2 Ch. 20: Jehoshaphat: Moab Buster

2 Chronicles 20:23 "The men of Ammon and Moab rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another."

This is a new story in the life of Jehoshaphat. He gets a lot more ink here in 2 Chronicles than he did back in 1 Kings. There's quite a bit here in chapter 22 of interest. This is a story I hadn't read before this point. 

A vast army was marching toward Israel, and it was made up of the Moabites, Ammonites and Meunites. And these were lands which Jehoshaphat knew were not defeated by Israel, because God didn't allow it at the time. A king that knew his history...pretty sweet. What's more amazing is that Jehoshaphat completely counted on God for this victory, citing that Israel received notice that all they had to do was cry out to God in their distress, and he would hear them. 

What's more distressing than a 3 nation army with you in their crosshairs and you knowing there's no possible way you can defeat them? Jehoshaphat, for the most part, lived in peace, and wasn't a great warrior. In his weakness, he called for the strength of God. And God delivered. He had them march out to the gorge in full battle regalia, and then see what the LORD was going to do. Of course the LORD ambushed them, and the army all turned on themselves, for whatever reason. Well, I know "God did it," but I wonder what their reason was...distrust? Someone badmouthed someone else's god? Who knows, but God seems to have used the simple things like that in order to make big things happen. 

Anyway, another thing about this is that God told Jehoshaphat and his army to go out to "face" this other army. Why would he do that if He was just going to slaughter the enemy to begin with? What must have gone through the minds of the army, of Jehoshaphat, as they prepared for battle? God said He would deliver us...I'll trust him...things like that maybe?

God was praised greatly in this chapter. He was praised before the battle, when the outcome was still unknown (even in God's promising), and He was praised after He had given the victory. Before and after a trial, we have this precedent of praising God for the promise He makes, and for the promise He keeps. Do I?

Then at the end, Jehoshaphat steps into territory he's not good at, such as dealmaking, and he makes some unsuccessful trading ships with Ahaziah...a bad dude. Jehoshaphat should have just kept at what he did best, trusting God.

2 Ki. 3: Moab Rule

2 Kings 3:15 "'But now bring me a harpist.' While the harpist was playing, the hand of the LORD came upon Elisha."

Israel has a new king, and because of this, one of the vassals of Israel, Moab, doesn't believe it needs to continually be forced to supply sheep to them. After all, it was Ahab who had made that deal, and he was dead.

The evil Joram, who replaced Ahab, figured this was a united kingdom effort, so he sent for Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah for his help. Jehoshaphat, still keen on consulting the LORD, asks for a prophet, and Elisha's the guy. Elisha, not surprisingly isn't thrilled about possibly helping Joram, and sarcastically makes his feelings known, suggesting Joram consult his own gods. Finally Elisha relents, and calls for a harpist. Music helped him prophesy? Is that what I am to believe? Did the spirit come upon him from the playing of music?

I always find the prophet's words so interesting:

"This is what the LORD says: Make this valley full of ditches. For this is what the LORD says: You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water, and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink. This is an easy thing in the eyes of the LORD; he will also hand Moab over to you. You will overthrow every fortified city and every major town. You will cut down every good tree, stop up all the springs, and ruin every good field with stones."

The LORD alone has the ability to fill something with water where there is no wind nor rain. It's easy. Nothing is too hard for the LORD. After Moab was spared previously, the LORD instructs the complete destruction.

The ditches must have seemed absurd to Israel at the time, but it was the sunrise over them when the LORD filled them with water that made them look like blood. It was as if Israel had cut gashes into the land, and these gashes would save them. This led Moab to believe Israel and Judah had slaughtered each other. And this makes me wonder. Did they have that reputation at the time that they hated each other? Or at the very least didn't get along?

Another thing. Israel cuts down trees here, yet were commanded not to in Deuteronomy? What's the difference? Conquest vs. Non-conquest?