2 Chronicles 20:10-23 New King James Version
10 And now, here are the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir—whom You would not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them and did not destroy them— 11 here they are, rewarding us by coming to throw us out of Your possession which You have given us to inherit. 12 O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”
13 Now all Judah, with their little ones, their wives, and their children, stood before the Lord.
14 Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly. 15 And he said, “Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the Lord to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16 Tomorrow go down against them. They will surely come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the [a]brook before the Wilderness of Jeruel. 17 You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.”
18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem bowed before the Lord, worshiping the Lord. 19 Then the Levites of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with voices loud and high.
20 So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.” 21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying:
“Praise the Lord,
For His mercy endures forever.”
22 Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated. 23 For the people of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to utterly kill and destroy them. And when they [b]had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.
Word of God for the Children of God
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
2 Chronicles details the history of the southern Kingdom of Judah, from King Solomon’s glorious reign, the construction of the Temple to the Babylonian exile.
It evaluates the nation’s spiritual history, emphasizing that faithful worship and obedience to God lead to prosperity, while turning away brings judgment.
These verses come from the Old Testament book of 2 Chronicles, which is part of the historical books of the Bible.
The context of this verse is a battle between the people of Judah and their enemies, the Ammonites, Moabites, and Edomites.
The chapter recounts the story of King Jehoshaphat, who faced a great multitude of enemies who were coming to make war against him and his people.
Jehoshaphat’s initial response was to seek the Lord and to proclaim a fast throughout all Judah. He led the people in prayer, confessing their dependence on God and seeking His intervention in the face of their far stronger enemies.
Verse 15, the Lord speaks through a prophet and assures Judah that the battle is not theirs, but God’s.
They are instructed to go out against their enemies the next day, but they will not need to fight in the battle.
God promises to be with them.
When the battle takes place, the children of Ammon and Moab turn on the inhabitants of mount Seir, intending to utterly slay and destroy them.
This betrayal among the enemies results in a chaotic turn of events, as they end up fighting and destroying each other.
This turn of events is an example of God’s faithfulness to His people and His promise to bring about deliverance in surprising and also unexpected ways.
One of the themes of this verse is the undeniable sovereignty and power of God.
Throughout the 20th chapter, the focus is on the people of Judah seeking God’s intervention and acknowledging His complete control over the tense situation.
The events described in this passage demonstrate God’s ability to turn the plans of the enemy against themselves and to bring about deliverance for His people in unexpected ways.
This theme is a consistent thread throughout the Bible, highlighting the unmistakable importance of trusting in God’s sovereignty and seeking His intervention in times of trouble.
Another theme present in this passage is the faithfulness of God to His people.
Despite the overwhelming odds they faced, the people of Judah turned to God in prayer and fasting, acknowledging their dependence on Him.
In response, God not only assured them of His presence and help but also by orchestrating a miraculous deliverance for them by causing their enemies to turn on each other.
This theme serves as a powerful reminder of God’s faithfulness to those who seek Him and rely on His help.
The symbolism in this passage can be seen in the way God works through the inherent distrust and chaos of human conflict to bring about His purposes.
The betrayal and infighting among the enemies of Judah resulted in their own mutual destruction, showing how God can use the plans of the enemy against themselves.
This serves as a symbol of God’s ability to bring order out of chaos and to use even the most dire situations for His glory and the deliverance of His people.
The Advantage of Weakness … Disadvantages of Strength
2 Chronicles 20:10-12 Contemporary English Version
10 You can see that the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Edom are attacking us! Those are the nations you would not let our ancestors invade on their way from Egypt, so these nations were not destroyed. 11 Now they are coming to take back the land you gave us. 12 Aren’t you going to punish them? We won’t stand a chance when this army attacks. We don’t know what to do—we are begging for your help.
It does not take too much for us to see our inadequacies and shortcomings—especially in living for and serving God.
Joshua 1:7-9 New International Version
7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
When life’s circumstances press in on us, we become painfully aware of the challenge set before us and can quickly sense ourselves recoiling from it.
We grow weary of people telling us what we can do when we know that we just cannot; but at the same time we are unwilling to face up to our weaknesses in a world that calls us to be a leader who is assertive, bold, strong and confident.
