Three Star Night

My reading plan has brought me into 2 Chronicles, to where the Moabites, Ammonites, and Meunites decide to gang up on Jehosophat.  While this passage is primarily descriptive and not prescriptive, God ends up winning the battle for Jehosophat, so it's worth taking a look at Jehosophat's actions.  Jehosophat's first response was fear, and understandably so.  But how does he respond to his fear?

Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face^(Z) to seek the LORD, and^(AA) proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. ⁴And Judah assembled to seek help from the LORD; from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.

Sometimes there are legitimate reasons for us to fear, and I think that is OK.  But once we fear, what do we do with it?  Jehosophat responded to his fear by "setting his face to seek the LORD."  I love that.  He could have set his face toward the Moabites, Ammonites, and Meunites and allowed fear to overtake his heart.  He could have set his face toward his army and prepared them for battle.  He could have set his face toward the treasures in the palace and in the temple in an attempt to placate the coming armies.  But no, he sets his face to seek the Lord and encourages all of Judah to do likewise.  That's the proper response, and that is a proper leader.

But what's even more interesting is what happens next.  God responds by saying,

Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde,^(AS) for the battle is not yours but God’s. ¹⁶Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz. You will find them at the end of^(AT) the valley, east of the wilderness of Jeruel. ^17(AU) You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.'^(AV) Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them,^(AW) and the LORD will be with you.

God tells Judah that He will win the battle for them.  They are to meet the oncoming armies, but they will not need to fight.  Their job is to stand firm.  And you know what Jehosophat does?   He assembles his army, but he sends out musicians to march out IN FRONT of the army.  From a military standpoint, this has got to be one of the worst tactical decisions ever (right up there with "let's arm ourselves with torches and pottery").

And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the LORD and praise him^(BC) in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say,

   ^(BD) "Give thanks to the LORD,
   for his steadfast love endures forever."

I love that level of trust.  The kind of trust that takes God at his word, putting the singers up front.  I wonder what it must have felt for those singers, standing between two armies, armed with nothing but their voices.  What if God didn't come through?  But sometimes all it takes is the courage to sing, the courage to hope, in order to defeat an army.

    ²²And when they began to sing and praise, the LORD set^(BE) an ambush against the men of^(BF) Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed. ²³For the men of Ammon and Moab rose against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, devoting them to destruction, and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir,^(BG) they all helped to destroy one another.