Jehoshaphat: The power of worship
And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem bowed before the Lord, worshipping the Lord. Then the Levites of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with voices loud and high (2 Chronicles 20:18-19).
Sounds are extraordinary. Each morning, at this time of year, I hear my blackbird singing in our garden. Throughout the world there are the sounds of the tiniest creatures, animals in all their diversity, wind rushing through the trees, waves crashing on the seashore, and mighty thunder – all sounds expressing the abundance of life on our planet, amidst the quietness of the universe. And there is the singing of human beings. Why is song so important to humans? Why in concerts and festivals do people participate with great skill and ability, and why do those who are tone-deaf joyfully join in? It is because God made us to sing. Today people sing all kinds of songs in all kinds of ways. But eternity will be filled with the sound of singing the like of which we cannot imagine, in eternal response to eternal love. And we shall be in that chorus.
But when Jehoshaphat bowed his head to the ground, it was not to sing; it was the silence of a heart overcome by the greatness of God. From that holy silence, praise emerged with “voices loud and high”. The praise of the Levites led to Jehoshaphat’s encouragement of his people: “Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.” The king stirred his people to believe in their God and His servants. The faith of Jehoshaphat was remarkable. What king would prepare to meet a vast army ready to invade his kingdom by appointing singers to lead his army whilst singing to the Lord? A king who believed what God had said! Jehoshaphat did not lead His army into battle but in a parade to celebrate God’s victory:
“Give thanks to the LORD,
for His steadfast love endures forever” (v. 21, ESV).
The beginning of the singing marked the moment of God’s intervention and the destruction of armies that had come to invade Judah. Their destruction was similar, but more complete, to what the Midianites suffered in Gideon’s day (vv. 22-23). When Judah arrived, the battle was over. Instead of Judah being plundered, the wealth of their defeated enemies was left for them to freely take, just as when the Children of Israel had plundered the Egyptians on the night God redeemed them from slavery. After three days collecting the riches left to them, they blessed the Lord in the Valley of Berachah (“Blessings”). Then Jehoshaphat had the joy of leading His people home to the house of God and with an explosion of praise. The surrounding kingdoms heard that God had defeated Israel’s enemies, and the “realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest all around” (v. 30).
Victorious Christian living begins in the presence of God. Worship increases our faith and gives us the power to overcome all the challenges we face through the Son of God, who loved us and gave Himself for us (Galatians 2:20). This is the faith that overcomes the world (1 John 5:4). The casting of our care on our Saviour is an act of faith. God’s response in making our battles His own demonstrates His steadfast love. How much during the pandemic we have missed singing “loud and high”? But God can hear the praises that rise quietly from the hearts of those who worship and live for Him. And we must never forget:
“The Lord your God in your midst,
The Mighty One, will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing” (Zephaniah 3:17).
