2nd.: Jehoshaphat’s Prayer for Help, Part1
The Moabites were coming. The Moabites were coming.
They had a massive army. What could King Jehoshaphat do?
After fasting, Jehoshaphat began his request to the Lord,
“O Lord God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven, and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen.
And in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand?
Art not thou our God, who did drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel,
and gave it to the seed of Abraham thy friend forever?
And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying,
‘If, when evil comes upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, and we stand before this house,
and in thy presence, (for thy name is in this house), and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear, and help.’” (2nd Chr. 20:6-9).
This part of the prayer is preparatory. Jehoshaphat is relaying to God, what he had heard about God, namely:
1) God’s unbeatable might and authority
2) God’s interaction with human (specifically, Israeli) history
3) God’s willingness to help the Israelites in time of trouble.
Jehoshaphat had read about these events, but he had not yet personally seen God’s intervening hand.
Jehoshaphat insecurely approached the Lord, to see if what he had read in the bible, can actually be counted on for help.
If you need help, draw near to the Lord, do it.
“Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief.” (Mark 9:24b)