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7 lines
8.3 KiB
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<p>We have here the foregoing prayer answered and the foregoing promise performed, in the total overthrow of the enemies’ forces and the triumph (for so it was rather than a victory) of Jehoshaphat’s forces over them.</p>
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<p class="tab-1">I. Never was army drawn out to the field of battle as Jehoshaphat’s was. He had soldiers <i>ready prepared for war</i> (<a class="bibleref" title="2Chr.17.18" href="/passage/?search=2Chr.17.18">2 Chron. 17:18</a>), but here is no notice taken of their military equipment, their swords or spears, their shields or bows. But Jehoshaphat took care, 1. That faith should be their armour. As they went forth, instead of calling them to handle their arms, and stand to them, to keep ranks, observe orders, and fight valiantly, he bade them <i>believe in the Lord God</i> and give credit to his word in the mouth of his prophets, and assured them that they should <i>prosper</i> and <i>be established</i>, <a class="bibleref" title="2Chr.20.20" href="/passage/?search=2Chr.20.20">2 Chron. 20:20</a>. That is true courage which faith inspires a man with; nor will any thing contribute more to the establishing of the heart in shaking times than a firm belief of the power, and mercy, and promise of God. The heart is <i>fixed</i> that thus <i>trusteth in the Lord</i>, and is kept in perfect peace. In our spiritual conflicts, this is the victory, this is the prosperity, even our faith. 2. That praise and thanksgiving should be their vanguard, <a class="bibleref" title="2Chr.20.21" href="/passage/?search=2Chr.20.21">2 Chron. 20:21</a>. Jehoshaphat called a council of war, and it was resolved to appoint <i>singers to go out before the army</i>, to charge in the front, who had nothing else to do but to praise God, to praise his holiness, which is his beauty, to praise him as they did in the temple (that beauty of holiness) with that ancient and good doxology which eternity itself will not wear thread-bare, <i>Praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth for ever</i>. By this strange advance towards the field of battle, Jehoshaphat intended to express his firm reliance upon the word of God (which enabled him to triumph before the battle), to animate his own soldiers, to confound the enemy, and to engage God on their side; for praise pleases God better than all <i>burnt offering and sacrifice</i>.</p>
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<p class="tab-1">II. Never was army so unaccountably destroyed as that of the enemy; not by thunder, or hail, or the sword of an angel, not by dint of sword, or strength of arm, or any surprising alarm, like that which Gideon gave the Midianites; but the Lord set ambushments against them, either hosts of angels, or, as bishop Patrick thinks, their own ambushments, whom God struck with such confusion that they fell upon their own friends as if they had been enemies, and <i>every one helped to destroy another</i>, so that <i>none escaped</i>. This God did <i>when his people began to sing and to praise</i> (<a class="bibleref" title="2Chr.20.22" href="/passage/?search=2Chr.20.22">2 Chron. 20:22</a>), for he delights to furnish those with <i>matter</i> for praise that have <i>hearts</i> for it. We read of his being <i>angry at the prayers of his people</i> (<a class="bibleref" title="Ps.80.4" href="/passage/?search=Ps.80.4">Ps. 80:4</a>), but never at their <i>praises</i>. When they did but begin the work of praise God perfected the work of their deliverance. What ground there was for their jealousies one of another does not appear, perhaps there was none; but so it was that the Ammonites and the Moabites fell foul upon the Edomites and cut them off, and then they fell out with one another and cut one another off, <a class="bibleref" title="2Chr.20.23" href="/passage/?search=2Chr.20.23">2 Chron. 20:23</a>. Thus God often makes wicked people instruments of destruction to one another; and what alliances can be so firm as to keep those together whom God designs to dash in pieces one against another? See the mischievous consequences of divisions which neither of the contending parties can give any good account of the reason of. Those are wretchedly infatuated, to their ruin, that fall foul upon their friends as if they were enemies.</p>
