2 Chronicles 20:22-37 - Be Established and Prosperous in the Lord

2 Chronicles 20:22-37

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 had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.

24 So when Judah came to a place overlooking the wilderness, they looked toward the multitude; and there were their dead bodies, fallen on the earth. No one had escaped.

25 When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away their spoil, they found among them an abundance of valuables on the dead bodies, and precious jewelry, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away; and they were three days gathering the spoil because there was so much. 26 And on the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berachah, for there they blessed the LORD; therefore the name of that place was called The Valley of Berachah until this day. 27 Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat in front of them, to go back to Jerusalem with joy, for the LORD had made them rejoice over their enemies. 28 So they came to Jerusalem, with stringed instruments and harps and trumpets, to the house of the LORD. 29 And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries when they heard that the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel. 30 Then the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest all around.

The End of Jehoshaphat’s Reign (1 Kings 22:41–50)

31 So Jehoshaphat was 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 the daughter of Shilhi. 32 And he walked in the way of his father Asa, and did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the LORD. 33 Nevertheless the high places were not taken away, for as yet the people had not directed their hearts to the God of their fathers.

34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, indeed they are written in the book of Jehu the son of Hanani, which is mentioned in the book of the kings of Israel.

35 After this Jehoshaphat king of Judah allied himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who acted very wickedly. 36 And he allied himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish, and they made the ships in Ezion Geber. 37 But Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the LORD has destroyed your works.” Then the ships were wrecked, so that they were not able to go to Tarshish.

After Jehoshaphat had called for the people to believe in the LORD to be established (1 Peter 5:10) and in the messengers He sent with His word to find true prosperity and to praise God in the beauty of holiness in their lives, we come to this part of the passage showing the fruit of thaw it praises sung and hearts in alignment with God’s own heart.  They defeated the adversaries set against them and reaped the spoils of their enemies as they came to worship in God’s house where His presence was and the surrounding peoples sat in fear of this awesome God who fought the battles for His own.  Then they had peace with God and from the enemy because the LORD gave them peace (Romans 5:1) as we have now completely in Christ who fights the battles against our adversary the devil and keeps us from destruction forevermore.  We see how Jehoshaphat as the leader of God’s congregation walked with God and did His will according to the word delivered to them for their souls’ prosperity and whose faith that trusted and obeyed that word established him and the kingdom under him as he pursued doing what God said was right and not what was right in his own eyes (Judges 17:6, 1 Kings 11:38) as the people had been doing without godly leadership.  Even then, however, the high places of idolatry still existed because the people did not all aim their hearts to God and in obedience to His word.  The sad thing is that in the end Jehoshaphat compromised this good by making an unholy alliance to gain ships for trade and lost his good works in the process.  Evil company (Psalm 1:1-2, 1 Corinthians 15:33) corrupts good habits.  We must therefore learn from these mistakes as well as from the good actions of the heart by Jehoshaphat to serve our Lord in the beauty of holiness to be established in Him by our works for true prosperity of heart, mind, and soul as we worship with our lives like living sacrifices (Romans 6:19, 12:1, 2, Hebrews 13:15) to stop self-service that we might be true God-pleasers. 

2 Chronicles 20:1-21 - Praise the Lord for His Mercy!

2 Chronicles 20:1-21

Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir Defeated

1 It happened after this that the people of Moab with the people of Ammon, and others with them besides the Ammonites, came to battle against Jehoshaphat. 2 Then some came and told Jehoshaphat, saying, “A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, from Syria; and they are in Hazazon Tamar” (which is En Gedi). 3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. 4 So Judah gathered together to ask help from the LORD; and from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.

5 Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court, 6 and said: “O LORD God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You? 7 Are You not our God, who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel, and gave it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever? 8 And they dwell in it, and have built You a sanctuary in it for Your name, saying, 9 If disaster comes upon us—sword, judgment, pestilence, or famine—we will stand before this temple and in Your presence (for Your name is in this temple), and cry out to You in our affliction, and You will hear and save.’ 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 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.”

