Speaker 1: Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your
Speaker 1: walk with Christ, please visit us at Bible Study Headquarters
Speaker 1: dot com. You're listening to the Chapter a Day Audio Bible.
Speaker 1: I'm John Stangey, and today we're in Second Chronicles, chapter seventeen,
Speaker 1: and we'll be reading from the message. ASA's son, Jehosaphat,
Speaker 1: was the next king. He started out by working on
Speaker 1: his defense system against Israel. He put troops in all
Speaker 1: the fortress cities of Judah and deployed garrisons throughout Judah
Speaker 1: and in the towns of Ephrium that his father Asa
Speaker 1: had captured. God was on Jehosaphat's side because he stuck
Speaker 1: to the ways of his father ASA's early years. He
Speaker 1: didn't fool around with the popular Baale religion. He was
Speaker 1: a seeker and follower of the God of his father
Speaker 1: and was obedient to him. He wasn't like Israel, and
Speaker 1: God secured the kingdom under his rule, gave him a
Speaker 1: firm grip on it, and everyone in Judah showed their
Speaker 1: appreciation by bringing gifts. Jehosaphat ended up very rich and
Speaker 1: much honoured. He was single minded in following God, and
Speaker 1: he got rid of the local sex and religion shrines.
Speaker 1: In the third year of his reign, he sent his
Speaker 1: officials excellent men, every one of them ben hale Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel,
Speaker 1: and Mekaiah on a teaching mission to the cities of Judah.
Speaker 1: They were accompanied by Levites Shamaiah, Nethaniah, zebediah Asahel, Shamiramath, Jehonathan, Adenija, Tobijah,
Speaker 1: and tab Adenija. The priests Elishama and Jehoram were also
Speaker 1: in the company. They made a circuit of the towns
Speaker 1: of Judah, teaching the people and using the Book of
Speaker 1: the Revelation of God is their text. There was a
Speaker 1: strong sense of the fear of God in all the
Speaker 1: kingdoms around Judah. They didn't dare go to war against Jehosaphat.
Speaker 1: Some Philistines even brought gifts and a load of silver
Speaker 1: to Jehosaphat, and the desert Bedouin brought flocks seven thousand,
Speaker 1: seven hundred rams and seven thousand, seven hundred goats. So
Speaker 1: Jehosaphat became stronger by the day and constructed more and
Speaker 1: more forts and store cities, an age of prosperity for Judah.
Speaker 1: He also had excellent fighting men stationed in Jerusalem. The
Speaker 1: captains of the military units of Judah, classified according to families,
Speaker 1: were Captain aDNA with three hundred thousand soldiers, his associate
Speaker 1: Captain Jehohannah with two hundred eighty thousand. His associate Amesiah
Speaker 1: son of Zikry, a volunteer for God, with two hundred thousand.
Speaker 1: Officer eliadah Ran presented Benjamin with two hundred thousand fully
Speaker 1: equipped with bow and shield, and his associate was Jehosahbad
Speaker 1: with one hundred eighty thousand armed and ready for battle.
Speaker 1: These were under the direct command of the king. In addition,
Speaker 1: there were the troops assigned to the fortress cities spread
Speaker 1: all over Judah. Let's pray, Lord, we thank you for
Speaker 1: your word, and we thank you for the privilege to
Speaker 1: be able to look at it together today. And Lord,
Speaker 1: as we look at this portion of scripture, we can
Speaker 1: see that jehosaph Fat desired to honor you in the
Speaker 1: midst of his leadership, and it appears from this scripture
Speaker 1: that it was his heart's desire to make certain that
Speaker 1: the people of Judah understood your will and your word,
Speaker 1: and that they would come into a relationship with you
Speaker 1: in the manner in which you have revealed in your scriptures. Lord,
Speaker 1: we know that that's your desire for humanity at large,
Speaker 1: through every e and every age, and you've revealed to
Speaker 1: us in your word that the only way to the
Speaker 1: Father is through the Son. So Lord, we're grateful for
Speaker 1: the privilege to trust in your son, Jesus Christ. We're
Speaker 1: grateful for the privilege of being able to share the
Speaker 1: good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout this
Speaker 1: world in various forms, whether it be recorded media like
Speaker 1: a podcast, whether it be in conversation with friends and family,
Speaker 1: whether it be through things that we write down, or
Speaker 1: other means that we utilize to share the good news
Speaker 1: of your Gospel. We're grateful that we have the privilege
Speaker 1: to do so, and we pray Lord that as others
Speaker 1: have the opportunity to hear your word, that they would
Speaker 1: recognize their need for your son Jesus Christ, that he
Speaker 1: would be trusted in by them, and that they would
Speaker 1: experience the gift of salvation. We're grateful, Lord that you
Speaker 1: have blessed us with that through faith in your son,
Speaker 1: and we pray that throughout the course of this day
Speaker 1: that we would honor you, that we would live our
Speaker 1: lives for your glory, and that we would put you
Speaker 1: from first in all matters, in all areas. We're grateful
Speaker 1: for all these things. Lord, We thank you for your
Speaker 1: presence with us, and we pray this all in Jesus' name. Amen,