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Pastor's Blog January 27, 2019

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King Jehoshaphat of Judah was in trouble.  Approaching his vastly outnumbered kingdom was a coalition of forces that should have been friendly but had never really been: the Moabites, Ammonites, and soldiers from Mount Seir.  There was nothing that Jehoshaphat could do to prevent them from destroying his people and land; by the time he even heard about their approach, they had already penetrated the interior of his kingdom as far as En Gedi (2 Chronicles 20:2). 

While some of Jehoshaphat's prayer to God was a complaint, he mainly focused on beseeching God for help.  It was probably a disastrous military policy, but it was a fantastic spiritual one.  When Jehoshaphat prayed to God for rescue, he mentioned the Exodus event: at the time when you led Israel out of Egypt, O Lord, you specifically told us not to attack the descendants of Esau - and now they're trying to kill us!  We don't know what to do, but we're still keeping our eyes on you (2 Chronicles 20:6-12). 

God's response to Jehoshaphat's prayer was to give Jahaziel the Levite some likewise Exodus-inspired counsel: You won't have to fight them, simply march out to meet them tomorrow and "see the deliverance the Lord will give you" (2 Chronicles 20:17, NIV). 

Jehoshaphat and the people of Jerusalem worshiped God in gratitude and prepared to meet the coalition the next day.  But Jehoshaphat did something interesting when the next day arrived.  Second Chronicles 20:21 describes it: "And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: 'Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever'" (NKJV). 

In a chapter all about power - a powerful invading army, Jehoshaphat's powerlessness, the people's trust in the power of God - how interesting it is that God's holiness is portrayed as something beautiful rather than as something powerful. 

Have you ever considered how beautiful God's holiness is?  Have you ever reflected on how desirable God might be, simply because he is holy?  Has holiness ever appeared to you this way - as something with beauty and splendor, something you can enjoy and extol and celebrate in trust? 

Today our worship is about God - the same holy God who rescued Jehoshaphat and Jerusalem and all of Judah from Moab, Ammon, and Seir long ago.  Let us praise the beauty of this God's holiness.  And let us also ask God to make us holy, so that we can participate in the beauty of his holiness.