyful celebration of the victory God has given them over their enemies (20:27-28). (Andrew E. Hill, The NIV Application Commentary: 1 & 2 Chr, 492)
Any peril is over-estimated of which men cry: “There is no help for him in his God!” (Joseph S. Exell, The Biblical Illustrator, 2 Chronicles, 94)
A redeemed and regenerated world is the idea of God. Our conflict, therefore, for these ends against the evil of sin and the corruption of the world is a battle of God. (Joseph S. Exell, The Biblical Illustrator, 2 Chronicles, 96)
Jahaziel’s words, “the battle is not yours, but God’s” (v. 15), reflect the spirit of David against Goliath (1 Sm 17:47). (Frank E. Gæbelein, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Vol. 4, 502)
The great danger of the mega churches is not their marketing, bad theology, or the impersonal nature, but it is the mega church. (Steve Brown; “Beloved Pagan: Keeping the Church Honest, Pt 3, The Gift of Powerlessness” 2 Chr 20, MP3)
The function of fear is to warn us of danger, not to make us afraid to face it.
The highway of fear is the shortest route to defeat.
We fear man so much because we fear God so little.
Courage is not the absence of fear, but the conquest of it.
All of us are facing great opportunities brilliantly disguised as unsolvable fears (problems).
“Fear wants to make you run from what isn’t even there.
Fear is the darkroom where Satan takes you to develop all of your negatives.
Fear like pain can be an indication of what is wrong in your life.
If you can define a problem you can deal with a problem. The first step in overcoming any fear or crisis is to define it. —Steve Brown
The remarkable thing about fearing God is that when you fear God you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God you fear everything else. —Oswald Chambers
If fear wins, you lose.
FEAR: He was an extremely cautious man, who never romped or played.
He never risked at anything, nor even kissed a maid.
And when he up and passed away, insurance was denied.
For since he hadn’t ever lived, they claimed he never died.
“Living the Christian faith is almost always acting in a manner contrary to the fear that you know.” – Steve Brown
Fred Smith: Whenever the church has a choice between spiritual power and political power, the church will inevitably chose political power. (Steve Brown; “Beloved Pagan: Keeping the Church Honest, Pt 3, The Gift of Powerlessness” 2 Chr 20, MP3)
Courage is fear that has said its prayers.
Fear knocked. Faith answered. No one was there.
Death is the godly man’s wish, the wicked man’s fear. (Samuel Bolton; The True Bounds of Christian Freedom, 46)
You can conquer almost any fear if you will only make up your mind to do so. For remember, fear doesn’t exist anywhere except in the mind.
No one knows but that death is the greatest of all good to men; yet men fear it, as if they well knew that it is the greatest of evils. Is not this the more reprehensible ignorance, to think that one knows what one does not know? —Socrates
“Fear can paralyze and even kill people. Fear, like misery, loves company. Faith and laughter are Fear’s most formidable foes. Laughter cuts Fear down to size. Fear takes itself so seriously; but it shrinks when we laugh in its face. Poke fun at Fear and it goes into a frenzy.” —Peggy Goldtrap
I am inwardly fashioned for faith, not for fear. Fear is not my native land; faith is. I am so made that worry and anxiety are sand in the machinery of life; faith is the oil. I live better by faith and confidence than by fear, doubt and anxiety. In anxiety and worry, my being is gasping for breath—these are not my native air. But in faith and confidence, I breathe freely—these are my native air. A John Hopkins University doctor says, “We do not know why it is that worriers die sooner than the non-worriers, but that is a fact.” But I, who am simple of mind, think I know. We are inwardly constructed in nerve and tissue, brain cell and soul, for faith and not for fear. God made us that way. To live by worry is to live against reality. (Dr. E. Stanley Jones; Transformed by Thorns, 95)
“Undefined fear is a bear…Defined fear is a teddy bear.” (Steve Brown, Living Free, 73)
Here is a superb bit of psychology, for what, after all, is the main cause of this spirit of fear? The answer is ‘self’–self-love, self-concern, self-protection. Had you realized that the essence of this trouble is that these fearful people are really too absorbed in self–how can I do this, what if I fail? ‘I’–they are constantly turning in upon themselves, looking at themselves and concerned about themselves. And it is just here that the spirit of love comes in, for there is only one way to get rid of yourself. There is only one cure for self. You will never deal with self yourself. That was the fatal fallacy of those poor men who became monks and anchorites. They could get away from the world and from other people, but they could not get away from themselves. Your self is inside you and you cannot get rid of him, the more you mortify yourself the more your self will torment you.