When Jehoshaphat was facing the approaching enemy, he did not look to his army for strength or himself for brilliant strategy to stop them.  He sought the LORD and proclaimed a fast for prayer to God for help.   The king acknowledged the King of kings as sovereign, ruling all kingdoms on earth from heaven above.  He acknowledged all power (Psalm 62:11-12) and strength (1 Chronicles 29:12-13) were in His hands and that nobody could stand against Him who rules over the universe made and sustained by His mighty hand.  God had driven out the ungodly of the land promised by faith to and through Abraham to His people.  He gave them the temple as a place to meet God and offer sacrifices for atonement and of praise for His goodness, as well as to ask for mercy and deliverance of salvation in pressing times.  They stood and prayed in His presence there now to ask for deliverance from the imminent attack that He would judge and defeat them.  They did not know what to do but their eyes were on Him.  God spoke by His Spirit through a prophet to assure them by saying,“Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.”  He would fight for them because the battle always belongs to the LORD.  He went with them into that battle the next day because they by faith believed His word by the words of the messengers for victory and prosperity (Psalm 90:17) to come as a nation.  They sang to the LORD with praise and thanksgiving in the beauty of holiness (1 Chronicles 16:29, Psalm 29:2) as they went forth singing, “Praise the LORD, for His mercy endures forever!”  Do we trust in God’s word for victory over the enemy as he comes against us and lean on His grace and mercy as we praise Him for that mercy and take Him at His word by faith?  Or do we vainly attempt to fight the good fight (1 Timothy 1:18, 6:12) in our own strength and wisdom?  Praise the Lord instead and fight in His might! 

2 Chronicles 19:1-11 - Warning and Preparation of the Heart

2 Chronicles 19:1-11

1 Then Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned safely to his house in Jerusalem. 2 And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD? Therefore the wrath of the LORD is upon you. 3 Nevertheless good things are found in you, in that you have removed the wooden images from the land, and have prepared your heart to seek God.”

The Reforms of Jehoshaphat

4 So Jehoshaphat dwelt at Jerusalem; and he went out again among the people from Beersheba to the mountains of Ephraim, and brought them back to the LORD God of their fathers. 5 Then he set judges in the land throughout all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city, 6 and said to the judges, “Take heed to what you are doing, for you do not judge for man but for the LORD, who is with you in the judgment. 7 Now therefore, let the fear of the LORD be upon you; take care and do it, for there is no iniquity with the LORD our God, no partiality, nor taking of bribes.”

8 Moreover in Jerusalem, for the judgment of the LORD and for controversies, Jehoshaphat appointed some of the Levites and priests, and some of the chief fathers of Israel, when they returned to Jerusalem. 9 And he commanded them, saying, “Thus you shall act in the fear of the LORD, faithfully and with a loyal heart: 10 Whatever case comes to you from your brethren who dwell in their cities, whether of bloodshed or offenses against law or commandment, against statutes or ordinances, you shall warn them, lest they trespass against the LORD and wrath come upon you and your brethren. Do this, and you will not be guilty. 11 And take notice: Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of the LORD; and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, for all the king’s matters; also the Levites will be officials before you. Behave courageously, and the LORD will be with the good.”

This example set by Jehoshaphat is a warning not to help the wicked in their evil pursuits, but to do good by removing idols that take away from serving the Lord and to seek God in all we do, not influence by personal gain.  Jehoshaphat assisted Ahab in his evil pursuit of fighting his own battles instead of God’s and was spared the consequences of that wrath on his disobedience.  He then heeded the warning of God’s word delivered by Jehu and set rules for the priests and chief leaders to fear God in their actions and to do so in the genuine and faithfully loyal (perfect and at peace) heart as Isaiah 26:3 reminds us all.  We are further reminded that God is impartial (Romans 2:10-11, Ephesians 6:9, James 2:8-9) and does nothing wrong.  Ever.  He is holy, and so we are to imitate Him in our lives and pursuits of holiness.  We are also to listen to these words of example to warn others (Colossians 1:27-28) as we do ourselves not to continue in sin against the Lord and rest in His grace and mercy.  If we behave courageously, the Lord will honor and bless that.  This is the warning and preparation of the heart we all need to walk in the light (Ephesians 5:8-10, 1 John 1:6-7) where He is and honor Him in word and deed, not aligning with the world as Jehoshaphat did with Ahab due to his family relationship and misplaced friendship. 

