Study Desk

For a long time Israel lived without the true God, without priests to teach them, and without a law.

But when trouble came, they turned to the Lord , the God of Israel. They searched for him and found him.

One nation oppressed another nation, and one city oppressed another city, because God was bringing trouble and distress on them.

They made a covenant in which they agreed to worship the Lord , the God of their ancestors, with all their heart and soul.

He placed in the Temple all the objects his father Abijah had dedicated to God, as well as the gold and silver objects that he himself dedicated.

At that time the prophet Hanani went to King Asa and said, "Because you relied on the king of Syria instead of relying on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Israel has escaped from you.

He served his father's God, obeyed God's commands, and did not act the way the kings of Israel did.

So Ahab called in the prophets, about four hundred of them, and asked them, "Should I go and attack Ramoth, or not?" "Attack it," they answered. "God will give you victory."

But Micaiah answered, "By the living Lord I will say what my God tells me to!"

So when they saw King Jehoshaphat, they all thought that he was the king of Israel, and they turned to attack him. But Jehoshaphat gave a shout, and the Lord God rescued him and turned the attack away from him.

Even though King Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem, he traveled regularly among the people, from Beersheba in the south to the edge of the hill country of Ephraim in the north, in order to call the people back to the Lord , the God of their ancestors.

Honor the Lord and act carefully, because the Lord our God does not tolerate fraud or partiality or the taking of bribes."

and prayed aloud, "O Lord God of our ancestors, you rule in heaven over all the nations of the world. You are powerful and mighty, and no one can oppose you.

You are our God. When your people Israel moved into this land, you drove out the people who were living here and gave the land to the descendants of Abraham, your friend, to be theirs forever.

You are our God! Punish them, for we are helpless in the face of this large army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but we look to you for help."

Jahaziel said, "Your Majesty and all you people of Judah and Jerusalem, the Lord says that you must not be discouraged or be afraid to face this large army. The battle depends on God, not on you.

The members of the Levite clans of Kohath and Korah stood up and with a loud shout praised the Lord , the God of Israel.

Early the next morning the people went out to the wild country near Tekoa. As they were starting out, Jehoshaphat addressed them with these words: "People of Judah and Jerusalem! Put your trust in the Lord your God, and you will stand your ground. Believe what his prophets tell you, and you will succeed."

so Jehoshaphat ruled in peace, and God gave him security on every side.

but the pagan places of worship were not destroyed. The people still did not turn wholeheartedly to the worship of the God of their ancestors.