2 Chronicles 18:28-21:3 is a long section about Jehoshaphat’s trust in the Lord, and how the Lord fought his battles for him. It’s significant that this king virtually insisted upon hearing the counsel of a prophet of the LORD – Micaiah – instead of listening to Ahab’s four hundred false prophets (verse 6). Jehoshaphat should not have allied himself with Ahab as his alliance placed him in a compromising position for which Jehu the seer later rebukes him (cf., 19:2). It is also interesting that, after identifying Ahab by name in verses 2, 3, and 19, the writer of Chronicles then refers to him almost exclusively as “the king of Israel” (cf., verses 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 17, 25, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, and 33), granting recognition to his title – but refraining honor to his name – because of his sin. He does this to the point of Ahab's death (verse 34). In chapter 19, we see that Jehoshaphat appointed judges “for the LORD” (verse 6) in order to turn the Ephraimites “back to the LORD” (verse 5), and he “warned the people not to sin against the LORD” (verse 10). Chapters 20:1-21:3 cover the remainder of Jehoshaphat’s reign. When he was informed of the “vast army coming against” him, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the LORD,” and he prayed (verses 2-12). Through Jahaziel’s word, God encouraged the king and said, “the battle is not yours, but God’s” (verse 15). The king subsequently encouraged all the people, and God arranged for his enemies – the Ammonites and the Moabites – to destroy one another. This is what God wants for us – He wants us to trust Him and allow Him to fight our battles for us. The section ends with God’s declaration that Jehoshaphat “did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, and he rested with his fathers …” (cf., 20:32 and 21:1).
Psalm 102 is the prayer of an afflicted man, and verses 12-17 gives us hope because God is “enthroned in the heavens and His renown endures through all generations” (verse 12). Generations come and go, but God endures. Whatever the generations throw at the people of God, God remains the same, and He can deal with it. Based on His compassion for His people and His favor, an appointed time is coming when He will rise up, and the nations will fear His name – at His very name –“all the kings of the earth will revere His glory” (verses13-15). He hears and “responds to the prayer of the destitute” (verse 17). I thank and praise God that He cares like this for you and for me!
In 1 Corinthians 15:35-49, Paul continues his corrective discussion about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He tells the Corinthians, “Come back to your senses …” (verse 34). In this section, Paul shows that men and women are distinct from other creatures in that we have an everlasting soul that reflects in us the image of the eternal God. He created us much differently than “animals, birds, and fish,” heavenly bodies and stars” (verses 39-41). As vast and as incredible as the rest of creation is, none of it is more important to God than mankind. We possess exceedingly great value to God by virtue of His image in us. It is a shame that so many human beings ignore or disdain this truth. By doing so, they devalue and discredit themselves. God has promised us the hope of the resurrection – He fully intends to resurrect our perishable bodies and give us imperishable ones. This promise is guaranteed by the very existence of a natural body – which only became animated when God breathed breath (i.e., “spirit”) into Adam’s body – only then did he become a living soul. “The second Man from heaven” will accomplish what the first man of the earth could never do. He is coming again for us, and all our infirmities – colds, dizziness, flu, Covid-19, and all manner of other illnesses will become a thing of the past for us. They cannot touch resurrected bodies.
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