2 Chronicles 18:1-34 - Shepherdless Sheep and Lying Prophets

2 Chronicles 18:1-34

Micaiah Warns Ahab (1 Kings 22:1–28)

1 Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance; and by marriage he allied himself with Ahab. 2 After some years he went down to visit Ahab in Samaria; and Ahab killed sheep and oxen in abundance for him and the people who were with him, and persuaded him to go up with him to Ramoth Gilead. 3 So Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me against Ramoth Gilead?”

And he answered him, “I am as you are, and my people as your people; we will be with you in the war.”

4 Also Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire for the word of the LORD today.”

5 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain?”

So they said, “Go up, for God will deliver it into the king’s hand.”

6 But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not still a prophet of the LORD here, that we may inquire of Him?”

7 So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man by whom we may inquire of the LORD; but I hate him, because he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil. He is Micaiah the son of Imla.”

And Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say such things!”

8 Then the king of Israel called one of his officers and said, “Bring Micaiah the son of Imla quickly!”

9 The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah, clothed in their robes, sat each on his throne; and they sat at a threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them. 10 Now Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made horns of iron for himself; and he said, “Thus says the LORD: ‘With these you shall gore the Syrians until they are destroyed.’”

11 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, “Go up to Ramoth Gilead and prosper, for the LORD will deliver it into the king’s hand.”

12 Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, “Now listen, the words of the prophets with one accord encourage the king. Therefore please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak encouragement.”

13 And Micaiah said, “As the LORD lives, whatever my God says, that I will speak.”

14 Then he came to the king; and the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain?”

And he said, “Go and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand!”

15 So the king said to him, “How many times shall I make you swear that you tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?”

16 Then he said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And the LORD said, ‘These have no master. Let each return to his house in peace.’”

17 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?”

18 Then Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing on His right hand and His left. 19 And the LORD said, ‘Who will persuade Ahab king of Israel to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ So one spoke in this manner, and another spoke in that manner. 20 Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD, and said, ‘I will persuade him.’ The LORD said to him, ‘In what way?’ 21 So he said, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And the LORD said, ‘You shall persuade him and also prevail; go out and do so.’ 22 Therefore look! The LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these prophets of yours, and the LORD has declared disaster against you.”

23 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, “Which way did the spirit from the LORD go from me to speak to you?”

24 And Micaiah said, “Indeed you shall see on that day when you go into an inner chamber to hide!”

25 Then the king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah, and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son; 26 and say, ‘Thus says the king: “Put this fellow in prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and water of affliction, until I return in peace.”’”

27 But Micaiah said, “If you ever return in peace, the LORD has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Take heed, all you people!”

Ahab Dies in Battle (1 Kings 22:29–40)

28 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead. 29 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle; but you put on your robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went into battle.

30 Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of the chariots who were with him, saying, “Fight with no one small or great, but only with the king of Israel.”

31 So it was, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, “It is the king of Israel!” Therefore they surrounded him to attack; but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him, and God diverted them from him. 32 For so it was, when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him. 33 Now a certain man drew a bow at random, and struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. So he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am wounded.” 34 The battle increased that day, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot facing the Syrians until evening; and about the time of sunset he died.

Jehoshaphat the king of Judah allied himself with king Ahab of Israel by marriage and was to help in battle against Ramoth Gilead.  Being a man of God, Jehoshaphat first asked Ahab to inquire of the LORD by a prophet who was the way to understand God’s word and will in those days.  Ahab gathered four hundred of them and they all have a feel good message of victory, yet Jehoshaphat sensed it was not right by the Spirit of God within him.  Micaiah was not liked by Ahab because his word was not in agreement with the king of Israel, and when he finally arrived by request of Jehoshaphat as a recognized true purveyor of God’s word.  He first mockingly told them to go and get the victory, then spoke plain and true when the truth was ready to be heard.  The message was of the shepherdless sheep of Israel scattered across the mountains and the LORD told them they have no master so they should just return to their house in peace and not fight a losing battle without the LORD on their side.  This is a prophetic message for Israel when Jesus Christ came (Matthew 9:36) and told them the spiritual reality was still there, namely that the people of God were lost like scattered sheep and needed the true Shepherd (Hebrews 13:20, 1 Peter 2:25) to save their souls.  The LORD had sent a spirit into the other four hundred prophets to speak lies as advice contrary to God’s word and Ahab wanted their false promise of salvation to deliver them in battle, so he locked up the bringer of real truth as the enemy still does with many who bring the good news of the deliverance of Jesus Christ even now.  The end came swiftly as king Ahab tried to hide from the enemy by disguise as behind the false prophets, and a “random” arrow of God’s justice judged and killed him for ignoring His true word that Israel had no leader, meaning him, and that they needed to refrain from battle until the true Shepherd came to lead them to the true and eternal victory (1 Corinthians 15:57) from the (Revelation 12:17) real adversary.  Even now there are many sheep without a shepherd and a multitude of lying self-proclaimed prophets speaking of a peace of hubris in their own hands as they promise hollow promises of prosperity and do not acknowledge that victory is only found in the true Shepherd sent from heaven, the Son of God and man sent to lead us to lasting victory over sin and death through the gospel of true peace for His people. 

