Links for today’s readings:
Dec 17 Read: 2 Chronicles 19-20 Listen: (8:09) Read: Psalms 120-122 Listen: (2:12)
Scripture Focus: 2 Chronicles 20.20-28
20 Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.” 21 After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying:
“Give thanks to the Lord,
for his love endures forever.”
22 As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. 23 The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another. 24 When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped. 25 So Jehoshaphat and his men went to carry off their plunder, and they found among them a great amount of equipment and clothing and also articles of value—more than they could take away. There was so much plunder that it took three days to collect it. 26 On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berakah, where they praised the Lord. This is why it is called the Valley of Berakah to this day. 27 Then, led by Jehoshaphat, all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned joyfully to Jerusalem, for the Lord had given them cause to rejoice over their enemies. 28 They entered Jerusalem and went to the temple of the Lord with harps and lyres and trumpets.
Reflection: The Calculating Weapon of Joy — Joy of Advent
By John Tillman
Happiness works fine in good times. As long as the lights stay on and nothing goes wrong, you might mistake happiness for joy. But they aren’t the same.
King Jehoshaphat had many reasons for happiness. A bright spot among the kings of Judah, Jehoshaphat beat back the darkness of idolatry, systemized spiritual education in God’s law, and revitalized temple worship. His military strength reminds us of David’s and his wealth reminds us of Solomon’s.
But he might have been too happy. Jehoshaphat was happily at peace with Israel but the prophet Jehu warned that his military cooperation with them helped “the wicked” and brought God’s wrath.
Then, darkness grew on the horizon. Enemy nations combined armies to attack. In response, Jehoshaphat went to the temple, not the battlements. He cried out toward God’s altar instead of shouting orders from a chariot. Perhaps Jehoshaphat assumed this was God’s wrath and the solution was mercy, not might.
God answered through Jahaziel, who prophesied that God would fight for Judah. Jahaziel descended from the prolific psalmist, Asaph. Perhaps this is why Jehoshaphat put singing men rather than swordsmen at the front of the army. All they had to do was sing and pick up the spoils. This was joyful, but not rational. By God’s mercy, Jehoshaphat found joy even before the victory.
I’ve acted in musicals where a song solved problems. I’ve watched action films in which musical training montages helped win battles. That’s not reality most of the time and not our intended lesson.
Most battles aren’t won by singing psalms. Certainly some in Jerusalem sang psalms when Babylon conquered Jerusalem. Jesus quoted Psalm 22 on the cross. Many martyrs met death with psalms or scripture on their lips. Worship isn’t magic. However, joy is a weapon against darkness—the weapon of vision.
Joy is not naiveté or denial. Happiness is naive—not joy. Happiness can be spoiled, broken, or stolen. Not joy. Joy acknowledges, even accepts, pains and darkness because it sees what happiness can’t. Joy recognizes that our solution is mercy, not might and the battle is already won. Joy sees the ultimate truth of Jesus’ victory even when it looks like a cross.
Even before victory arrives, joy calculates its inevitable reality. Joy plots a line from manger, to cross, to empty tomb. This line points unbendingly to our joyful destiny and nothing can separate us from it.
Divine Hours Prayer: The Greeting
Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, and your faithfulness to the clouds. — Psalm 145.1
– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.
Read more: Unexpected Victory — Joy of Advent
Advent is the unassuming mustard seed from which sprouts the unexpected joy of gospel victory.
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