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"O Lord our God, all this store that we have prepared to build Thee an house for Thine
holy name cometh of Thine hand, and IS ALL THINE OWN . . . . . Of Thine own have
we given Thee" (I Chron. 29: 14-16).
These chapters contain abundant material out of which a very full conception could be
reached of what true worship involves, and we therefore commend to our readers the
desirability of a prayerful and careful re-reading of them.
From David we pass on to the story of another king, namely, Jehoshaphat, and the
triumph of praise (II Chron. 20: 1-30). The record opens with the report of an invasion
by Moab (verses 1, 2), and ends with "rest and quiet" (verse 30). Fear of Moab (verse 3)
is exchanged for fear of God in all the invading kingdoms when they heard that the Lord
fought against Israel's enemies (verse 29). The people gathered themselves together to
ask help of the Lord (verse 4), and when the battle was over they assembled themselves
to bless the Lord (verses 26-28).
The central section of this record is divided as follows:
A |
5-13. Prayer and Confession.
B
| 14-17. Prophecy: Given.
A |
18, 19. Praise and Worship.
B
| 20-25. Prophecy: Fulfilled.
In his prayer Jehoshaphat acknowledged that the Lord God was not only the God of
his fathers, and therefore in covenant relationship, but also God in heaven, Who ruled
over the heathen, and his prayer for deliverance from the ungrateful invasion of Ammon
and Moab is based upon these two facts. The prayer ends with a confession that Israel
had neither power nor wisdom in the matter:
"O our God, wilt Thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great
company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon
Thee. And all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives and their
sons" (II Chron. 20: 12-13).
This prayer is answered by the prophecy of Jahaziel, whose name means, "God
reveals", who said:
"Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not
your's but God's . . . . . ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye
still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you" (verses 15-17).
Upon hearing these words "Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground:
and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the Lord, worshipping the
Lord" (verse 18).
Once more Jehoshaphat speaks, this time to the people: "Believe in the Lord our God,
so shall ye be established; believe His prophets, so shall ye prosper" (verse 20). Then he
consulted with the people to ascertain their attitude, with the result that singers were