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<p class="tab-1">III. Never was spoil so cheerfully divided, for Jehoshaphat’s army had nothing to do besides; the rest was done for them. When they came to the view of this vast army, instead of finding living men to fight with, they found them all dead men, and their carcases spread as dung upon the face of the earth, <a class="bibleref" title="2Chr.20.24" href="/passage/?search=2Chr.20.24">2 Chron. 20:24</a>. See how rich God is in mercy to those that call upon him in truth, and how often he out-does him in truth, and how often he out-does the prayers and expectations of his people. Jehoshaphat and his people prayed to be delivered from being spoiled by the enemy; and God not only delivered them, but enriched them with the spoil of the enemy. The plunder of the field was very great and very rich. They found precious jewels with the dead bodies, which yet could not save them from being loathsome carcases. The spoil <i>was more than they could carry away</i> at once, and they were <i>three days in gathering it</i>, <a class="bibleref" title="2Chr.20.25" href="/passage/?search=2Chr.20.25">2 Chron. 20:25</a>. Now it appeared what was God’s end in bringing this great army against Judah; it was to humble them and prove them, that he might <i>do them good in their latter end</i>. It seemed at first a disturbance to their reformation, but it proved a recompence of it.</p>
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<p class="tab-1">IV. Never was victory celebrated with more solemn and enlarged thanksgivings. 1. They kept a day of praise in the camp, before they drew their forces out of the field. Many thanksgivings, no doubt, were offered up to God immediately; but on the fourth day they assembled in a valley, where they blessed God with so much zeal and fervency that that day’s work gave a name to the place, the valley of <i>Berachah</i>, that is, <i>of blessing</i>, <a class="bibleref" title="2Chr.20.26" href="/passage/?search=2Chr.20.26">2 Chron. 20:26</a>. The remembrance of this work of wonder was hereby perpetuated, for the encouragement of succeeding generations to trust in God. 2. Yet they did not think this enough, but came in solemn procession, all in a body, and Jehoshaphat at the head of them, to Jerusalem, that the country, as they passed along, might join with them in their praises, and that they might give thanks for the mercy where they had by prayer obtained it, <i>in the house of the Lord</i>, <a class="bibleref" title="2Chr.20.27,2Chr.20.28" href="/passage/?search=2Chr.20.27,2Chr.20.28"><span class="bibleref" title="2Chr.20.27">2 Chron. 20:27</span>, <span class="bibleref" title="2Chr.20.28">28</span></a>. Praising God must not be the work of a day only; but our praises, when we have received mercy, must be often repeated, as our prayers were when we were in the pursuit of it. Every day we must bless God; as long as we live, and while we have any being, we must praise him, spending our time in that work in which we hope to spend our eternity. Public mercies call for public acknowledgments <i>in the courts of the Lord’s house</i>, <a class="bibleref" title="Ps.116.19" href="/passage/?search=Ps.116.19">Ps. 116:19</a>.</p>
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<p class="tab-1">V. Never did victory turn to a better account than this; for, 1. Jehoshaphat’s kingdom was hereby made to look very great and considerable abroad, <a class="bibleref" title="2Chr.20.29" href="/passage/?search=2Chr.20.29">2 Chron. 20:29</a>. When they heard that God fought thus for Israel, they could not but say, <i>There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun</i>, and <i>Happy a 1b84 rt thou, O Israel</i>! It begat in the neighbours a reverence of God and a cautious fear of doing any injury to his people. It is dangerous fighting against those who have God with them. 2. It was made very easy and quiet at home, <a class="bibleref" title="2Chr.20.30" href="/passage/?search=2Chr.20.30">2 Chron. 20:30</a>. (1.) They were quiet among themselves. Those that were displeased at the destroying of the images and groves were now satisfied, and obliged to own that since the God of Israel could deliver after this sort he only is to be worshipped, in that way only which he himself has appointed. (2.) They were quiet from the fear of insults from their neighbours, God having given them rest round about. And, if he give rest, who can give disturbance?</p>
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