O Lord God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You? Are You not our God, who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel, and gave it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever? … We have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You. 2 Chronicles 20:6–7, 12
The events of this text happened around 850 BC, during the reign of Jehosphat in Judah, probably just after the death of Ahab in Israel. The conflict Judah was facing was the first with which they had been threatened in quite some time, for “the land was quiet” (2 Chronicles 14:1) during most of the 41 years of Asa, Jehoshaphat’s father. This period of peace continued through much of the reign of Jehoshaphat. In this text, Judah is being threatened by the Moabites, the Ammonites, and the Edomites, who have joined forces against them. Realizing that this force is too great for them to overcome by their own power, the king assembles Judah for prayer, not knowing what to do. Most of us can sympathize, having found ourselves in situations in which we didn’t know what to do. What can we do in these situations?
What did other faithful men and women do in the past? When Joseph was sold by his own brothers into slavery, he was faithful in all his dealings with his captors and his fellow prisoners, and God exalted him above all Egypt in time. With the sea before him and the Egyptians behind him, Moses found himself at the head of a band of disorganized, unarmed, and desperate fugitives, but when he looked to God for salvation, God showed it to him. When David was running for his life from Saul and was betrayed even by the people of his own tribe, he poured out his heart to his God, in Whom he found deliverance and by Whom he was exalted over all his people. When Hezekiah heard the threats from the king of the mighty Assyrian empire, he took the matter to the Most High, and God promised him protection and made the promise good. It is comforting to know that, even when we don’t know what to do, God does, and we can always rely on Him to bring us safely through.
What did Jehoshaphat do when he didn’t know what to do? First, he assembled all of God’s people to pray (2 Chronicles 20:3–4). Too often we choose to retreat into isolation in times of distress instead of surrounding ourselves with brethren who would offer their prayers and support. Next he prayed for God’s assistance (vv 5–12). Many heavy hearts have been lightened by an hour in prayer, and the king recognized that he and his people had no strength against this enemy. We must never under-estimate the power of prayer. After this, the king patiently waited for heaven’s response, which echoed that given to Moses by the sea: “Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.... You will not need to fight in this battle.... Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord” (vv 15, 17). Encouraged by God’s revelation and the king’s faith, the people worshiped as they saw the enemy approaching (vv 20–21), and as they did, they saw their enemies turn upon one another (vv 22–23). When the battle ended, God gave the spoil to the Jews in quantities so great that it took them three days to carry it all away (vv 24–25)!
In times of greatest distress, sorrow, and fear, we can see God’s power and benevolence greater than at any other time. They are times like these when we learn how dependent we are on our God. When the time comes that you find yourself powerless and just don’t know what to do, don’t let the power of the storm (Matthew 14:30) or the noise of the battle overthrow you, but put your eyes upon the Lord; He is still able to deliver thee!