2 Chronicles 17:1-19 - Seeking to Follow God

2 Chronicles 17:1-19

Jehoshaphat Reigns in Judah

1 Then Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place, and strengthened himself against Israel. 2 And he placed troops in all the fortified cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim which Asa his father had taken. 3 Now the LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the former ways of his father David; he did not seek the Baals, 4 but sought the God of his father, and walked in His commandments and not according to the acts of Israel. 5 Therefore the LORD established the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah gave presents to Jehoshaphat, and he had riches and honor in abundance. 6 And his heart took delight in the ways of the LORD; moreover he removed the high places and wooden images from Judah.

7 Also in the third year of his reign he sent his leaders, Ben-Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Michaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah. 8 And with them he sent Levites: Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tobadonijah—the Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, the priests. 9 So they taught in Judah, and had the Book of the Law of the LORD with them; they went throughout all the cities of Judah and taught the people.

10 And the fear of the LORD fell on all the kingdoms of the lands that were around Judah, so that they did not make war against Jehoshaphat. 11 Also some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents and silver as tribute; and the Arabians brought him flocks, seven thousand seven hundred rams and seven thousand seven hundred male goats.

12 So Jehoshaphat became increasingly powerful, and he built fortresses and storage cities in Judah. 13 He had much property in the cities of Judah; and the men of war, mighty men of valor, were in Jerusalem.

14 These are their numbers, according to their fathers’ houses. Of Judah, the captains of thousands: Adnah the captain, and with him three hundred thousand mighty men of valor; 15 and next to him was Jehohanan the captain, and with him two hundred and eighty thousand; 16 and next to him was Amasiah the son of Zichri, who willingly offered himself to the LORD, and with him two hundred thousand mighty men of valor. 17 Of Benjamin: Eliada a mighty man of valor, and with him two hundred thousand men armed with bow and shield; 18 and next to him was Jehozabad, and with him one hundred and eighty thousand prepared for war. 19 These served the king, besides those the king put in the fortified cities throughout all Judah.

Asa’s son Jehoshaphat followed in the ancestral spiritual footsteps of king David with a heart a set on seeking and following the LORD according to His word.  This made him a powerful leader of Judah as he pursued God alone and not the idols of the others before him, putting willing and joyful obedience as the motive for life and service.  He found absolute joy in the ways of the LORD from inside his heart and not by mere rote obedience.  He sent his leaders and priests with the Book of the Law of the LORD, the scriptures as we know them to that point, he sent them to teach the people throughout the land of the LORD and His will for them.  This led to his prosperous (Joshua 1:8, Psalm 1:2-3) rule and victory in battle with the LORD on his side due to his joyful obedience to serve and please God.  This is our example to serve as we follow our Lord Jesus Christ in joyful abandon of willing obedience to his word as we teach and live it out to others, especially in leadership roles in the house of God.  May our hearts so take delight in the ways of the Lord with no compromise in our devotion (Isaiah 50:7) to follow and serve Him (Matthew 16:24) and one another in that love of the (Matthew 22:37) greatest commandment.  Let us be men and women after God’s own heart as we seek to follow the Lord for all our lives with all our effort like Jehoshaphat and king David before him! 

2 Chronicles 16:1-14 - The Eyes of the Lord See Loyalty

2 Chronicles 16:1-14

Asa’s Treaty with Syria (1 Kings 15:16–22)

1 In the thirty-sixth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah and built Ramah, that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah. 2 Then Asa brought silver and gold from the treasuries of the house of the LORD and of the king’s house, and sent to Ben-Hadad king of Syria, who dwelt in Damascus, saying, 3 ”Let there be a treaty between you and me, as there was between my father and your father. See, I have sent you silver and gold; come, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, so that he will withdraw from me.”

