Scripture 2
Chronicles 20:1-30
According to
ancient music historian Theodore Burgh, "If we were able to step into the biblical
period, we would find a culture filled with music . . . where people used music
in their daily lives." "Such music was capable of expressing a
great variety of moods and feelings or the broadly marked antitheses of joy and
sorrow, hope and fear, faith and doubt. In fact, every shade and quality of
sentiment are found in the wealth of songs and psalms and in the diverse
melodies of the Hebrew people as well as the Christians of the New Testament,
and the people of Ashland."
Colossians 3:16-17
Let the word
of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all
wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in
your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in
the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Psalm 98 has 3 stanzas. Ps
98:1-3, the subject of musical praise is announced, Ps 98:4-6, the manner of
that musical praise is prescribed; and, Ps 98:7-9, the universal extent of musical
praise is proclaimed.
Psalm 98
Sing to the
Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy
arm have worked salvation for him. The Lord has made his salvation known and
revealed his righteousness to the nations. He has remembered his love and his
faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the
salvation of our God.
Shout for joy
to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; make music to
the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets
and the blast of the ram's horn — shout for joy before the Lord, the King.
Let the sea resound,
and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. Let the rivers clap
their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy; let them sing before the
Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples with equity.
Those of us who
are sinners (all of us) can take heart from the fact that the Lord will judge
his people graciously. Because of his grace, our sins, which were like
scarlet, have become white as snow (Isaiah 1:18). It isn’t as if our sins
have become invisible, but still present, lurking in the background.
Instead, our sins have ceased to exist. They are gone. When the
Lord comes to judge, our account will read “Paid in Full!”
2 Chronicles 20:1-30
The Moabites
and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to make war on Jehoshaphat. Some
men came and told Jehoshaphat, "A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from
the other side of the Sea. It is already in Hazazon Tamar". Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of
the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. The people of Judah came
together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah
to seek him.
Then
Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of
the Lord in the front of the new courtyard and said: "O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not the God who is in
heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in
your hand, and no one can withstand you. O our God, did you not drive out the
inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the
descendants of Abraham your friend? They have lived in it and have built in it
a sanctuary for your Name, saying, 'If calamity comes upon us, whether the
sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before
this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and
you will hear us and save us.' "But now here are men from Ammon, Moab and
Mount Seir, whose territory you would not allow Israel to invade when they came
from Egypt; so they turned away from them and did not destroy them. See how
they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us as
an inheritance. O our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to
face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our
eyes are upon you." All the men of Judah, with their wives and
children and little ones, stood there before the Lord.
Then the
Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel as he stood in the assembly. He said:
"Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in
Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: 'Do not be afraid or
discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's.
Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz,
and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. You
will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see
the deliverance the Lord will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be
afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will
be with you.'"
Jehoshaphat
bowed with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem
fell down in worship before the Lord. Then some Levites from the Kohathites and
Korahites stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with very loud
voice.
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." 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."
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. The men of Ammon
and Moab 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.
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. 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. On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah, where
they praised the Lord. This is why it is called the Valley of Beracah to this
day.
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. They entered
Jerusalem and went to the temple of the Lord with harps and lutes and trumpets.
The fear of
God came upon all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard how the Lord
had fought against the enemies of Israel. And the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at
peace, for his God had given him rest on every side.
And that is the time to “RAISE A HALELUJAH!”
4-18-21
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Prelude: April
18 Pre/Post CD 5:00 Video:
Countdown “Come Thou Fount, Come Thou King” |
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Live Prelude:
"Be Thou My Vision" (Theme song for
Ashland Church in 1986) Guy & Becky Esbin, piano duet |
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Welcome: Pastor
Jeff Registration /
Giving / The Story (Prayer - Teresa play under) |
|
Thank You Video Part 1 |
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Message: “When
the army sings, the battle is already won!” Pastor Jeff 2 Chronicles 20:1-30 |
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"Raise A
Hallelujah" (Bethel Music)
Praise Charts, 4/4, mm=83, Db, WT & PB |
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Thank You Video Part 2 |
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(Dan Camick
MC) Sue Coburn reads Sandy’s tribute Lynne
Fuller (Plaque) Tammy
Potter (Card Bouquet) Jim
Detwiler (Love Gift) |
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Thank You Video Part 3 |
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Special song
written for the day Scott Harris |
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Presentation to
Becky Pastor Jeff |
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Becky’s
opportunity to speak.
|
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"My
Story" Soloist: Mark
Blowers + All Worship Team |
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Benediction: Pastor Jeff |
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Postlude: "Hallelujah
Chorus" DVD demo |
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