Friday, October 27, 2006

What Now?

5 Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD before the new court, 6 and he said, "O LORD, the God of our fathers, (A) are You not God in the heavens? And (B) are You not ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand so that no one can stand against You.

7 "Did You not, O our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel and (C) give it to the descendants of (D) Abraham Your friend forever?

8 "They have lived in it, and have built You a sanctuary there for Your name, saying, 9 '(E) Should evil come upon us, the sword, or judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and before You (for (F) Your name is in this house) and cry to You in our distress, and You will hear and deliver us.'

10 "Now behold, (G) the sons of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, (H) whom You did not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt (they turned aside from them and did not destroy them), 11 see how they are rewarding us by (I) coming to drive us out from Your possession which You have given us as an inheritance.

12 "O our God, (J)will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but (K) our eyes are on You."

13 All Judah was standing before the LORD, with their infants, their wives and their children.

14 Then in the midst of the assembly (L) the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, the Levite of the sons of Asaph; 15 and he said, "Listen, all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: thus says the LORD to you, '(M) Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for (N) the battle is not yours but God's.

16 'Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley in front of the wilderness of Jeruel.

17 'You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, (O) stand and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem ' Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, (P) for the LORD is with you."

-II Chronicles 20:5-17