Protection of the Lord

Synopsis     2Chron 17:3-18     3/25/2020 

After King Asa died, Jehoshaphat, his son, ascended the throne.   

King Jehoshaphat was compared favorably to his ancestor King David. Because of his devotion to the Lord, God made the kingdom of Judah secure. And the people so revered Jehoshapaht that they voluntarily gave him gifts. 

One of Jehoshaphat’s most remarkable initiatives involved assembling a group of Levites and priest. Once assembled, he sent this hand-picked group of men from city to city. As they traveled throughout the country, the stopped in the cities to teach the people about the law of Moses.  

King Jehoshaphat led the people in the fear of the Lord. And he devoted himself to protecting the people from the surrounding nations. So, he built a large, skilled standing army. As a result, all of the nations around Judah feared them. Some even sent tribute gifts. But none pursued war.  

Protection of the Lord 

Jehoshaphat believed that God would protect the Israelites as long as they were faithful to God. Like David his forefather, he understood that faith in God was the foundation of every good thing that might come to the nation.  

Faith of Our Fathers 

The faith of our fathers was like that of Jehoshaphat. And it was like that of his fathers. It was like that of David, and Ruth, and Judah, and Abraham. 

And the crux of it was that God is the one doing the work. So, He is the one who causes peace and war. And, He is the one who gives and takes away.  

He, alone, does the work. But He does these things in accordance with a true and ultimate movement towards the good. And when he moves, the movement is irresistible.  

It really is like a wave on the ocean. All I can do is experience what He’s doing. I might get on top of the wave and ride. Or, I might resist it and get smashed to the floor of the sea.  

But I’ll never control the wave. Still, as long as I live, He will never stop working through me.  

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so no one may boast. For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them.” Eph 2:8-10