4 So Ben-Hadad heeded King Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel. They attacked Ijon, Dan, Abel Maim, and all the storage cities of Naphtali. 5 Now it happened, when Baasha heard it, that he stopped building Ramah and ceased his work. 6 Then King Asa took all Judah, and they carried away the stones and timber of Ramah, which Baasha had used for building; and with them he built Geba and Mizpah.

Hanani’s Message to Asa

7 And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said to him: “Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on the LORD your God, therefore the army of the king of Syria has escaped from your hand. 8 Were the Ethiopians and the Lubim not a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet, because you relied on the LORD, He delivered them into your hand. 9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars.” 10 Then Asa was angry with the seer, and put him in prison, for he was enraged at him because of this. And Asa oppressed some of the people at that time.

Illness and Death of Asa (1 Kings 15:23, 24)

11 Note that the acts of Asa, first and last, are indeed written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 12 And in the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa became diseased in his feet, and his malady was severe; yet in his disease he did not seek the LORD, but the physicians.

13 So Asa rested with his fathers; he died in the forty-first year of his reign. 14 They buried him in his own tomb, which he had made for himself in the City of David; and they laid him in the bed which was filled with spices and various ingredients prepared in a mixture of ointments. They made a very great burning for him.

Asa trusted in his own wisdom to make a peace treaty with Syria to gain military might over Israel instead of trusting in the LORD God and finding peace in Him alone.  This was effective in stopping the war with their brethren of Israel but God then sent a prophet to Asa to point out that he had not been relying on the LORD, but on an earthly army.  He reminded the king of Judah to look at the past when God triumphed over their enemies and delivered them when he had trusted and obeyed the divine.  He reminded Asa and us that the LORD does look around the whole world to see who has a loyal heart set on Him and not their own power or strength or wisdom.  A loyal heart means literally one at peace in God, שָׁלֵם šâlêm, as it relies on and trusts by faith in His word and work because of His proven character and actions.  Asa did not take this message from God well and imprisoned the prophet.  When we hear someone show us God’s word and will to stop relying on self and lean wholeheartedly on Him, how do we react?  In humble submission and faith, or in continuing to pursue our own protection and victory?  May we always seek the Lord in humble submission of trust and reliance instead as we consider the example (1 Corinthians 10:11-12, 13) of Asa here and hope in God alone through Christ alone by faith alone.  The eyes of the Lord are omnipresent and He is watching us to see hearts finding loyalty in the peace of God beyond our understanding (2 Corinthians 10:17-18, 12:9, 10) to rely on against the enemy in His wisdom and strength.  The eyes of the Lord see our loyalty.

2 Chronicles 15:1-19 - Seek the LORD Who is With You

2 Chronicles 15:1-19

The Reforms of Asa

1 Now the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded. 2 And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him: “Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you. 3 For a long time Israel has been without the true God, without a teaching priest, and without law; 4 but when in their trouble they turned to the LORD God of Israel, and sought Him, He was found by them. 5 And in those times there was no peace to the one who went out, nor to the one who came in, but great turmoil was on all the inhabitants of the lands. 6 So nation was destroyed by nation, and city by city, for God troubled them with every adversity. 7 But you, be strong and do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded!”

8 And when Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and removed the abominable idols from all the land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities which he had taken in the mountains of Ephraim; and he restored the altar of the LORD that was before the vestibule of the LORD. 9 Then he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and those who dwelt with them from Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon, for they came over to him in great numbers from Israel when they saw that the LORD his God was with him.

10 So they gathered together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa. 11 And they offered to the LORD at that time seven hundred bulls and seven thousand sheep from the spoil they had brought. 12 Then they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul; 13 and whoever would not seek the LORD God of Israel was to be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman. 14 Then they took an oath before the LORD with a loud voice, with shouting and trumpets and rams’ horns. 15 And all Judah rejoiced at the oath, for they had sworn with all their heart and sought Him with all their soul; and He was found by them, and the LORD gave them rest all around.

