WEBVTT - 2 Chronicles 17

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<v Speaker 1>Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your

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<v Speaker 1>walk with Christ, please visit us at Bible Study Headquarters

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<v Speaker 1>dot com. You're listening to the Chapter a Day Audio Bible.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm John Stangey, and today we're in Second Chronicles, chapter seventeen,

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<v Speaker 1>and we'll be reading from the message. ASA's son, Jehosaphat,

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<v Speaker 1>was the next king. He started out by working on

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<v Speaker 1>his defense system against Israel. He put troops in all

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<v Speaker 1>the fortress cities of Judah and deployed garrisons throughout Judah

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<v Speaker 1>and in the towns of Ephrium that his father Asa

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<v Speaker 1>had captured. God was on Jehosaphat's side because he stuck

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<v Speaker 1>to the ways of his father ASA's early years. He

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<v Speaker 1>didn't fool around with the popular Baale religion. He was

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<v Speaker 1>a seeker and follower of the God of his father

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<v Speaker 1>and was obedient to him. He wasn't like Israel, and

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<v Speaker 1>God secured the kingdom under his rule, gave him a

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<v Speaker 1>firm grip on it, and everyone in Judah showed their

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<v Speaker 1>appreciation by bringing gifts. Jehosaphat ended up very rich and

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<v Speaker 1>much honoured. He was single minded in following God, and

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<v Speaker 1>he got rid of the local sex and religion shrines.

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<v Speaker 1>In the third year of his reign, he sent his

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<v Speaker 1>officials excellent men, every one of them ben hale Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel,

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<v Speaker 1>and Mekaiah on a teaching mission to the cities of Judah.

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<v Speaker 1>They were accompanied by Levites Shamaiah, Nethaniah, zebediah Asahel, Shamiramath, Jehonathan, Adenija, Tobijah,

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<v Speaker 1>and tab Adenija. The priests Elishama and Jehoram were also

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<v Speaker 1>in the company. They made a circuit of the towns

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<v Speaker 1>of Judah, teaching the people and using the Book of

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<v Speaker 1>the Revelation of God is their text. There was a

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<v Speaker 1>strong sense of the fear of God in all the

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<v Speaker 1>kingdoms around Judah. They didn't dare go to war against Jehosaphat.

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<v Speaker 1>Some Philistines even brought gifts and a load of silver

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<v Speaker 1>to Jehosaphat, and the desert Bedouin brought flocks seven thousand,

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<v Speaker 1>seven hundred rams and seven thousand, seven hundred goats. So

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<v Speaker 1>Jehosaphat became stronger by the day and constructed more and

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<v Speaker 1>more forts and store cities, an age of prosperity for Judah.

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<v Speaker 1>He also had excellent fighting men stationed in Jerusalem. The

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<v Speaker 1>captains of the military units of Judah, classified according to families,

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<v Speaker 1>were Captain aDNA with three hundred thousand soldiers, his associate

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<v Speaker 1>Captain Jehohannah with two hundred eighty thousand. His associate Amesiah

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<v Speaker 1>son of Zikry, a volunteer for God, with two hundred thousand.

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<v Speaker 1>Officer eliadah Ran presented Benjamin with two hundred thousand fully

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<v Speaker 1>equipped with bow and shield, and his associate was Jehosahbad

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<v Speaker 1>with one hundred eighty thousand armed and ready for battle.

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<v Speaker 1>These were under the direct command of the king. In addition,

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<v Speaker 1>there were the troops assigned to the fortress cities spread

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<v Speaker 1>all over Judah. Let's pray, Lord, we thank you for

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<v Speaker 1>your word, and we thank you for the privilege to

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<v Speaker 1>be able to look at it together today. And Lord,

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<v Speaker 1>as we look at this portion of scripture, we can

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<v Speaker 1>see that jehosaph Fat desired to honor you in the

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<v Speaker 1>midst of his leadership, and it appears from this scripture

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<v Speaker 1>that it was his heart's desire to make certain that

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<v Speaker 1>the people of Judah understood your will and your word,

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<v Speaker 1>and that they would come into a relationship with you

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<v Speaker 1>in the manner in which you have revealed in your scriptures. Lord,

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<v Speaker 1>we know that that's your desire for humanity at large,

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<v Speaker 1>through every e and every age, and you've revealed to

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<v Speaker 1>us in your word that the only way to the

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<v Speaker 1>Father is through the Son. So Lord, we're grateful for

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<v Speaker 1>the privilege to trust in your son, Jesus Christ. We're

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<v Speaker 1>grateful for the privilege of being able to share the

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<v Speaker 1>good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout this

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<v Speaker 1>world in various forms, whether it be recorded media like

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<v Speaker 1>a podcast, whether it be in conversation with friends and family,

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<v Speaker 1>whether it be through things that we write down, or

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<v Speaker 1>other means that we utilize to share the good news

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<v Speaker 1>of your Gospel. We're grateful that we have the privilege

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<v Speaker 1>to do so, and we pray Lord that as others

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<v Speaker 1>have the opportunity to hear your word, that they would

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<v Speaker 1>recognize their need for your son Jesus Christ, that he

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<v Speaker 1>would be trusted in by them, and that they would

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<v Speaker 1>experience the gift of salvation. We're grateful, Lord that you

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<v Speaker 1>have blessed us with that through faith in your son,

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<v Speaker 1>and we pray that throughout the course of this day

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<v Speaker 1>that we would honor you, that we would live our

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<v Speaker 1>lives for your glory, and that we would put you

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<v Speaker 1>from first in all matters, in all areas. We're grateful

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<v Speaker 1>for all these things. Lord, We thank you for your

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<v Speaker 1>presence with us, and we pray this all in Jesus' name. Amen,