Jehoshaphat’s Prayer
This post will be about King Jehoshaphat of Judah. We will be discussing his prayer and God’s response.
Before we begin with that, I’ll start with some history about Jehoshaphat and his reign as king.
Jehoshaphat was the son of King Asa. He came into power after his father’s death. His life story can be found in 1 Kings 22:41-50 and 2 Chronicles 17-21.
After Jehoshaphat came into power, he did many spiritual and legislative reforms (see below).
2 Chronicles 17:6 - “And his heart took delight in the ways of the LORD; moreover he removed the high places and wooden images from Judah”
1 Kings 22:46 - “And the rest of the perverted persons, who remained in the days of his father Asa, he banished from the land.”
This is referring to the practice of prostitution that was rampant in Judah
2 Chronicles 17:7-9 - “Also in the third year of his reign he sent his leaders, Ben-Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Michaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah. And with them he sent Levites: Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tobadonijah—the Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, the priests. So they taught in Judah, and had the Book of the Law of the Lord with them; they went throughout all the cities of Judah and taught the people.”
After removing idolatry and prostitution from Judah, Jehoshaphat proceeded to teach people the word of God
2 Chronicles 19:5-7 - “ Then he set judges in the land throughout all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city, and said to the judges, “Take heed to what you are doing, for you do not judge for man but for the Lord, who is with you in the judgment. Now therefore, let the fear of the Lord be upon you; take care and do it, for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, no partiality, nor taking of bribes.”
Jehoshaphat also instituted and maintained efficient courts based on God’s word and His will.
Jehoshaphat’s peaceful reign didn’t last. The Edomites, Moabites, and Ammonites came against him in battle (found in 2 Chronicles 20:1, 20). When this happened, he called for a national day of fasting and prayer in Judah. In this post, we will examine his prayer.
2 Chronicles 20: 5-12
(vs. 5) Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court,
(vs. 6) and said: “O Lord God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You?
(vs. 7) Are You not our God, who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel, and gave it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever?
(vs. 8) And they dwell in it, and have built You a sanctuary in it for Your name, saying,
(vs. 9) ‘If disaster comes upon us—sword, judgment, pestilence, or famine—we will stand before this temple and in Your presence (for Your name is in this temple), and cry out to You in our affliction, and You will hear and save.’
(vs. 10) And now, here are the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir—whom You would not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them and did not destroy them—
(vs. 11) here they are, rewarding us by coming to throw us out of Your possession which You have given us to inherit.
(vs. 12) O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”
Jehoshaphat started by remembering the greatness of God. This is seen in verses 6-9.
He recognized God’s power and sovereignty over heaven and all the nations. Other pagan religions believed their gods were specific to a nation or region. Our God is the God of all nations of the earth and Jehoshaphat remembered that.
Also seen in Matthew 28:18 - And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
He remembered God’s covenant with His people. Jehoshaphat reasoned that if God did great works for His people in the past, He could definitely do so again in their time of need.
He also remembers and quotes God’s promises to His people and specifically to Solomon when the Temple was built.
2 Chronicles 6:20-25 - “ that Your eyes may be open toward this temple day and night, toward the place where You said You would put Your name, that You may hear the prayer which Your servant makes toward this place. And may You hear the supplications of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and when You hear, forgive. “If anyone sins against his neighbor, and is forced to take an oath, and comes and takes an oath before Your altar in this temple, then hear from heaven, and act, and judge Your servants, bringing retribution on the wicked by bringing his way on his own head, and justifying the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness. “Or if Your people Israel are defeated before an enemy because they have sinned against You, and return and confess Your name, and pray and make supplication before You in this temple, then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and bring them back to the land which You gave to them and their fathers.
After remembering God’s greatness, Jehoshaphat prayed for his needs. This is seen in verses 10 and 11.
He prayed with knowledge of God’s word. He asked that God would not reward their past obedience with destruction and suffering. When the Israelites left Egypt and traveled to the Promised Land, God did not allow them to invade these nations.
Jehoshaphat prays in this manner because he feels that it would be unjust to allow those same nations who were spared previously to now be allowed to destroy Judah.
After this, Jehoshaphat concludes his prayer with his full dependance on God. This is seen in verse 12.
Jehoshaphat is a king standing before his people having this open conversation and prayer to God, stating bluntly that he doesn’t have the answers. His only course of action was to trust in God to protect Judah.
Jehoshaphat did his earthly preparations for war - forces in fortified cities and garrisons in Judah. He built fortresses and storage cities, as well as had a strong army. Even though he had these physical supports, Jehoshaphat depended on God.