16 Also he removed Maachah, the mother of Asa the king, from being queen mother, because she had made an obscene image of Asherah; and Asa cut down her obscene image, then crushed and burned it by the Brook Kidron. 17 But the high places were not removed from Israel. Nevertheless the heart of Asa was loyal all his days.

18 He also brought into the house of God the things that his father had dedicated and that he himself had dedicated: silver and gold and utensils. 19 And there was no war until the thirty-fifth year of the reign of Asa.

God’s Spirit moved Azariah the son of Oded to speak His word to Asa and to and all Judah and Benjamin with him.  He told him that the LORD would be with them as long as they were following Him; if they truly sought Him, they would find Him, but if they rejected Him, they would also he rejected.  This is a picture of the gospel in that we are to seek to know and follow (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14) the Lord Jesus Christ, but if we reject Him and the gospel (2 Thessalonians 1:8, 1 Peter 4:17), we will be rejected by Him in eternity.  Israel had wandered away from God and only turned to Him when they were in deep trouble and finally realized they needed Him.  God reminded Asa and the rest that they should find strength in Him (Joshua 1:8, 9, Psalm 27:1) for the trials and troubles at hand to be rewarded for their faith put into action.  We should follow the example of Asa and put away idols in the way of the pursuit of holiness in Christ with faithful hearts and minds set on following Him into (Philippians 3:12, 13-14) the kingdom of God and not rejecting or disbelieving His promises of the gospel of grace.  Do we promise in this new covenant to seek the Lord with all our heart and with all our soul, the covenant which has overcome death and judgment?  We have peace in Him (Romans 5:1) and maintain that state by abiding in the Son to find rest for (Exodus 33:14, Matthew 11:28-29, Hebrews 4:9-10) our lives if not in the circumstances of life.  We are called to seek the Lord who is with us all of our days to experience that never-ending peace and rest in absolute hope of eternal life as we run the race to the heavenward call of God in Christ.  

2 Chronicles 14:1-15 - Doing What is Good and Right to God

2 Chronicles 14:1-15

1 So Abijah rested with his fathers, and they buried him in the City of David. Then Asa his son reigned in his place. In his days the land was quiet for ten years.

Asa Reigns in Judah (1 Kings 15:9–15)

2 Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God, 3 for he removed the altars of the foreign gods and the high places, and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the wooden images. 4 He commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to observe the law and the commandment. 5 He also removed the high places and the incense altars from all the cities of Judah, and the kingdom was quiet under him. 6 And he built fortified cities in Judah, for the land had rest; he had no war in those years, because the LORD had given him rest. 7 Therefore he said to Judah, “Let us build these cities and make walls around them, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us, because we have sought the LORD our God; we have sought Him, and He has given us rest on every side.” So they built and prospered. 8 And Asa had an army of three hundred thousand from Judah who carried shields and spears, and from Benjamin two hundred and eighty thousand men who carried shields and drew bows; all these were mighty men of valor.

9 Then Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots, and he came to Mareshah. 10 So Asa went out against him, and they set the troops in battle array in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. 11 And Asa cried out to the LORD his God, and said, “LORD, it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power; help us, O LORD our God, for we rest on You, and in Your name we go against this multitude. O LORD, You are our God; do not let man prevail against You!”

12 So the LORD struck the Ethiopians before Asa and Judah, and the Ethiopians fled. 13 And Asa and the people who were with him pursued them to Gerar. So the Ethiopians were overthrown, and they could not recover, for they were broken before the LORD and His army. And they carried away very much spoil. 14 Then they defeated all the cities around Gerar, for the fear of the LORD came upon them; and they plundered all the cities, for there was exceedingly much spoil in them. 15 They also attacked the livestock enclosures, and carried off sheep and camels in abundance, and returned to Jerusalem.

