THESE words were uttered by King Jehoshaphat to God at a critical moment in the history of his kingdom. “The children of Moab and the children of Ammon, and with them other beside the Ammonites” had entered into a confederacy against Judah. When news was brought to Jehoshaphat that a great multitude was coming against him he was deeply moved but though fear took possession of him it did not unman nor make him blind to his duty in the critical situation in which he found himself and his nation. In keeping with his trust in Jehovah he proclaimed a fast throughout Judah. The royal proclamation was speedily responded to. In the words of the sacred narrative—“Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the Lord: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.” Among his people stood Jehoshaphat and never did he appear more kingly than when he poured out his heart to God on behalf of his people. It is a beautiful prayer in which faith, entreaty, a consciousness of the desperate nature of their situation combined with a firm belief that the Lord’s power was sufficient to effect deliverance, all had their place. It was no ordinary situation in which Jehoshaphat and the nation found themselves. No outrage from their perilous position could be seen. Their resources were not sufficient neither was their wisdom capable of delivering them out of their difficulties. The whole situation as far as human help was concerned was strikingly summed up in the words: “Neither know we what to do.” There are situations which arise at times in the history of nations, churches, and individuals, that baffle all efforts of human power and skill and as these may confront us at any moment it is well we should consider the manner in which Jehoshaphat as the leader of his people conducted himself at this critical juncture in his nation’s history.
1. He called for a public fast
and the royal summons was heartily responded to—”Judah gathered together to ask help of the Lord even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.” This was no half-hearted response on the part of the people. They came up to Jerusalem with a definite purpose to ask help of the Lord. This was a good beginning and the Lord in whom they trusted was not appealed to in vain. This threat of invasion was too serious to be taken lightly and the people humbled themselves before God and called upon His name for help.
2. The King in his own name and in the name of his people
(“all Judah stood before the Lord with their little ones, their wives and their children”) prayed to God, the God of their fathers, the sovereign ruler in heaven and over all the kingdoms of the earth, the God in whose hand there was such power and might that none was able to stand against Him. In the hour of their need he is encouraged to plead in view of what God did for them in the past—”Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend forever?” Then comes the final petitions so full of the consciousness of their own helplessness—”O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do” (II. Chron. xx. 12). There is a striking similarity between these words and those of his father Asa’s when confronted with the might of the Ethiopian host—”Lord it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power; help us, O Lord our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O Lord, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee” (II. Chron. xiv. 11). Happy was the kingdom that had such kings who prayed as Asa and Jehoshaphat did in the time of dire distress!
3. Jehoshaphat, after encouragement from Jahaziel upon whom the Spirit of the Lord came, instructed the people how to go out to meet their adversaries.
In a few noble sentences he says to them: “Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe His prophets, so shall ye prosper.” He then appointed singers unto the Lord to praise the beauty of holiness and to say: “Praise the Lord; for His mercy endureth forever.” Thus fortified in their faith and with these words ringing in their ears the army of Judah went forth to meet their enemies. Perhaps no military force ever faced a formidable enemy so poorly equipped in the eyes of the world but to them it was given to witness one of the most complete and bloodless victories recorded in the annals of war. They saw fulfilled the words of the Lord addressed to them by Jahaziel: “Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours but God’s.” The confederate armies, through some misunderstanding brought about by the overruling providence of God, turned on one another. “For the children of Ammon,” so reads the sacred narrative, “and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir every one helped to destroy another.” The victory was complete—“none escaped”—yet the men of Judah had not to draw a sword.
This incident in a critical time in Judah’s history has its own lessons for nations, churches, and individuals. There are times when nations, churches, and individuals are brought to their wits’ end when the situation in which they find themselves is fitly expressed in Jehoshaphat’s words: “Neither know we what to do.” As we take a survey of our own national affairs at the present time well may our statesmen say after the use of the means that their own policies suggested and which have utterly failed—”neither know we what to do.” The plight of the country with its millions of unemployed and the utter failure of all the remedies suggested by Socialists, Liberals, Conservatives, and Empire Crusaders clearly proclaims that the case has reached a stage when it would be wise for our King, his counsellors, and the people of this nation to adopt Jehoshaphat’s method.
Take again the professing Church how desperate is its present state. In the highest places of honour are men who are disloyal to the doctrines they have solemnly promised to maintain and defend. In the ordinary affairs of life most of these men would scorn to defraud or cheat or sail under false colours but in the things of God they have consciences whose elasticity is in inverse ratio to the importance of the truths they profess. Then again there is the question of non-church going which has assumed extraordinary dimensions. In England it is said only 20 per cent. of the population attend church; that is, out of a population roughly reckoned at forty millions only about eight millions attend church. We have not the figures for Scotland but we may reckon that the proportion is somewhat similar. The Church of Scotland is endeavouring to tackle the problem by its much talked of and much advertised “Forward Movement.” If the leaders of that Church would only begin a mass “Backward Movement” to the “first works” (Rev. ii. 5) there would be more hope for a brighter religious day for Scotland. As it is, the professing Church in this land is beset with the dangerous teaching of Evolution and Higher Criticism, while the enemy is knocking at our gates and demanding of us that we lower the banner of truth and give more place to the twin gods Mammon and Pleasure. The opposition is formidable and it is neither politic nor prudent to under rate the resources and determination of our enemies. If the consciousness of our weakness drives us to the God to whom Jehoshaphat appealed in the day of trouble and appealed not in vain it will be a salutary experience for us.
Again, in the history of individuals circumstances arise at times which are so difficult to surmount that all our ingenuity and wisdom becomes bankrupt. It is with such situations Thomas Boston deals in his famous and most valuable book—The Crook in the Lot. There are some difficulties we can by patience and wisdom unravel but there are others and no words so fitly express our feelings as those of Jehoshaphat—“Neither know we what to do.” These may come with a sudden and unexpected onrush so that we are overwhelmed by the impact. To all who find themselves in such situations the conduct of Jehoshaphat has its own precious lessons. It is not the first time the Lord levelled mountains and raised valleys, dried up rivers and made rocks to yield water, and what He did in the past He is able to do again. Only let us remember the words addressed to the army of Judah: “Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe His prophets so shall ye prosper.” We cannot of ourselves beget this faith or exercise it any time we please but God the Holy Spirit can work such a faith in our hearts and then we will go into the conflict singing to the Lord. Some are, as yet, only girding on the armour and know not the strenuousness of the conflict; others are, it may be at present, in the thick of the battle, and are wondering what the issue will be; others, again, are nearing the end and will soon be putting off their armour; but at whatever stage we may be there is precious instruction in this account of Judah’s deliverance at a critical hour in her history.
Behold in the leper (Matt. viii. 3) the true picture of our pollution in sin, and of Christ’s compassionate heart towards us. So foul and abominable are we, so ready is he to put forth his helping hand, and so powerful is the touch of it for our cleansing. Vile man! blessed Jesus! is the sum of all Scripture!
—Adam.