Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2183117951984132/?source_id=181918175166472

June 30th

The Bible reading today is in 2 Chronicles 19-23.

At the end of yesterday’s reading, we saw the sovereignty of God very clearly. God sovereignly chose to save Jehoshaphat in battle and not Ahab.

Let us listen to Psalm 75...“For not from the east or from the west and not from the wilderness comes lifting up, “but it is GOD” who executes judgment, “putting down one” and “lifting up another.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭75:6-7‬ ‭ESV‬‬

God put down one king and lifted up the other. Jehoshaphat understood that. He understood that his salvation in battle was God’s merciful and sovereign hand on his behalf. And that kind of faith led King Jehoshaphat to pray like this...today...“O Lord, our God, will you not execute judgment on them...the Moabites, the Ammonites, and their allies who are poised to attack us? For we are “powerless” against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, “but”...“our eyes are upon You”...2 Chron. 20:12

I can't help but think of how powerless the world has been and still is with regard to the Covid19 Pandemic these last 4 months. May “we” trust in God’s sovereign mercy praying: Lord we are powerless against this great plague that is coming against us...we do not know what to do...but our eyes are upon You!”

So Jehoshaphat prayed and God answered in a unique way. “Meanwhile all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, the wives, and the children. “ All Judah. Not just the men, but their wives, and the little ones. All standing still in quiet worship before the Lord. Waiting for Him to give some sort of direction. Some sort of encouragement. Some sort of deliverance.

“And then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly. “ It was a great gathering of the Judeans that day that Jehoshaphat prayed to God aloud. And the Spirit of the Lord came upon “one man” to speak to the entire assembly.

He wasn't the High Priest or a recognizable prophet of the day. Just a son of Asaph. Could have been a worship leader with songs.

And he said, “Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the Lord to you, “Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s.”

‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭20:13-15‬ ‭

I can't help but wonder if some of the children in that crowd looked up into the faces of their parents and their grandparents with a smile. Remembering the stories told of old where Moses sat on a mountainside with Aaron and Hur holding his arms up as he lifted his staff toward heaven, and God giving Joshua victory over these same Ammonites in the valley below. The battle was the Lord’s. Can't you hear the children repeating the word’s...” the battle is the Lord’s. And adults begin to chant it too...and faith grew...”Amen and Amen!

Oh, friends, whatever makes us afraid...whatever seems to overwhelm us...let us remind one another...the battles are not ours alone...but they are the Lord’s...Halleluiah Amen!

Have a great day