2Ch 20:14 | KingComments | STEP | The answer of the LORD comes. He sends His Spirit in the midst of the church. He does not send His Spirit on Jehoshaphat, which we might expect, but on Jahaziel, a Levite from the sons of Asaph ( ). The Spirit is free in choosing His instrument to reveal the will of God. Jahaziel will not have been “overwhelmed” by the fact that the Spirit comes upon him. That he is one of Asaph’s sons indicates that he is a singer. His task is to praise the LORD. This activity is a good preparation to be used by the Spirit for the benefit of God’s people in the midst of which he is. The message that Jahaziel has for people and king is an encouragement ( ). He asks for special attention for it with the word “listen”. It is a word from the LORD Himself. The encouragement is that they do not have to be impressed by the enemy’s great multitude, because they do not have to fight against them themselves. God will fight for them. So they should not compare the power of the enemy with their own power, but with the power of God. Then the enemy pales into insignificance. That the battle is not of the people, but of God, goes like a chorus through the Old Testament. We hear it from the mouth of Moses when the people are at the Red Sea ( ) and then we hear it from the mouth of David when he is opposite Goliath ( ). Now we hear it here when Jehoshaphat is facing a great hostile army. For us it is also the case. We can only fight the good fight if we realize that it is actually the Lord’s fight. Therefore the armor of God is also given to us for our battle ( ). Jahaziel says what has to be done ( ). God can defeat the enemy in many ways. However, he chooses a way that makes it clear to His people that the victory is His work. Jahaziel tells the people what they should do. They have to go down to the enemy tomorrow. He informs the people where the enemy is now and where the enemy will be tomorrow. God knows every movement of the enemy and also the way he goes. This a great encouragement for His people to entrust themselves to Him for the battle. So God tells His people today through people whom He makes capable of doing so, where the enemy is, where they should be careful not to fall into a spiritual trap. The place where Jehoshaphat and the people will find the enemies is “at the end of the valley”. It points out that humiliation and acknowledgment of one’s own incapacity, of which the valley is a picture, will end in a victory for the people. The meeting with the enemies is not meant to wage a battle with them ( ). Once again Jahaziel points out that the people should not fight in this war. They just have to station, stand, and watch. In this way they can learn how God intervenes for His people. He will make them see His salvation. His salvation is with them, with Judah and Jerusalem. There is no reason for fear and dismay, which may be imposed on them when they think that they will come face to face with the enemy. They can go up against the enemy without fear, “for the LORD is with you”. And what is there to fear or be dismayed about when He is with us? The word of the prophet has a wonderful effect on Jehoshaphat and the people. They are deeply impressed by the word of the LORD. They all fall down before the LORD and worship Him ( ). Here is nothing to be found of an unconsciously ‘falling in the Spirit’. Such a thing cannot be found anywhere in Scripture. What happens here is done consciously by every person present. While Jehoshaphat and the people are in worship before the LORD, “the Levites, from the sons of the Kohathites and of the sons of the Korahites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel, with a very loud voice” ( ). The Kohathites are Levites whose task is to take care of the most holy things ( ). The Korahites are descendants of the Kohathites ( ; ). Korah rebelled against the LORD and is judged ( ), but grace spared some children of Korah ( ). Those who know the holy of holies (descendants of Kohath) and those who know what grace is (descendants of Korah) realize in this situation that it is appropriate to praise the LORD “with a very loud voice”. The prayer meeting has been changed into a praise, and this without any enemy being defeated. What a just and wonderful tribute to Him Who is worthy of all honor and Who is most honored when we honor Him for what is yet to come.

‏ 2 Chronicles 20:14

Answer of the LORD

The answer of the LORD comes. He sends His Spirit in the midst of the church. He does not send His Spirit on Jehoshaphat, which we might expect, but on Jahaziel, a Levite from the sons of Asaph (2Chr 20:14). The Spirit is free in choosing His instrument to reveal the will of God.

Jahaziel will not have been “overwhelmed” by the fact that the Spirit comes upon him. That he is one of Asaph’s sons indicates that he is a singer. His task is to praise the LORD. This activity is a good preparation to be used by the Spirit for the benefit of God’s people in the midst of which he is.

The message that Jahaziel has for people and king is an encouragement (2Chr 20:15). He asks for special attention for it with the word “listen”. It is a word from the LORD Himself. The encouragement is that they do not have to be impressed by the enemy’s great multitude, because they do not have to fight against them themselves. God will fight for them. So they should not compare the power of the enemy with their own power, but with the power of God. Then the enemy pales into insignificance.

That the battle is not of the people, but of God, goes like a chorus through the Old Testament. We hear it from the mouth of Moses when the people are at the Red Sea (Exo 14:14) and then we hear it from the mouth of David when he is opposite Goliath (1Sam 17:47). Now we hear it here when Jehoshaphat is facing a great hostile army. For us it is also the case. We can only fight the good fight if we realize that it is actually the Lord’s fight. Therefore the armor of God is also given to us for our battle (Eph 6:10-18).

Jahaziel says what has to be done (2Chr 20:16). God can defeat the enemy in many ways. However, he chooses a way that makes it clear to His people that the victory is His work. Jahaziel tells the people what they should do. They have to go down to the enemy tomorrow. He informs the people where the enemy is now and where the enemy will be tomorrow. God knows every movement of the enemy and also the way he goes.

This a great encouragement for His people to entrust themselves to Him for the battle. So God tells His people today through people whom He makes capable of doing so, where the enemy is, where they should be careful not to fall into a spiritual trap. The place where Jehoshaphat and the people will find the enemies is “at the end of the valley”. It points out that humiliation and acknowledgment of one’s own incapacity, of which the valley is a picture, will end in a victory for the people.

The meeting with the enemies is not meant to wage a battle with them (2Chr 20:17). Once again Jahaziel points out that the people should not fight in this war. They just have to station, stand, and watch. In this way they can learn how God intervenes for His people. He will make them see His salvation. His salvation is with them, with Judah and Jerusalem. There is no reason for fear and dismay, which may be imposed on them when they think that they will come face to face with the enemy. They can go up against the enemy without fear, “for the LORD is with you”. And what is there to fear or be dismayed about when He is with us?

The word of the prophet has a wonderful effect on Jehoshaphat and the people. They are deeply impressed by the word of the LORD. They all fall down before the LORD and worship Him (2Chr 20:18). Here is nothing to be found of an unconsciously ‘falling in the Spirit’. Such a thing cannot be found anywhere in Scripture. What happens here is done consciously by every person present.

While Jehoshaphat and the people are in worship before the LORD, “the Levites, from the sons of the Kohathites and of the sons of the Korahites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel, with a very loud voice” (2Chr 20:19). The Kohathites are Levites whose task is to take care of the most holy things (Num 4:4). The Korahites are descendants of the Kohathites (Num 16:1; 1Chr 6:38). Korah rebelled against the LORD and is judged (Num 16:1-2 ; 31-33), but grace spared some children of Korah (Num 26:11). Those who know the holy of holies (descendants of Kohath) and those who know what grace is (descendants of Korah) realize in this situation that it is appropriate to praise the LORD “with a very loud voice”.

The prayer meeting has been changed into a praise, and this without any enemy being defeated. What a just and wonderful tribute to Him Who is worthy of all honor and Who is most honored when we honor Him for what is yet to come.