Our Eyes Are Upon You

“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. See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance. 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.” (2 Chronicles 20:10-12, NIV 1984).

My Musings – When king Asa died, his son Jehoshaphat succeeded him as king of Judah. “The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because in his early years he walked in the ways his father David had followed. He did not consult the Baals but sought the God of his father and followed his commands rather than the practices of Israel. His heart was devoted to the ways of the Lord; furthermore, he removed the high places and the Asherah poles from Judah.” (2 Chronicles 17:3-4, 6, NIV 1984).

In those “early years,” “Jehoshaphat became more and more powerful; he built forts and store cities in Judah and had large supplies in the towns of Judah. He also kept experienced fighting men in Jerusalem.”(2 Chronicles 17:12-13, NIV 1984). And “because the Lord was with Jehoshaphat,” “the fear of the Lord fell on all the kingdoms of the lands surrounding Judah, so that they did not make war with Jehoshaphat.” (2 Chronicles 17:10, NIV 1984).

But later on “the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to make war on Jehoshaphat. Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, ‘A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Sea. It is already in Hazazon Tamar’ (that is, En Gedi). Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah.” (2 Chronicles 20:1-3, NIV 1984). This is what caused Jehosaphat to cry out to the Lord. Whatever the cause Jehosaphat had apparently ceased to “[become] more and more powerful” and now “[had] no power to face this vast army.” He did “not know what to do,” but he knew where to look.

And God responded. “The Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah. 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. Tomorrow march down against them. 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.'” (2 Chronicles 20:14a, 15-16a, 17, NIV 1984).

God caused the enemies to rise up and fight each other. “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.” (1 Chronicles 20:24, NIV 1984). A “vast army,” apparently too large to number. Not one enemy was left alive, and the army of Judah “did not have to fight.” There was “more [plunder] than they could take away…so much plunder that it took three days to collect it.” (2 Chronicles 20:25, NIV 1984).

My Advice – Today, “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12, NIV 1984). Therefore, “we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5, NIV 1984).

We may be asked to “march [out] against them” in full battle gear. “With the belt of truth buckled around [our] waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, [taking] up the shield of faith, with which [we] can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. [Taking] the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Ephesians 6:14-17, NIV 1984).

Like Jehosaphat did before marching out to meet the vast army coming against him, we must “pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” (Ephesians 6:18a, NIV 1984). Perhaps our greatest weapon. And after having done all this, don’t be surprised that all we have to do is “stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give [us].” In the meantime, an in the between time, “be alert and always keep on praying.” (Ephesians 6:18b, NIV 1984). For, “[our] enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” (1 Peter 5:8-9, NIV 1984).