After Abijah came his son Asa who learned to keep God’s word from his father, yet took it to a more serious and full extent.  The scriptures tell us here that Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God.  He removed and destroyed the idols and their worship from God’s people and commanded them to not just obey the word of God, but to seek Him above all else as they pursued the knowledge of Him (Hosea 6:3, Proverbs 18:15) in applying the scriptures to life as we are also called (1 Corinthians 14:20, 2 Peter 3:17-18) to do and pursue.  Because Asa did these things by example and command, Judah prospered with quiet and rest from war for a time.  When war did come again, Asa turned to the LORD for help and did not rely on his own wisdom, ability, or strength to repel the enemy, but realized their helplessness apart from Him who was omnipotent over all things.  He had and exercised faith in God’s work, as we should in Christ our Lord just we have already done in trusting His work on the cross for our salvation from sin’s penalty.  Asa went in the strength and honored the name of the LORD their God in relying on Him to do battle for them.  God answered with victory over the enemy (Psalm 60:12) and rewards for their faith exercised in their obedience to be used to fight the good fight as we should in Christ against the adversary of our souls (Revelation 12:17, 11) who is put to stop us from proclaiming victory (Isaiah 25:8, 1 Corinthians 15:57, 1 John 5:4) through the gospel of the ultimate victory over death and hell.  Our spoils of this war are our faithful works earned to please our Lord (1 Corinthians 3:12-13, 14-15, 1 Peter 1:7) with faith applied to action in word and deed (1 Corinthians 3:7-8) that lead to holiness in our conformity to Christ who has earned our salvation for us already by His work.  May we therefore be found doing what is good and right in God’s eyes like Asa and not pursuing pleasing others or showing ourselves to be good or strong apart from His grace in us.  Amen!

2 Chronicles 13:1-22 - Prosperity in Keeping God’s Word

2 Chronicles 13:1-22

Abijah Reigns in Judah (1 Kings 15:1–8)

1 In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah became king over Judah. 2 He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah.

And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. 3 Abijah set the battle in order with an army of valiant warriors, four hundred thousand choice men. Jeroboam also drew up in battle formation against him with eight hundred thousand choice men, mighty men of valor.

4 Then Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim, which is in the mountains of Ephraim, and said, “Hear me, Jeroboam and all Israel: 5 Should you not know that the LORD God of Israel gave the dominion over Israel to David forever, to him and his sons, by a covenant of salt? 6 Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up and rebelled against his lord. 7 Then worthless rogues gathered to him, and strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and inexperienced and could not withstand them. 8 And now you think to withstand the kingdom of the LORD, which is in the hand of the sons of David; and you are a great multitude, and with you are the gold calves which Jeroboam made for you as gods. 9 Have you not cast out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and made for yourselves priests, like the peoples of other lands, so that whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams may be a priest of things that are not gods? 10 But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken Him; and the priests who minister to the LORD are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites attend to their duties. 11 And they burn to the LORD every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense; they also set the showbread in order on the pure gold table, and the lampstand of gold with its lamps to burn every evening; for we keep the command of the LORD our God, but you have forsaken Him. 12 Now look, God Himself is with us as our head, and His priests with sounding trumpets to sound the alarm against you. O children of Israel, do not fight against the LORD God of your fathers, for you shall not prosper!”

13 But Jeroboam caused an ambush to go around behind them; so they were in front of Judah, and the ambush was behind them. 14 And when Judah looked around, to their surprise the battle line was at both front and rear; and they cried out to the LORD, and the priests sounded the trumpets. 15 Then the men of Judah gave a shout; and as the men of Judah shouted, it happened that God struck Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. 16 And the children of Israel fled before Judah, and God delivered them into their hand. 17 Then Abijah and his people struck them with a great slaughter; so five hundred thousand choice men of Israel fell slain. 18 Thus the children of Israel were subdued at that time; and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied on the LORD God of their fathers.

19 And Abijah pursued Jeroboam and took cities from him: Bethel with its villages, Jeshanah with its villages, and Ephrain with its villages. 20 So Jeroboam did not recover strength again in the days of Abijah; and the LORD struck him, and he died.

21 But Abijah grew mighty, married fourteen wives, and begot twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. 22 Now the rest of the acts of Abijah, his ways, and his sayings are written in the annals of the prophet Iddo.