There is only one way to get rid of self, and that is that you should become so absorbed in someone or something else that you have no time to think about yourself. Thank God, the Spirit of God makes that possible. He is not only ‘the spirit of power,’ but He is also ‘the spirit of love’. (D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cure, 103)
V. With Emmanuel nothing is impossible and it is never hopeless. When your trust is in God it really doesn’t matter who is against you. (2 Chr 20:16-23; Zech 4:6; Mk 9:23; 14:36; Lk 1:37; 18:27; Rom 8:31)
No rationalizing explanation of the battle is appropriate; the supposition that the various enemy groups failed to recognize each other misses the point that it is God himself–by what means is not stated–who is seen as throwing the enemy into confusion and destroying them utterly; they are treated as under the ban in the holy war. (Peter R. Ackroyd, 1 & 2 Chr, Ezra, Neh, 151)
Without knowing precisely the kind of situation to which the Chronicler spoke, we may nevertheless suppose that there were in his generation, as for example in the times of the prophets, those who imagined that hope lay in skillful political manoeuver, in alliances, in military power. A later generation than that of the Chronicler, confronted by a threat to the faith and life of the community in persecution and oppression, was to hear the same essential emphasis in the manifestos of the book of Daniel; and later generations still were to discover to their cost the disastrous consequences of warfare and intrigue. The Chronicler’s emphasis is not the whole truth, but it contains essential understanding of the nature of religious faith. (Peter R. Ackroyd, 1 & 2 Chr, Ezra, Neh, 151-52)
Chronicles has always insisted that kings only succeed when they humble themselves before God. Yet there is perhaps a subtle change in tone here. The Davidic model of war laid some stress on the might of the warrior. There is nothing of this here, but rather a sense that God’s people must stand back and wait for him to act. (J. G. McConville, The Daily Study Bible Series, 1 & 2 Chr, 194)
Trust in the Lord your God, and you will find him trustworthy. There is in the exhortation a call to commitment. The trustworthiness of the Lord cannot be known until one begins to make decisions on the basis of his promises, staking wealth and welfare on the outcome–just as it is impossible to know certainly that a chair will bear one’s weight without actually sitting on it. It is perverse to blame God for circumstances if there has been no prior life-commitment to him. (J. G. McConville, The Daily Study Bible Series, 1 & 2 Chr, 195)
An entire nation marches out to a battlefield against very real enemies armed with sword, shield, sling, and spear. Yet Jehoshaphat’s people look more like a congregation leaving church than an army going to war. All the same, the army of God is marching out fully equipped. They have the sword of the Spirit, the shield of faith, and an attitude or prayer in their hearts. (Paul O. Wendland, The People’s Bible, 2 Chr, 238-39)
The battle itself was somewhat anticlimactic. “The LORD set ambushes,” the Chronicler tells us. This phrase is best explained by the following verses, which describe the enemy alliance falling to pieces and the former allies fighting among themselves. In the same way, all must perish who defiantly set themselves against the Lord and against his Anointed (Ps 2). (Paul O. Wendland, The People’s Bible, 2 Chr, 240)
Hold fast by the Lord your God, and you will be held fast,” or “stay yourselves on Him and you will be stable.” These attempts at reproducing the similarity of sound between the two verbs in the two clauses of our text, rude as they are, preserve what is lost, so far as regards from, in the English translation, though that is correct as to the meaning of the command and promise. (Alexander MacLaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture, 2 Kgs – Eccl, 177)
The message of salvation delivered by Jahaziel is made up of three standard elements, the identifying of the addressees (v. 15a), the formula “Do not be afraid” (v. 15b), and its backing with a specific promise (vv. 16-17a). For good measure these elements are repeated (v. 17b ): anxious hearts appreciate the repetition of a reassuring message. Reserved for the climax is the keynote of the overall section, the promise of God’s protective presence: “the Lord is with you.” (Leslie Allen, Mastering the OT, 1, 2 Chr, 308)
Jehoshaphat’s battle speech on the morrow places a premium on faith. It echoes the message of Isaiah in a similar context of military threat, a message rendered more effectively by its Hebrew wordplay: “have firm faith, or you will not stand firm” (Isa 7:9, NEB). (Leslie Allen, Mastering the OT, 1, 2 Chr, 308)
Sir Fowell Buxton, who shared with Wilberforce the labors which secured the emancipation of the slaves in the West Indies, ascribed their triumph directly to the power of prayer. Writing to his daughter when all was over, he said, “I firmly believe that prayer was the cause of that division” (vote in the House of Commons). “You know how we waited upon God for guidance, with these words in our hearts, ‘O our God, 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 the answer, ‘Ye shall not need to fight in this battle; stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.’ You will find the whole story in 2 Chr 20. Turn to my Bible; it will open of itself to the place. We had no preconceived plan; the course we took appeared to be the right one, and we followed it blindly.” (Joseph S. Exell, The Biblical Illustrator, 2 Chronicles, 95)
