Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | July 7, 2025

“You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf”

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Chronicles 20:14-25.

“Then in the midst of the assembly the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, the Levite of the sons of Asaph;  and he said, “Listen, all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat:  thus says the LORD to you, ‘Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God’s.  Tomorrow go down against them.  Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley in front of the wilderness of Jeruel.  You need not fight in this battle;  station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’  Do not fear or be dismayed;  tomorrow go out to face them, for the LORD is with you.”

Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the LORD, worshiping the LORD.  The Levites, from the sons of the Kohathites and of the sons of the Korahites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel, with a very loud voice.

They rose early in the morning and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa; and when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, put your trust in the LORD your God and you will be established.  Put your trust in His prophets and succeed.”  When he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who sang to the LORD and those who praised Him in holy attire, as they went out before the army and said, “Give thanks to the LORD, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.”  When they began singing and praising, the LORD set ambushes against the sons of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah;  so they were routed.  For the sons of Ammon and Moab rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir destroying them completely;  and when they had finished with the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.

When Judah came to the lookout of the wilderness, they looked toward the multitude, and behold, they were corpses lying on the ground, and no one had escaped.  When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their spoil, they found much among them, including goods, garments and valuable things which they took for themselves, more than they could carry.  And they were three days taking the spoil because there was so much.”  2 Chronicles 20:14-25.

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Other doctrine focuses on man and what man should do.

But, Reformed Doctrine focuses on God and what God has done and what God will do.

In today’s Scripture, as shown by bold italic font, we see that the focus is on God and what God has done and what God will do.

Man rightly needs to fear when the outcome is dependent on man.  But, what does Scripture state?

“‘Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God’s.  …  You need not fight in this battle;  station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.'”

“Listen to me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, put your trust in the LORD your God and you will be established.  Put your trust in His prophets and succeed.”

Reformed Doctrine accurately summarizes Scripture and teaches that salvation is a work of God alone, by grace alone, and that God provides all the things that accompany salvation from beginning to end:  from the beginning of “Unconditional Election” through “Limited Atonement” through “Irresistible Grace” to the end of “Preservation of the Saints”, the “U”, “L”, “I”, and “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.  (The “T” of “TULIP” represents “Total Depravity” of man).  This true doctrine of salvation is more fully taught in the Reformed Confession called Canons of Dordt.

“Give thanks to the LORD, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.”


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