When we do find ourselves in such predicament, take courage.
We are never alone – pick up The Word of God …. Do not stray from its truth!
King Jehoshaphat of Judah was a phenomenon who implemented changes that helped God’s people rediscover God’s law (2 Chronicles 19).
He reminded them of the importance of understanding and obeying God’s word so they could serve the Truth of God faithfully, wholeheartedly, courageously.
Nevertheless, Jehoshaphat was not immune to fear.
When Judah’s enemies threatened his nation, he was acutely aware of their superiority and of the inadequacies of his own people.
Yet he also knew that the proper response to inadequacy was to depend entirely upon God.
As he confronted the reality of his powerlessness and uncertainty, he kept his gaze firmly fixed above, praying,
“We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”
When the enemy whispers to us that we are a disaster or completely useless, we can set their lies against the truth of God’s word and say,
Thanksgiving for the Lord’s Favor.
A Psalm of David.
138 I will give You thanks with all my heart;
I will sing Your praises before the gods.
2 I will bow down toward Your holy temple
And give thanks to Your name for Your mercy and Your [a]truth;
For You have made Your [b]word great [c]according to all Your name.
3 On the day I called, You answered me;
You made me bold with strength in my soul.
4 All the kings of the earth will give thanks to You, Lord,
When they have heard the words of Your mouth.
5 And they will sing of the ways of the Lord,
For great is the glory of the Lord.
6 For the Lord is exalted,
Yet He looks after the lowly,
But He knows the haughty from afar.
7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will [d]revive me;
You will reach out with Your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
And Your right hand will save me.
8 The Lord will accomplish what concerns me;
Your faithfulness, Lord, is everlasting;
Do not abandon the works of Your hands.
When we feel that we are powerless in our battle against temptation, we can rest on the truth of God’s word and say to ourselves,
“God is faithful, he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).
When we wonder if we have been left alone, we can be assured that
“he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’” (John 14:18, Hebrews 13:5).
When we finally admit our weakness, our mighty Savior will use it for our good and His glory. (Romans 10:9-13, Philippians 2:1-11)
Romans 8:26-28 English Standard Version
26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because [a] the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,[b] for those who are called according to his purpose.
When we do not know what to do, we can keep our eyes on Him and ask Him to guide us and deliver us, just as He did Jehoshaphat and the whole of Judah (2 Chronicles 20:14-17, 22-25).
Psalm 27:7-9 English Standard Version
7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud;
be gracious to me and answer me!
8 You have said, “Seek[a] my face.”
My heart says to you,
“Your face, Lord, do I seek.”[b]
9 Hide not your face from me.
Turn not your servant away in anger,
O you who have been my help.
Cast me not off; forsake me not,
O God of my salvation!
As with the men and women who served the Lord throughout the Bible, God still chooses to use unlikely, timid, and hesitant people.
1 Corinthians 1:18-31 English Standard Version
Christ the Wisdom and Power of God
18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written,
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”
20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach[a] to save those who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards,[b] not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being[c] might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him[d] you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness, sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
What sets these individuals apart was not their strength or their ability or self-confidence, they were not consumed, nor overwhelmed, by their weaknesses; instead, they boldly embraced them and relied on God’s power to overcome.
Will we utterly surrender ourselves, grant ourselves permission to do the same?
In conclusion, 2 Chronicles 20:23 is a powerful example of God’s sovereignty, faithfulness, and ability to bring deliverance in miraculous, unexpected ways.
It serves as a reminder of the importance of seeking God in times of trouble and our trusting in His ability to work all things for the good of those who love Him.
This passage provides timeless lessons and encouragement for all us believers, highlighting the undeniable importance of faith and absolute dependence upon God in the face of adversity. (Psalm 16, Psalm 23, Psalm 46:10-11, Proverbs 3:5-8)
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit
Praying …
Psalm 121 English Standard Version
My Help Comes from the Lord
A Song of Ascents.
121 I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot be moved;
he who keeps you will not slumber.
4 Behold, he who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord is your keeper;
the Lord is your shade on your right hand.
6 The sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will keep you from all evil;
he will keep your life.
8 The Lord will keep
your going out and your coming in
from this time forth and forevermore.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 