Kings and Chronicles part 3
Who is king Jehoshaphat?
Well it is February. The holidays are over, sleeping in is over and we must all go back to work. I know for Rachel and I we did not even get a January holiday but we also begin to feel the stress of the New Year coming upon us. There are more deadlines at work, the savings are spent and we have mortgage payments to make. I know all of us here have family commitments, mortgages, kids, parents, study, work and sports all starting up again at this time of year. Add in the stress of international news like Iran getting nuclear bombs etc and it just seems everyone is a bit too stressed.
What to do when planes pierce buildings and thousands of people die in an instant? What to do when my family is coming apart at the seams? What to do when I’m disappointed? What to do when life is too hard or when I just can’t seem to win? What do we do?
Tragedies come, lives fall apart. What often remains is stress. Even when the times are good stress is often enemy number 1, isn’t it? Overcommitment. Deadlines. Unrealized expectations. People problems. A stack of phone calls to return. Taking one kid to the 6 o’clock practice on one side of town and the other to the 6 o’clock appointment on the other side of town. And bills, who can forget bills. It often becomes too much. And just when you thought that was the worst, something else happens.
We have all been there. We have all done that. Life. It can become stressful.
Sports Illustrated offers a great illustration to paint this picture.
“A stress fracture begins when the shocks and strain of playing a game create microscopic cracks in the outer layers of bone – usually in the legs and feet. If the pounding continues and those crevices, which often go undetected, aren’t allowed to heal, they can enlarge. When the cracks become large enough to cause pain, they are stress fractures.”
Last week we look at Elijah, today we are looking at Jehoshaphat. It should be noted that there are some big themes that run throughout Kings and Chronicles. The main issue of these books is the people’s lack of personal faith in God. They had their rules and their traditions, but it all broke down because the people did not have a personal faith in Jesus Christ. At the end of this sermon I am going to ask:
Do you have a personal, vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ where you are passionate about all that he is, or, do you have a faith that is based on church attendance and rituals?
Summary of today’s talk is:
I. Seek the Lord (v. 3)
A. Jehoshaphat did not try to do it himself
B. For success, people need God’s favour and guidance
II. Ask for help from the Lord (v. 4)
A. There may be times when we are too afraid to ask for God’s help in fear of the answer
B. Using all of our strength includes asking for help
III Wait for the Lord
a Know that the Spirit of the Lord will come (v. 14)
b Manage our fear (v. 15)
c Know that the Lord will be with you (v. 17)
2 Chronicles 20:1-17
I. Seek the Lord (v. 3)
A. Jehoshaphat did not try to do it himself
There is one thing higher than Royalty: and that is religion, which causes us to leave the world, and seek God.
Elizabeth I
English monarch 1533 – 1603)
3 Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the LORD, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. (verse 3)
Stress is what King Jehoshaphat must have felt when the people came to him and said, “Sir, there are three nations about to attack us, we don’t know what to do.”
A bit of background on our friend Jehoshaphat.
His name means ‘Jehovah judged’ or ‘judged by God’.
Jehoshaphat became King of Judah, at the age of 35 and reigned for 25 years. His career was marked with many triumphs, recorded in the Books of 1 and 2 Kings. The greatest of these must have been ending the warfare that had gone on continuously between Israel and Judah since the death of Solomon. He proved to be an able ruler. He succeeded in bringing Edom under his control. He had a mighty army for his vast lands. He was feared and held in the highest regard by all surrounding nations. Philistines and Arabs, alike, brought him tributes and gifts.
I. Seek the Lord (v. 3)
B For success, people need God’s favour and guidance
Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the LORD, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. (verse 3)
A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, 'darkness' on the walls of his cell.
C. S. Lewis Professor Oxford University (1898 – 1963)
But the chronicler, records of one day when his people came to him and said, “Sir, we have a problem, a vast army of three nations is coming against you from Edom, they are already near by.” “Sir, what to do?” In verse 3 it says the loyal and devoted King was alarmed. The bible tells quite a bit about Jehoshaphat and his many triumphs but this is the first account where Jehoshaphat became alarmed.
