Feb. 7, 2016: Your Crisis of Belief

Main Text: 2 Chronicles 20:1-30 

Central Truth: God’s invitation for you to work with Him always leads you to a crisis of belief that requires faith and action. 

We all know God loves us, but do we have any fears when it comes to God? 

Today, we are going to ask ourselves if there is anything God could ask us to do that would cause us fear or would lead us to a crisis of belief? 

What is a crisis:  It has come to mean a stage in a sequence of events at which the trend of all future events, especially for better or for worse, is determined; turning point.  Literally the word means “judgment, result of a trial, selection,” from krinein “to separate, decide, judge,” from ancient word *krei- “to sieve, discriminate, distinguish.”   

Set up from previous chapters:  

Excerpts from Chapter 17 & 18: Jehoshaphat his son succeeded him as king and strengthened himself against Israel.  The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the ways of his father David before him.  His heart was devoted to the ways of the Lord; furthermore, he removed the high places and the Ashram poles from Judah.  The fear of the Lord fell on all the kingdoms of the lands surrounding Judah, so that they did not go to war against Jehoshaphat.  Now Jehoshaphat had great wealth and honor, and he allied himself with Ahab of Israel by marriage. Some years later he went down to see Ahab in Samaria. Aha king of Israel asked Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me against Ramoth Gilead? Jehoshaphat replied, “I am as you are, and my people as your people; we will join you in the war.” But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “First seek the counsel of the Lord.”  So the king of Israel brought together the prophets—four hundred men—and asked them. But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no longer a prophet of the Lord here whom we can inquire of?”  The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one prophet through whom we can inquire of the Lord, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” Micaiah predict death for the king of Israel so Ahab has him thrown in jail.  Ahab the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead. The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will enter the battle in disguise, but you wear your royal robes.”  Ahab died as foretold by the prophet of God. 

Read 2 Chronicles 19:1-3

19 When Jehoshaphat king of Judah returned safely to his palace in Jerusalem, 2 Jehu the seer, the son of Hanani, went out to meet him and said to the king, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? Because of this, the wrath of the Lord is on you. 3 There is, however, some good in you, for you have rid the land of the Asherah poles and have set your heart on seeking God.”

According to Jehu, what was negative about King Jehoshaphat, King of Judah? 

Interesting:  Wicked is apparently an adjective of Old English wicca.  Wicca is an Old English masculine noun meaning “male witch, wizard, soothsayer, sorcerer, astrologer, magician;” see witch.  Witch is the Old English wicce “female magician, sorceress,” particularly skilled in the use of drugs, poisons, charms.  

Where is faith placed by those those who seek solutions through drugs, potions, poisons, charms, incantations, and other magic (from Late Latin magic “sorcery, magic”).  

Where is the faith of those who love and have a relationship with the Lord placed? 

Where was the faith of Jehoshapah and the Judahites placed? 

Where was the faith of Ahab and the Israelites placed? 

However, what was the positive about King Jehoshaphat? 

Read 2 Chronicles 19:4-9

4 Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem, and he went out again among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim and turned them back to the Lord, the God of their ancestors. 5 He appointed judges in the land, in each of the fortified cities of Judah. 6 He told them, “Consider carefully what you do, because you are not judging for mere mortals but for the Lord, who is with you whenever you give a verdict. 7 Now let the fear of the Lord be on you. Judge carefully, for with the Lord our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery.”  8 In Jerusalem also, Jehoshaphat appointed some of the Levites, priests and heads of Israelite families to administer the law of the Lord and to settle disputes. And they lived in Jerusalem. 9 He gave them these orders: “You must serve faithfully and wholeheartedly in the fear of the Lord.”

What did the king do in vs. 4? 

Who did he appoint to rule in the fortified cities of Judah? 

What instructions did the king give the judges?   

In vs. 7, how did King Jehoshaphat describe the character of God?

In Jerusalem, who did the king appoint? 

What were their responsibilities? 

What orders did the king give them? 

So according to these scriptures, would you say that King Jehoshaphat is in a “love relationship with the Lord that is real and personal?” 

Read 2 Chronicles 20:1-4

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.

According to these verses, what is the major crisis facing King Jehoshaphat?

What does the king do upon hearing the news of the army approaching? 

What are the instructions given by the king?  

According to vs. 4, what were the people seeking? 

Read 2 Chronicles 20:5-9

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.’

Where did the king go to pray? 

As he begins to pray, how does he describe God? 

In vs. 7, he begins describing the work of God. How has God worked in the past? 

In vs. 9, what have people promised to do? 

What will God do? 

Read 2 Chronicles 20:10-13

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.

According to vs. 12, what does the king want God to do about the approaching army? 

What is King Jehoshaphat’s confession to God? 

Who is standing before the Lord? 

Read 2 Chronicles 20:14-17

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.’”

Who came upon Jahaziel, son of Zechariah? 

What did the Spirit say through Jahaziel (vss. 15-17)? 

What will happen? 

Read 2 Chronicles 20:18-21

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.”

What were King Jehoshaphat’s instructions to the people? 

What were the king’s instructions to some of the men? 

What song did the men sing? 

What is it about the Lord that endures forever?  

Read 2 Chronicles 20:22-30

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[a] 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[b] 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 Lordhad 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.

As the men began to sing, what did God do to the Ammonite, Moabite and Mount Seir armies?  

According to vs. 25, what did the people of Israel receive? 

Who led the victory parade?  

How did they enter Jerusalem? 

Where did they go once in Jerusalem? 

What were they doing at the Temple? 

According to vs. 29-30, what was the result? 

Experiencing God Truth #5 states: God’s invitation for you to work with Him always leads you to a crisis of belief that requires faith and action. 

In the scriptures we read this morning, what was the crisis of belief faced by King Jehoshaphat? 

Have you ever said those words to God? Have you been in a situation where God was the only solution? If so, when? What happened? 

After receiving a word from the Spirit through Jazahiel, what were the actions of faith taken by God’s people?  

Who did the fighting, Israelites or God? 

Are there any decisions you are currently wrestling? What are they? 

Do you have hesitations or excuses? If so, what do they reveal about your belief in God? 

Is there anything God is calling you to do that will be impossible to accomplish unless God intervenes?

Anything in our church that will be impossible to accomplish unless God intervenes?