Put Your Eyes on God for Deliverance

2 Chronicles 20:1-21

   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."

Jehoshaphat faced old enemies whom the LORD previously prohibited His people from attacking, but who had now turned against them.  He cried out to the LORD to remind Him of His word and faithfulness of promises through Abraham to keep His children safe when they relied on and cried out for deliverance.  This was the trust, the faith, of Abraham who believed God and that absolute trust was imputed as righteousness (Romans 4:3, Galatians 3:6, James 2:23).  They trusted God to judge and defeat the enemy who opposed His people and against whom they in their own power were truly unable to defeat.  They put their eyes upon God alone for deliverance, just as we put our trust focused on Christ alone for His grace alone in His power of righteousness alone to save us.  The people all stood before the LORD therefore in expectation, as Jehoshaphat reminded them not to fear or be downcast in their souls (Deuteronomy 31:8, Joshua 1:9, 10:25).  The LORD would fight the battle for them, so they believed and worshiped Him.  They then would witness their God fight for them as the enemies defeated themselves without God’s people having to lift a sword or bow.  For now before that battle, the people believed God and His word through His messengers to be established in the LORD.  Jehoshaphat set the praise team in motion, singing in the beauty of holiness (Psalm 29:2, 90:17) for His righteousness in their midst, for His great and unending mercy.  We can learn to rely on the Lord by faith in His word and promises to establish and keep us for eternity in Christ alone, not our effort or wisdom or righteousness apart from His in whom we love and move and have our existence (Acts 17:28, 30-31).  Praise Him because His mercy for deliverance from His wrath and judgment on our sin has been covered as Adam and Eve were covered with the sacrifice made by God in the Garden for us (Genesis 3:21).  We put our eyes upon Jesus for His wonderful grace!