When Abijah ascended to the throne of Judah, he faced the Israelites who turned away from the LORD and His word and told them they were fighting a losing battle as Jeroboam who had rebelled against Rehoboam the son of Solomon before.  Rehoboam’s son Abijah stood up to Jeroboam who had led Israel into idolatry and reminded him that the LORD had promised a Seed to David at Jerusalem in Judah and could not withstand the kingdom of God who had promised these things.  Abijah said, “But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken Him,” just as faithful Joshua had said (Joshua 24:15) long before.  He implored Israel not to fight against the LORD God of their common fathers because that was a foolish act that would only lead to defeat.  When Israel refused to heed the advice of God, they were routed by the LORD Himself as they surrounded Judah.  They ran away when God struck them down because Judah had not relied on a superior army but on the Almighty whom they served and trusted in.  Judah relied on God alone and experienced His victory in the battle that belongs to Him.  Abijah led the people to this reliance on the LORD and even left a record of his acts, ways, and sayings similar to Solomon yet lost to us now in the writings of Iddo (2 Chronicles 9:29, 12:15) the prophet.  Judah had prospered and had victory over the idolaters by keeping the word of God and not by their military might against a stronger opponent in battle because the battles always belong (Joshua 23:3, 1 Samuel 17:47, 2 Chronicles 20:15) to the LORD.  We only ever find prosperous victory in our Lord Jesus Christ as we keep His word and rely on Him.  That is true prosperity, not in our own riches or power. 

2 Chronicles 12:1-16 - Pride, Disobedience, and Humble Repentance

2 Chronicles 12:1-16

Egypt Attacks Judah (1 Kings 14:25–28)

1 Now it came to pass, when Rehoboam had established the kingdom and had strengthened himself, that he forsook the law of the LORD, and all Israel along with him. 2 And it happened in the fifth year of King Rehoboam that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had transgressed against the LORD, 3 with twelve hundred chariots, sixty thousand horsemen, and people without number who came with him out of Egypt—the Lubim and the Sukkiim and the Ethiopians. 4 And he took the fortified cities of Judah and came to Jerusalem.

5 Then Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam and the leaders of Judah, who were gathered together in Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said to them, “Thus says the LORD: ‘You have forsaken Me, and therefore I also have left you in the hand of Shishak.’”

6 So the leaders of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, “The LORD is righteous.”

7 Now when the LORD saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, saying, “They have humbled themselves; therefore I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance. My wrath shall not be poured out on Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. 8 Nevertheless they will be his servants, that they may distinguish My service from the service of the kingdoms of the nations.”

9 So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of the house of the LORD and the treasures of the king’s house; he took everything. He also carried away the gold shields which Solomon had made. 10 Then King Rehoboam made bronze shields in their place, and committed them to the hands of the captains of the guard, who guarded the doorway of the king’s house. 11 And whenever the king entered the house of the LORD, the guard would go and bring them out; then they would take them back into the guardroom. 12 When he humbled himself, the wrath of the LORD turned from him, so as not to destroy him completely; and things also went well in Judah.

The End of Rehoboam’s Reign (1 Kings 14:21, 22, 29–31)

13 Thus King Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem and reigned. Now Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he became king; and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put His name there. His mother’s name was Naamah, an Ammonitess. 14 And he did evil, because he did not prepare his heart to seek the LORD.

15 The acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the book of Shemaiah the prophet, and of Iddo the seer concerning genealogies? And there were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days. 16 So Rehoboam rested with his fathers, and was buried in the City of David. Then Abijah his son reigned in his place.

Rehoboam’s arrogance in his pride seemed to think his power and success were from his own efforts instead of God’s grace, and he walked away from obedience to God’s word and led the people he led by example away with him.  This is why our personal relationship with the Lord requires humble obedience to the scriptures and a sober view of our own estate apart from His enabling grace and success.  Rehoboam finally realized this and humbled himself before God after a warning by Shemaiah the prophet.  We also need reminding from brothers and sisters in Christ when we trust ourselves instead of Jesus Christ and His enabling Spirit in us and wander from following the word of God as Rehoboam and many others before us have done.  Repentant hearts and minds should keep us in check with willing obedience to the scriptures, and meeting together with other believers (Hebrews 10:24-25) helps us focus on the goal set before us (Philippians 3:13-14) to run the race to finish s well as we began this new life in Christ.  Some, however, our sin can result in undesired consequences as with God’s people here in serving others for a while and losing things we value, but we possess our (Luke 21:18-19) souls, our lives, in Him through it all as we repent (1 John 1:9) and press on to honor and glorify our Lord and live out His word.  Remembering the pride, disobedience, and humble repentance of Rehoboam and the people under him should give us hope and keep us from straying away from the instructions and examples of His word to lead us safely home through this present (Galatians 1:4) evil age of fallen men and women.