And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court,
Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem in the house of the Lord before the new court to lead in prayer during a national crisis, when after he feared he proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah because a great multitude came against him from beyond the sea. The people came from all their cities to ask help from the Lord, and Judah's families stood before the Lord with their king, joining together in fasting and prayer that their enemies would be confounded and His name glorified. His standing there begins a united prayer that confesses that God in heaven rules over all the heathen kingdoms with power and might that none can withstand, recalls the possession He gave to inherit, admits having no might against the great company and no knowledge of what to do, and fixes the eyes upon Him.
His appeal to God in trouble is an example showing that God's ways toward His people are merciful and tender-hearted. He does not dominate or oppress, show partiality, or control the minds of men, but deals in righteousness, equity, impartial judgment, sympathy, tender compassion, mercy and love, hearing and helping those who cry to Him. He remembers His covenant gift to the seed of Abraham His friend, and hears and helps when they stand before His house and cry to Him in affliction.
For God's people today the verse means that in every emergency they are to seek God together rather than trust in princes or put men in God's place, looking not at supposed impossibilities but to Him who has all power and limitless resources as their strong tower of defense, knowing the battle is His and apparent impossibilities will make the victory greater. God's workers must represent that character by manifesting the spirit of Christ, dealing as He would deal, and going weighted with the Holy Spirit with no spirit of domination, because position makes no one greater in His sight and character alone is valued. God's workers must follow this rule by being tender-hearted and just instead of grasping wages and wresting advantage from their brethren.
Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem in the house of the Lord before the new court to lead in prayer during a national crisis, when after he feared he proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah because a great multitude came against him from beyond the sea. The people came from all their cities to ask help from the Lord, and Judah's families stood before the Lord with their king, joining together in fasting and prayer that their enemies would be confounded and His name glorified. His standing there begins a united prayer that confesses that God in heaven rules over all the heathen kingdoms with power and might that none can withstand, recalls the possession He gave to inherit, admits having no might against the great company and no knowledge of what to do, and fixes the eyes upon Him.
His appeal to God in trouble is an example showing that God's ways toward His people are merciful and tender-hearted. He does not dominate or oppress, show partiality, or control the minds of men, but deals in righteousness, equity, impartial judgment, sympathy, tender compassion, mercy and love, hearing and helping those who cry to Him. He remembers His covenant gift to the seed of Abraham His friend, and hears and helps when they stand before His house and cry to Him in affliction.
For God's people today the verse means that in every emergency they are to seek God together rather than trust in princes or put men in God's place, looking not at supposed impossibilities but to Him who has all power and limitless resources as their strong tower of defense, knowing the battle is His and apparent impossibilities will make the victory greater. God's workers must represent that character by manifesting the spirit of Christ, dealing as He would deal, and going weighted with the Holy Spirit with no spirit of domination, because position makes no one greater in His sight and character alone is valued. God's workers must follow this rule by being tender-hearted and just instead of grasping wages and wresting advantage from their brethren.