Bella Vista Church of Christ

LIFELINES

09/23/2020

Randall Caselman

 

The Battle Belongs To The Lord

 

  There's an interesting narrative about Jehoshaphat in Second Chronicles chapter twenty. As King over Judah, he is faced with three nations allying themselves against God's people. He was told that a vast army of Moabites, Ammonites, and the Meunites from Mt. Seir were marching toward Jerusalem. So, Jehoshaphat calls all Judah to come to Jerusalem where he publicly goes to God requesting His intervention on their behalf.

 

  During that assembly, the Holy Spirit falls on Jahaziel and he begins to prophesy: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow march down against them... You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’”

 

The battle is not yours...

But belongs to the Lord.

 

  That night, a strange thing happens. The three armies became embroiled in an argument with one another. They began fighting. The Ammonites and Moabites completely annihilated the army from Mount Seir. But this is not all... before the night was over something else happened: As is always the case, hateful, ugly minded, mean spirited, selfish, greedy, narcissistic men turn on each other, and by daybreak they had completely destroyed one another.

 

  When Jehoshaphat and his army got to an overlook where they could see the desert floor, they saw nothing but dead bodies. The text tells us that no one escaped. And that it took three days for Judah to carry out the plunder of gold, silver, clothing, weaponry, and other articles of value.

 

The Battle Belongs To The Lord!

 

  Set this narrative aside and allow it to soak as we listen to Jesus from the Sermon On The Mount: "I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

 

Jesus is contending that like in the days of old...

The Battle belongs to the Lord.

 

  For instance: He will forgive our sins. He will gift us with the Holy Spirit. He promises to save us in Heaven...

• If we will acknowledge and confess the name of Jesus...

• Change the direction of our life...

• Be born anew, born from above, in New Testament baptism.

 

  As children of God, ours is to have faith, not be afraid, take up our positions, stand firm in our walk in the light of truth, be courageous, as we witness the deliverance of The Lord.

 

  So, take time this moment to say...

"Thank You Lord for loving me...

Thank You Lord for eternity...

Thank You Lord for saving my soul...

And making me whole."

 

Indeed… The Battle Belongs To The Lord!

 

—Randall Caselman