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Assignment  “I will be with you”

Kings  Judah  Rehoboam 17 yrs; evil  Abijam 3 yrs; evil  Asa 41 yrs; good  Jehoshaphat 25 yrs; good  Israel (all evil)  Jeroboam - 22 yrs  Nadab - 2 yrs  Baasha - 24 yrs  Elah - 2 yrs  Zimri - 1 week  Omri - 12 yrs  Ahab - 22 yrs

History of Israel  Acts 13:14-23  Acts 13:23 "From this man's seed (David), according to the promise, God raised up for Israel a Savior-- Jesus–

In Judah  Jehoshaphat, a good king Reigned 25 years  Riches and honor  Allied with Ahab, king of Israel  Goes to visit Ahab Obedience = Blessings

In Israel  Ahab is king Wife Jezebel Reigned 22 years  Had peace treaty with Ben-hadad, king of Syria  Jehoshaphat came to visit Ahab  Ahab wants help to capture Ramoth Gilead

Ahab’s Death  After losing the battle with Syria  Ahab is buried in Samaria  His chariot is washed  Dogs lick the blood  Ahaziah, Ahab’s son, reigned in his place

Kingdom Relationships  JUDAH  Jehoshaphat  Jehoram  Ahaziah  Athaliah  ISRAEL  Ahab – Jezebel Ahaziah Jehoram Athaliah

Lesson 10 2 Chronicles 19-20

Read 2 Chronicles 19  God is unhappy with Jehoshaphat’s alliance with Ahab  3 "Nevertheless good things are found in you, in that you have removed the wooden images from the land, and have prepared your heart to seek God."

2 Chronicles 19  Jehoshaphat set up judges throughout the land  7 "Now therefore, let the fear of the LORD be upon you; take care and do it, for there is no iniquity with the LORD our God, no partiality, nor taking of bribes."

2 Chronicles 19  Appointed officers/judges  9 And he commanded them, saying, "Thus you shall act in the fear of the LORD, faithfully and with a loyal heart:

2 Chronicles 19  10 "Whatever case comes to you from your brethren who dwell in their cities, whether of bloodshed or offenses against law or commandment, against statutes or ordinances, you shall warn them, lest they trespass against the LORD and wrath come upon you and your brethren. Do this, and you will not be guilty. you have delivered your soul Ezekiel 3:19 "Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.

2 Chronicles 19  11 "And take notice: Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of the LORD; and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, for all the king's matters; also the Levites will be officials before you. Behave courageously, and the LORD will be with the good." Be strong and of good courage Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

Moab and Ammon  Genesis 19:36-38 Thus both the daughters of Lot were with child by their father. The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab; he is the father of the Moabites to this day. And the younger, she also bore a son and called his name Ben-Ammi; he is the father of the people of Ammon to this day.

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Invasion Coming  Moabites, Ammonites, and some from Mt Seir (Edomites ??)  Jehoshaphat had a large army— ’reserves’  Not time to gather them for battle  Realized Jehovah was his only salvation  Proclaims a fast throughout the land

Jehoshaphat Relies on God  Gathers people in Jerusalem  Prays openly to God  Begins with praise to Jehovah  20:6 and said: "O LORD God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You?

Jehoshaphat Relies on God  God had driven out the inhabitants of the land and given it to them  They had built a sanctuary there for Jehovah  20:9 'If disaster comes upon us-sword, judgment, pestilence, or famine-we will stand before this temple and in Your presence (for Your name is in this temple), and cry out to You in our affliction, and You will hear and save.'

Reminds God of Past  God would not let Israel harm Edom when they were coming to take the land  Numbers 20:21 Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his territory; so Israel turned away from him.  They were brethren

Plea to God to Save Them  But now they come to throw us out of the land you gave us  20:12 "O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You."

God Answer the Prayer  20:15 And he said, "Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the LORD to you: 'Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's. The battle belongs to the Lord

The ‘Battle’ Plan  20:16 'Tomorrow go down against them. …  17 'You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!' Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the LORD is with you."

Go Out To ‘Battle’  Worships God Thanks for hearing their plea  20:20 So they rose early in the morning and went out… Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the LORD your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper."

Invaders Destroy Each Other  20:22f Now when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated. For the people of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to utterly kill and destroy them. And when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.

Jehoshaphat  20:32 And he walked in the way of his father Asa, and did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the LORD.  33 Nevertheless the high places were not taken away, for as yet the people had not directed their hearts to the God of their fathers.

Read 2 Chronicles 19  God is unhappy with Jehoshaphat’s alliance with Ahab  3 "Nevertheless good things are found in you, in that you have removed the wooden images from the land, and have prepared your heart to seek God." Lesson

Prepare our hearts to seek God  Few of us ‘decide’ to do evil  Rather too often we have not ‘prepared’ to do good  Prepare deliberate effort over a prolonged period of time  The word "prepare" implies planning to achieve something Lesson

Prepare our hearts to seek God  Prepare is also translated ‘fixed’ fixed fixed  Psalm 57:7 My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing, yea, I will sing praises. (ASV)  David had already prepared, or fixed, his heart  He might have succumbed to the pressure of that moment Saul in the cave; David cut off his robe Lesson

Prepare our hearts to seek God  Fixed Not subject to change or variation; constant Firmly held in the mind  One of the keys to preparing our hearts is to fix our hearts on what we will and will not do before we encounter the temptation Lesson

Prepare our hearts to seek God  Far too often, we have not made strong enough commitments and, therefore, succumb to temptation.  God must be involved in preparing our hearts Lesson

Prepare our hearts to seek God You will prepare their heart  Psalm 10:17 LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart…  Trust in the Lord and depend on Him  Humility is an essential ingredient Lesson

Prepare our hearts to seek God prepare your hearts  1 Samuel 7:3 Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, "If you return to the LORD with all your hearts… and prepare your hearts for the LORD, and serve Him only…  "determine to obey only the Lord." Living Bible Lesson

Prepare our hearts to seek God  We must remember that it is our personal, individual relationship with God that must be correct for us to please God  In other words, it isn't just being “in the group” Lesson

seek Him, He will be found by you  How?  Prayer  Association  Study  Meditation  Practice “Trying to Walk in the Steps of the Saviour” Lesson

Lessons  Prepare our hearts to seek God  Serve Him faithfully with a loyal heart  Behave courageously, and the LORD will be with the good  Do not be afraid nor dismayed for the battle is not yours, but God's  Believe in the LORD your God, and you shall be established

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