In 2 Chronicles 20, three armies declared war on Jehoshaphat the king of Judah. The Israelites were powerless in a hopeless situation. There was only one thing the king could do, which he did. He turned to the Lord to expect a miracle.
So when the army of Judah arrived at the lookout point in the wilderness, all they saw were dead bodies lying on the ground as far as they could see. Not a single one of the enemy had escaped.” 2 Chronicles 20:24
The Moabites, Ammonites, and Edomites should have easily annihilated the people of Judah. A messenger reported to the king that these armies were marching toward them.
Jehoshaphat was terrified by this news and begged the Lord for guidance. He also ordered everyone in Judah to begin fasting. 2 Chronicles 20:3-4
So the people came from all of Judah and gathered in the city of Jerusalem. There Jehoshaphat stood before the community and prayed.
- “O Lord, God of our ancestors, you alone are the God who is in heaven.
- You are ruler of all the kingdoms of the earth.
- You are powerful and mighty; no one can stand against you!
- our God, your people settled here and built this Temple to honor your name.
- They said, ‘Whenever we are faced with any calamity. Such as war, plague, or famine, we can come to stand in your presence before this Temple. Where your name is honored.
- We can cry out to you to save us, and you will hear us and rescue us. 2 Chronicles 20:6-9
Listen when the Lord Speaks
All the men along with their wives and children prayed. While they prayed God sent a messenger called Jahaziel to the king who said the following.
“Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the Lord says: Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.” 2 Chronicles 20:15
God’s message continued by telling them to march toward the enemy the next day. On the way, the king gave the entire community some great godly encouragement.
“Early the next morning the army of Judah went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. On the way Jehoshaphat stopped and said, “Listen to me, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be able to stand firm. Believe in his prophets, and you will succeed.” 2 Chronicles 20:20
Judah’s situation was hopeless as they found themselves in a desperate position. The armies marching against them also knew how powerless they were.
With God on their side though, they did the only thing they could do. That was to expect a miracle! So who do you think they sent out on the front lines? Yes, the worship team!
After consulting the people, the king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the Lord and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang: “Give thanks to the Lord; his faithful love endures forever!” 2 Chronicles 20:21
Nobody in their right mind goes into battle with their worshipers leading the way. Unless of course, they believe without a shadow of a doubt that the battle does belong to God.
Trust God and Expect a Miracle
At the very moment they began to sing and give praise, the Lord caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves. 2 Chronicles 20:22
What did King Jehoshaphat along with the army of Judah see when they got to the lookout point? They saw the evidence of what happens when we let the Lord fight our battles.
All they saw were dead bodies lying on the ground as far as they could see. Not a single one of the enemy had escaped. 2 Chronicles 20:24
God created such chaos and confusion, the armies ended up killing each other.
So, how does this great story apply to us today? We have a choice of doing one of two things when battles arise in our lives.
What is Your Choice?
We can fight ourselves and hope we are victorious. Or we can begin to worship God and give Him praise as we expect a miracle. Then let’s trust God for the victory because the battle belongs to the Lord.
Lord, when the enemy marches against us, help us to put our complete trust in you. We offer you our praise and worship even when we are powerless. Because we know the battle belongs to you and we can expect nothing less than a miracle.
Read the entire chapter of 2 Chronicles 20.
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Christian Perspectives
Featured Image by F. Muhammad from Pixabay