Sounds like Jehoshaphat was stressed. In the face of this stress, the first thing the great leader did was ‘Seek the Lord’.
II. Ask for help from the Lord (v. 4)
B. Using all of our strength includes asking for help
I wouldn't have dared ask God for all that He's given me. I couldn't have done it on my own. I thank God every day for what I have.
Loretta Lynn
American, Musician (born 1932)
Jehoshaphat had a great army. He had lots of experience. He was a great and feared leader. He could have handled the situation, no problem, right? But he was resolved to seek the Lord. He proclaimed a fast across the land. He knew many things, but one thing Jehoshaphat knew for sure, was that “With God all things are possible.” Jehoshaphat knew that success in war meant they needed God’s favor, God’s guidance, and God’s wisdom. Jehoshaphat knew that if God was for them, they could not lose. So he made sure to seek God, and that everyone across the nation was seeking God in fasting and prayer.
A little boy was spending his Saturday morning playing in his sandbox. In the process of creating roads and tunnels for his toy cars, he discovered a large rock in the middle of the sandbox. The boy dug around the rock, managing to dislodge it from the dirt. He pushed and nudged the rock across the sandbox by using his feet. He was a very small boy and this was a very large rock. When he got it to the edge of the sandbox, however, he found that he couldn’t roll it up and over the little wall.
Determined the little boy pushed, shoved and pried but every time he thought he had made progress the rock fell back into the sandbox. Again the little boy pushed and shoved until he smashed his chubby fingers and burst into tears of frustration.
All this time the boy’s father watched from the living room window as the drama unfolded. At the moment the tear fell, a large shadow fell across the boy and the sandbox. It was the boy’s father. Gently but firmly he said, “Son, why didn’t you use all the strength you had available?”
Defeated the boy sobbed back, “But I did, dad, I did. I used all the strength I had!”
“No, son,” corrected the father kindly. “You didn’t use all the strength you had. You didn’t ask me.”
And then the father reached down, picked up the rock and removed it from the sandbox.
The same applies to us in family, business, prayer whatever we decide to do in life.
II. Ask for help from the Lord (v. 4)
A. There may be times when we are too afraid to ask for God’s help in fear of the answer
With such thoughts in your mind, now that you have resolved to love Him and please Him with all your strength, your only fear should be to fear God too much and to place too little confidence in Him.
Alphonsus Liguori
Italian, Bishop (1696 – 1787)
4 The people of Judah came together to seek help from the LORD; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him. verse 4
Jehoshaphat knew that he could try to push and shove all he wanted but success would not come without the Father’s help. So, he asked for help from the Lord. I believe that often we get so caught up in our own strength that we do forget to ask for help from God. I also believe that we can get so caught up in seeking God that we can forget to ask for help from God. Jehoshaphat resolved to seek God first and then he asked for help.
I think there is an important lesson here. We can seek God and take our problems to God but I think there are times when some of us are too afraid to ask for God’s help. Perhaps, we are afraid he will tell us to do something about our problems that we don’t want to do. But we have to know that often our strength is not enough to overcome the big rocks in our sandbox. And when we come to that realization we should use all of our strength and ask Our Heavenly Father for help.
So Jehoshaphat asked the Lord for help. He prays to God for divine guidance and wisdom. He acknowledges God’s power and authority. He promises God that He and the people will continue to love and adore him, despite the outcome. And he asks God to help them. I love verse 12.
5 Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the LORD in the front of the new courtyard 6 and said:
"O LORD, God of our fathers, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you. 7 O our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? 8 They have lived in it and have built in it a sanctuary for your Name, saying, 9 'If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.'
10 "But now here are men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, whose territory you would not allow Israel to invade when they came from Egypt; so they turned away from them and did not destroy them. 11 See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance. 12 O our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you." (Versus 5 – 12)
Jehoshaphat said, “Hey God, I don’t know what to do! HELP!”
Often, we get like this don’t we. We find ourselves alarmed, stressed about something in life. And we seek the Lord. We ask God for help. And then what happens? We wait. Some of you are facing problems and still waiting. Some wait for years to get an answer. Some only have to wait weeks, days, or even hours. God does His thing in His time. And we have to recognize that this can test our patience and our faith. This is when stress can build up and go without healing and become enlarged. This is when stress can fracture our spirits.
