2 Chronicles 20: 24-34
July 26, 2023
The Lord Delivers Judah
When Judah came to the watchtower of the wilderness, they looked toward the horde, and behold, there were dead bodies lying on the ground; none had escaped. When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their spoil, they found among them, in great numbers, goods, clothing, and precious things, which they took for themselves until they could carry no more. They were three days in taking the spoil, it was so much. On the fourth day, they assembled in the Valley of Beracah, for there they blessed the Lord. Therefore, the name of that place has been called the Valley of Beracah to this day. Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat at their head, returning to Jerusalem with joy, for the Lord had made them rejoice over their enemies. They came to Jerusalem with harps and lyres and trumpets, to the house of the Lord. And the fear of God came on all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. So, the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest all around.
Thus, Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. He walked in the way of Asa his father and did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the Lord. The high places, however, were not taken away; the people had not yet set their hearts upon the God of their fathers. Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, from first to last, are written in the chronicles of Jehu the son of Hanani, which are recorded in the Book of the Kings of Israel.
Have you set under a pastor or teacher that said do not fear or be fearful of God, but you should be in awe of Him? Maybe it would be helpful to take a look at who God is: God is One God – Three Persons Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is Creator, Savior, Judge, He is Sovereign, Loving, and Holy. He is Infinite, Self-Existent, Self-Sufficient, and Eternal. He is All-powerful, Ever-Present, and All-knowing. He is Merciful, Faithful, Unchanging, Truthful, Righteous, and Just.
Do you agree with these statements, if so, why?
· To have a healthy, vital growing relationship with God, we must have a realistic picture of who He is.
· What we believe to be true about God’s character is a foundation for the way we live our lives.
· No convictions are more important to victorious living than our view of God
How does what you believe about someone’s character affect how you act toward that person?
I must ask this question, have you any understanding of how Big our God is, He knows your name, the number of hairs in your head, he knows your thoughts, and the words coming from your mouth before they are said, and He saw you before you were and number your days. Yes, you should be in awe of God, but you also should fear Him.
Over 300 times we are told to fear God, not because He is out to get us but because His ways are higher than ours and His thoughts are much higher than ours. When there is that much ink on a subject would it not be worth you spending time asking God to teach you what the fear of the Lord means?
Just a few verses on the fear of the Lord;
Psalm 111:10, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!”
Proverbs 9:10, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
Proverbs 15:33, “The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.”
Job 28:28, “And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding.”
Psalm 25:14, “The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.”
This is my personal conclusion; If one has no fear of God they will not Exalt Him.
Bill and Annabel Gilliam had this council on Exalting God
· I praise You, Lord, for being infinite. You alone have no limits. Even your love, mercy, and forgiveness know no bounds.
· I worship You for being self-existent. You alone are uncreated and have always existed. You are secure, a place of safety in the midst of change and uncertainty.
· I exalt You for being eternal. You alone are beyond time. Your thoughts are never outdated, and Your decrees prove true forever.
· I praise You, Lord, for being self-sufficient. You alone need nothing outside of Yourself.
· Your sufficiency is a storehouse for all who love You. We need only draw upon Your limitless resources.
From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice
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