Disciples take God and His Word seriously by obeying it (and Him)
It is time to bring one church year to a close and start a new one with the onset of Advent, a season of anticipating the coming of Jesus. The church year is set up to begin and end with the end in mind: The coming of Jesus to restore all things.
In a convenient stroke of suitability, thanksgiving also happens to fall around this time. It gives us an opportunity to thank God for his blessings that come to us through Jesus Christ our Lord. We are going to have a week of thanksgiving to transition with an attitude of gratitude for Father God, Jesus and the Spirit for Their kindness, mercy and love.
2 Chronicles 20:1-32
Jehoshaphat Defeats Moab and Ammon
Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever.
~ 2 Chronicles 20:21
1 After this, the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to wage war against Jehoshaphat.
2 Some people came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Dead Sea. It is already in Hazezon Tamar” (that is, En Gedi). 3 Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. 4 The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him.
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:
“Lord, the God of our ancestors, 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 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 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 on you.”
13 All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the Lord.
14 Then the Spirit of the Lord came on 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.
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. 16 Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. 17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’”
18 Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord. 19 Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.
20 Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.” 21 After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying:
“Give thanks to the Lord,
for his love endures forever.”
22 As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. 23 The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another.
24 When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped. 25 So Jehoshaphat and his men went to carry off their plunder, and they found among them a great amount of equipment and clothing and also articles of value—more than they could take away. There was so much plunder that it took three days to collect it. 26 On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berakah, where they praised the Lord. This is why it is called the Valley of Berakah to this day.
27 Then, led by Jehoshaphat, all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned joyfully to Jerusalem, for the Lord had given them cause to rejoice over their enemies. 28 They entered Jerusalem and went to the temple of the Lord with harps and lyres and trumpets.
29 The fear of God came on all the surrounding kingdoms when they heard how the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. 30 And the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side.
The End of Jehoshaphat’s Reign
31 So Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king of Judah, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi. 32 He followed the ways of his father Asa and did not stray from them; he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord.
• In Christ, I give thanks to the Father God because His love endures forever.
Pondering Point
Do not skip this. It gives you AMAZING context to these words shared in the midst of a battle during the reign of King Jehoshaphat, one of the good kings that reigned over God’s people, doing “what was right in the eyes of the Lord” (2 Chronicles 20:32).
Prayer for the Day
Thank you Father God for Your love that has sustained me through the years, including this past week. Thank You for Your love that blesses and fills this week including the day of “Thanksgiving”. And thank You for every week I’m enabled to experience before coming home to You; I know that You will leave no part untouched by Your eternal love.
In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
My Gratitude Journal
Men’s Group to Arbor Ridge
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Hope has a long-standing men’s group that meets on 1st and 3rd Tuesday evenings. Outside those days, we look for ways to serve in the community or church.
With our church being a faith-partner to Arbor Ridge School (K-8), we get invited to help celebrate the teachers and staff during teacher appreciation week. In what has become greatly anticipated by staff, Hope’s men provide a cookout style luncheon – burgers and/or hot dogs (with vegan options to boot). It is a great opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the teachers, many of whom have sent their own children through Hope’s Preschool.
Since I am not a cookout connoisseur (there’s a understatement), my role is “go-fer” and hang around the teachers lounge with the food layout – and, well, talking. Of course, there is a fair share of listening also. In this event, there is great joy in serving – and for the staff recipients, joy in being served. It is one of those classic win-wins.
This is just one of the myriad ways that God, through teachers, staff and partners, can bless a public school.