III Wait for the Lord
A) Know that the Spirit of the Lord will come (v. 14)
Whenever you get red in the face, whenever you raise your voice, whenever you get hot under the collar or angry, rebellious or negative in spirit, then know that the spirit of God is leaving you and the spirit of Satan is beginning to take over.
Quote Unknown
14 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly. (verse 14)
But Look at what happens here for Jehoshaphat. While waiting, knowing the enemy is drawing closer, God moves. I think that while we wait for God’s response to our problems, and perhaps in response to our problems, God will do some great things around us.
You see, while waiting for response or perhaps in response to our prayers and petitions for help, we can be assured that the Spirit of the Lord will come. Often God will speak to you through the wisdom of someone close to you. The National Institute for Mental Health reported that “many of our daily conversations are actually mutual counselling sessions whereby we exchange the reassurance and advice that help us deal with routine stresses.” And I doubt that our encounters are coincidental. Here we see God’s Spirit can work through someone, to help us overcome our anxiety.
God’s spirit came through Jahaziel. God’s Spirit will come and we will be comforted once we have asked God for help. We have to remain open and attentive to what happens around us. We also have to remain open and receptive to the working of the Holy Spirit. It is hard when we are trying to achieve our goals in life, but we have to know that the Spirit of the Lord will come.
III Wait for the Lord
b Manage our fear (v. 15)
Most of our obstacles would melt away if, instead of cowering before them, we should make up our minds to walk boldly through them.
Orison Swett Marden (1850 - 1924)
In response to our prayers God also wants us to manage our fear. Look at verse 15.
15 He said: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. (verse 15)
It is perhaps the most quotable quote of all time. The great FDR telling a troubled nation, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” FDR is partly right. Perhaps it is not the only thing, but we should not fear fear. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of life’s stresses. Do not be afraid or discouraged because terrorists threaten us with all of their hate and murder.
God says, “When you come to me for help, remember that the battle is no longer yours, it belongs to me.” Do not fear. Do not tremble. Stand firm. Keep your mind on things above, not of things on earth. God speaks to us continuously throughout scripture about our need to overcome fear. There is no threat that God cannot handle.
III Wait for the Lord
c Know that the Lord will be with you
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It's not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
Nelson Mandela (South African President Born 1918)
17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.' " (verse 17)
And finally when you are waiting for God’s response to your cries for help, you should know that the Lord will be with you. Look at verse 17.
This verse makes me think of the old German hymn: A Mighty Fortress is Our God. One appropriate for any Sunday around September 11th.
Martin Luther writes so eloquently and we sing so confidently, in verse 3: And though this world with devils filled, should threaten to undo us, we will not fear, for God hath willed his truth to triumph through us.” Our God is a mighty fortress, a bulwark never failing. Go out and face your fears tomorrow because the Lord will be with you. (A might fortress is our God, Verse 3, and written 1527 – 1529)
Do you have “rocks” in your life that need to be removed in order to achieve goals? Are you realizing that your strength is not enough to lift them out of the way? Is fear, anxiety, or stress fracturing your relationships with your family, with yourself, or most importantly with God?
Some treat their stress fractures with alcohol and drugs, extramarital affairs, pornography, or hyperactive lifestyles. It is like pouring petrol on a fire to put it out.
In closing I would like to leave you with one thought:
I. Seek the Lord (v. 3)
A. Jehoshaphat did not try to do it himself
B. For success, people need God’s favour and guidance
II. Ask for help from the Lord (v. 4)
A. There may be times when we are too afraid to ask for God’s help in fear of the answer
B. Using all of our strength includes asking for help
III Wait for the Lord
a Know that the Spirit of the Lord will come (v. 14)
b Manage our fear (v. 15)
c Know that the Lord will be with you (v. 17)
Do you have a personal, vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ where you are passionate about all that he is, or, do you have a faith that is based on church attendance and rituals?
Let us pray.
