2 Chron 17 – Study

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: 2 Chron 17:1-19

1 Jehoshaphat his son succeeded him as king and strengthened himself against Israel. 2 He stationed troops in all the fortified cities of Judah and put garrisons in Judah and in the towns of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured.

3 The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the ways of his father David before him. He did not consult the Baals 4 but sought the God of his father and followed his commands rather than the practices of Israel. 5 The Lord established the kingdom under his control; and all Judah brought gifts to Jehoshaphat, so that he had great wealth and honour. 6 His heart was devoted to the ways of the Lord; furthermore, he removed the high places and the Asherah poles from Judah.

7 In the third year of his reign he sent his officials Ben-Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel and Micaiah to teach in the towns of Judah. 8 With them were certain Levites – Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah and Tob-Adonijah – and the priests Elishama and Jehoram. 9 They taught throughout Judah, taking with them the Book of the Law of the Lord; they went round to all the towns of Judah and taught the people.

10 The fear of the Lord fell on all the kingdoms of the lands surrounding Judah, so that they did not go to war against Jehoshaphat. 11 Some Philistines brought Jehoshaphat gifts and silver as tribute, and the Arabs brought him flocks: seven thousand seven hundred rams and seven thousand seven hundred goats.

12 Jehoshaphat became more and more powerful; he built forts and store cities in Judah 13 and had large supplies in the towns of Judah. He also kept experienced fighting men in Jerusalem. 14 Their enrolment by families was as follows:

from Judah, commanders of units of 1,000:

Adnah the commander, with 300,000 fighting men;

15 next, Jehohanan the commander, with 280,000;

16 next, Amasiah son of Zikri, who volunteered himself for the service of the Lord, with 200,000.

17 From Benjamin:

Eliada, a valiant soldier, with 200,000 men armed with bows and shields;

18 next, Jehozabad, with 180,000 men armed for battle.

19 These were the men who served the king, besides those he stationed in the fortified cities throughout Judah.

A. Find Out:    

1. What did Jehoshaphat do to start with? v.1,2
2. Why was the Lord with him? v.3,4,6
3. What happened? v.5
4. What did the king do? v.7-9
5. What was the outworking of all this? v.10,11
6. So how did Jehoshaphat develop this? v.12,13

B. Think:

1. What was the king’s relationship with the Lord like here?
2. How did that have practical outworkings?

C. Comment:

      First of all, see the descriptions of a man who pleases the Lord: one who sought the Lord (v.4), who followed His commands (v.4), and whose heart was devoted to the way of the Lord (v.6). Yet note that this description only applied in his early years (v.3). Later it was to change.

      Yes, because of this the Lord blessed him. Although the Lord would have known what was yet to come, the Lord blesses the present because in the present this king is all-out for God. In the 20 th and 21 st centuries there have been, sadly, a number of instances of Christian leaders who have fallen after years of wonderful ministry. God blesses present obedience, even though He knows there is coming a later fall.

     What follows here is a combination of the king’s activity and the Lord’s activity. Jehoshaphat takes steps to a) strengthen the land physically (v.1,2,12,13) and b) spiritually (v.6-9). The rest is the hidden activity of the Lord (v.5,10,11). Just as Paul was later to write, “(You) continue to work out your salvation, for it is God who works in you.” It’s always a combination of us and the Lord. We are to do what we can and then He adds what only He can do! Jehoshaphat cleans up the land and the Lord then blesses them with peace and a sense of security as His fear falls on the surrounding nations and none dare rise up against Judah . It’s a god time! If only the world would respond to God like this king, then peace and security would be worldwide.

D. Application:

1. Our part is to do all we can to be obedient to God.
2. When we do that, He blesses.