Levitical music played an important role in the holy wars of Israel. Priests and Levites often led into battle with music (e.g. Josh 6:4-20; 2 Chr 13:11-12). This feature of Israelite warfare should be understood in light of its symbolic nature. Israel’s army was only an earthly reflection of the great army of heaven led by God himself (see Dt 33:2-5, 26-29; Josh 5:13-15; Jdg 5; Ps 68:8-13; 2 Kgs 6:15-19; 7:6; Isa 13:1-13; Joel 3:9-12; Hab 3). As such, the work of Israel’s musicians corresponded to the spiritual, heavenly music that accompanied the appearance of God in battle. His march into battle was marked by the blast of a heavenly trumpet (see Ex 19:16, 19; Isa 18:3; 27:13; Amos 2:2; Zeph 1:14-16; Zech 9;14; Mt 24:31; 1 Cor 15:52; Rv 8-9; 10:7; 11:15). The music of Israel’s earthly army symbolized that heavenly reality. (Richard L. Pratt, 1 & 2 Chr, A Mentor Commentary, 341)
The armies of Ammon and Moab rose up against the Meunites (v. 23a). Then, after slaughtering the men of Seir (the Meunites), the Ammonites and the Moabites turned on each other (v. 23b). God caused confusion among the enemies of his people so that they actually destroy themselves. An enemy’s self-defeat appears frequently in the OT and depicts one way in which supernatural intervention is recognized (see Jdg 7:22; 1 Sm 14:20; 2 Kgs 3:23; Ezek 38:21; Hag 2:22; Zech 14:13). When enemies become so confused that they destroy themselves, it demonstrates that God was behind their defeat. (Richard L. Pratt, 1 & 2 Chr, A Mentor Commentary, 342)
GOD SAYS: All the negative things we have to say to ourselves, God has a positive answer for it. You say: “It’s impossible.” God says: “All things are possible.” (Lk 18:27), You say: “I’m too tired.” God says: “I will give you rest.” (Mt 11:28-30), You say: “Nobody really loves me.” God says: “I love you.” (Jn 3:16 & 13:34), You say: “I can’t go on.” God says: “My grace is sufficient.” (II Cor 12:9 & Ps 91:15), You say: “I can’t figure things out.” God says: “I will direct your steps.” (Prv 3:5-6), You say: “I can’t do it.” God says: “You can do all things.” (Phil 4:13), You say: “I’m not able.” God says: “I am able.” (II Cor 9:8), You say: “It’s not worth it.” God says: “It will be worth it.” (Rom 8:28), You say: “I can’t forgive myself.” God says: “I FORGIVE YOU.” (I Jn 1:9 & Rom 8:1), You say: “I can’t manage.” God says: “I will supply all your needs.” (Phil 4:19), You say: “I’m afraid.” God says: “I have not given you a spirit of fear.” (II Tm 1:7), You say: “I’m always worried and frustrated.” God says: “Cast all your cares on ME.” (I Pt 5:7), You say: “I don’t have enough faith.” God says: “I’ve given everyone a measure of faith.” (Rom 12:3), You say: “I’m not smart enough.” God says: “I give you wisdom.” (I Cor 1:30), You say: “I feel all alone.” God says: “I will never leave you or forsake you.” (Heb 13:5).
The saint is hilarious when he is crushed with difficulties because the thing is so ludicrously impossible to anyone but God. — Oswald Chambers
Man’s way leads to a hopeless end! God’s way leads to an endless hope!
A HOPELESS CHRISTIAN IS A CONTRADICTION IN TERM
When you’re overwhelmed, Remember that you’re overshadowed. — Jill Briscoe
VI. We can praise God because He specializes in taking impossible situations or hopeless circumstances and turning them into unimaginable windfalls (2 Chr 20:24-30; Gn 37-50; Jesus and the cross)
In a similar way, we may approach our entire lives as one undivided act of worship. The high point comes at our formal services, when we gather together as God’s people. We come to seek the Lord in prayer and to draw strength from Word and sacrament. We leave prepared to do battle with our enemies, those who seek to destroy our spiritual life. Our victory is assured by the words we have heard. Then as God gives us daily victories over sin and Satan, we have fresh reasons to gather together in praise and prayer. His mercy endures forever. (Paul O. Wendland, The People’s Bible, 2 Chr, 239)
Howard Hendricks was told by his pastor once, “Howie, you can’t glorify God and Howie at the same time.” (Steve Brown; “Beloved Pagan: Keeping the Church Honest, Pt 3, The Gift of Powerlessness” 2 Chr 20, MP3)
My mother would cry about my blindness and the hopelessness of my ever seeing, but I told her I wasn’t sad. I believed God had something for me to do. —Stevie Wonder
Worship point: Imagine a life where you never have to fear, worry, fret, be discouraged, depressed or dismayed. Imagine a life where the situation is never impossible and the circumstances are never hopeless. When God became incarnate — Emmanuel — this is the life you can have by faith in Christ.
Worship = a recognition of your desperate need for God.
Spiritual Challenge: Study, meditate, and contemplate God’s Word until you know God and your perspective and outlook is like Jehoshaphat’s. Who when he was staring down defeat, destruction and loss, he was able to worship because he knew the power of Emmanuel and trusted in His promises.
Quotes to Note:
As we look upon the world at large, how do we see men occupied but as destroying one another! This is a marked character of the lower and worse forms of vice, that each degraded one has a wretched pleasure in bringing down other souls to the same level of degradation and ruin; but the same tendency to mutual destruction is to be seen in the first fallings away from God through all the subsequent steps in the downward road. (Joseph S. Exell, The Biblical Illustrator, 2 Chronicles, 98)
The Christian has many enemies, internal, external, and infernal, but self is the greatest enemy the people of God have. Self must be brought under judgment. (Joseph S. Exell, The Biblical Illustrator, 2 Chronicles, 94)
With Christ all things are possible
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