2 Chronicles 20:1-37 - Homiletics

The last chapter in Jehoshaphat's career.

The aspects in which the character of Jehoshaphat offers itself to our view, in the last seen of him, are now to be considered. Few men there are who bear themselves well in prosperity, especially if the prosperity be great; and many there are who fail to submit well to the discipline of adversity. Of this latter weakness of human nature it can scarcely be said that Jehoshaphat was an illustration. The punishment that had been foretold, that solemn consequence, at any rate, of "helping the ungodly, and loving them that hate the Lord; therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord" ( 2 Chronicles 19:2 ), now impended; and almost the entirety of what remains to be recorded respecting Jehoshaphat is occupied with the subject in this chapter, of the manner in which Jehoshaphat met his evil days. He did not defy them, he did not aggravate them, he did not make them a case of hopeless repining; he met them in a calm, brave, religious spirit. The indications and the proofs of this are noticeable as follows.

I. THE ALARM OF WHAT WAS COMING IS ATTENDED TO AT ONCE , AND IS AT ONCE PREPARED FOR . ( 2 Chronicles 20:1-4 .)

II. THE IMMEDIATE FIRST PREPARATION IS THE RESORT TO PRAYER . In the presence of all "the congregation of Judah and Benjamin, in the house of the Lord," when "all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives, and their children" ( 2 Chronicles 20:5 , 2 Chronicles 20:13 ), prayer is made to God—prayer that recounts his great attributes; that claims his Fatherhood as vouchsafed by promise and covenant of old; that rehearses his mighty works; that lays faith's clinging hold upon the comparatively recently built and consecrated and dedicated temple, with all that it involved; that finds an argument, even, in the specially ungrateful turpitude of the foe, who now is the attacking party; and that closes with an unreserved and a beautiful expression of confidence in God and utter self-distrust ( 2 Chronicles 20:5-12 ).

III. THE PROMISE , BY WHICH THAT PRAYER IS ANSWERED , IS TAKEN HOLD OF , IS GRATEFULLY GRASPED , IS UNFALTERINGLY BELIEVED . The promise is a very gracious one, a most liberal one, conveyed in a very inspiriting and encouraging manner, and Jehoshaphat is overwhelmed with the impression of it ( 2 Chronicles 20:18 ).

IV. JEHOSHAPHAT AND THE PEOPLE AND THE LEVITES , ALL WITH ONE ACCORD ACCEPT IT WITH SUCH FAITH , THAT JOY AND PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING ARE ALL RENDERED BY ANTICIPATION . ( 2 Chronicles 20:14-19 .) The inspired Levite had communicated the promise, and had added to it all encouragement and exhortation, in the first place; but we read that Jehoshaphat himself took up after him both these ministries in the presence of the people, and in his great desire to keep them thoroughly up to the mark ( 2 Chronicles 20:20 , 2 Chronicles 20:21 ).

V. WHEN THE PROMISE IS FULFILLED TO THE MOST SIGNAL EXTENT , THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF IT , AND DUE THANKSGIVING FOR IT , ARE NOT FORGOTTEN , AND ARE NOT STINTED ; BUT TO THE MEASURE OF HUMAN ABILITY CORRESPOND WITH IT . The testimony of this is explicit and repeated, while the description of it is exceedingly graphic ( 2 Chronicles 20:26-28 ).

VI. THE FINAL TESTIMONY TO THE CONSISTENT , HONEST ENDEAVOUR OF THE LIFE OF JEHOSHAPHAT , THE SOLIDITY OF HIS WORK , AND THE BLESSING THAT RESTED UPON IT FROM ABOVE . It is most true that the work of Jehoshaphat had not been absolutely perfect, inasmuch as he had not absolutely succeeded ( 2 Chronicles 20:33 ) in what nevertheless he had earnestly and conscientiously endeavoured ( 2 Chronicles 17:6 ). And it is most true that his character and life and work had not been absolutely perfect, inasmuch as his defection in regard of his intimacy with Ahab—now strangely repeated in the lesser instance of Ahaziah and "the ships of Tarshish" ( 2 Chronicles 20:35-37 )—stands against him. This latter also met with its punishment ( 2 Chronicles 20:37 ); but we may judge that it was acknowledged and repented of in the best way, by being forsaken ( 1 Kings 22:49 ). Yet we cannot be wrong to follow, with the tenor of the testimony of the mingled faithfulness and graciousness of Scripture biography, and say that, like its ultimate Inspirer and Author, it loves to "forgive transgression," and to "cover sin," and that the last note of Jehoshaphat is that his heart was right, that he "did that which was right," and that he and his work were graciously accepted of God.