Jehoshaphat – Reliance on God

When I was a teen I was very involved in my church’s drama/musical programs.  One of my favorites was “Fat, Fat Jehoshaphat” in which I played King Jehoshaphat.  During this play, the focus was on the passage that we are looking at today, and what part Jehoshaphat’s reliance on God had in his dealings with his enemies.

Jehoshaphat Attacked (2 Chronicles 19:1-2, 20)

After his alliance with Ahab, Jehoshaphat is challenged by a prophet of God. God asks him why he is a friend with the enemies of God. The wrath of God will be upon him, yet not to his destruction because he does seek the Lord.  We see this come to play out when the Ammonites, Moabites and Meunites come to attack.  Jehoshaphat gets advanced notice, and instead of calling up an army, like every other time, Jehoshaphat goes to God.

All Judah goes before God, and Jehoshaphat quotes God’s promise at the founding of the temple to defend Judah.  The kings of Judah see God work when they call upon God, trusting in Him and his promises.

God supplies deliverance, telling Jehoshaphat through a prophet that He will fight for Judah.  To show his trust in God, Jehoshaphat enlists the musicians to lead the way, singing praise to God for the victory as they go to meet the enemy.  What they find is that the Ammonites and Moabites attacked the Meunites, and then took each other out, so that there is no one left. All Judah has to do is watch and take the spoil.

How do we react to problems?

Jehoshaphat reliably went to God with his problems.  Every time that we’ve seen that Jehoshphat had a problem (be it Ahab, Jehoram, and the attack on Jerusalem), he went to God in prayer. He wanted to know what God said first, and was willing to wait.  He claimed God’s promises and God’s honor and glory, and knew that God would respond.  When he got a response, he acted on the information, trusting God would do as He said.

James tells us that God is willing to grant wisdom liberally, if we’ll ask.  Which leads me to wonder…

1. Do we ask?
2. Do we wait?

What do we do when we get the answer?