return
LifeGroup Curriculum: Week 3
Return to Reliance
2 Chronicles 20:1-23
Facing a formidable alliance of Moabites, Ammonites, and Meunites, the southern kingdom of Judah finds itself on the brink of total disaster. King Jehoshaphat, sees these incredible odds and calls his people to turn to the Lord in prayer and fasting, knowing full well that his little nation is powerlessness against this invading horde. Speaking through Jahaziel, his prophet, the Lord assures Judah that the battle belongs to God and tells them to them to stand firm and watch what he will do.
The Scripture
1 After this the Moabites and Ammonites, and with them some of the Meunites, came against Jehoshaphat for battle. 2 Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, “A great multitude is coming against you from Edom, from beyond the sea; and, behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar” (that is, Engedi). 3 Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. 4 And Judah assembled to seek help from the Lord; from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.
5 And Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court, 6 and said, “O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you. 7 Did you not, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? 8 And they have lived in it and have built for you in it a sanctuary for your name, saying, 9 ‘If disaster comes upon us, the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and before you—for your name is in this house—and cry out to you in our affliction, and you will hear and save.’ 10 And now behold, the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom you would not let Israel invade when they came from the land of Egypt, and whom they avoided and did not destroy— 11 behold, they reward us by coming to drive us out of your possession, which you have given us to inherit. 12 O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” 13 Meanwhile all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives, and their children. 14 And the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly. 15 And he said, “Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the Lord to you, ‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s. 16 Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz. You will find them at the end of the valley, east of the wilderness of Jeruel. 17 You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold
your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.”
18 Then 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. 19 And the Levites, of the Kohathites and the Korahites, stood up to praise the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.
20 And they rose early in the morning and went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. And when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be established; believe his prophets, and you will succeed.” 21 And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the Lord and praise him in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say,
“Give thanks to the Lord,
for his steadfast love endures forever.”
22 And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed. 23 For the men of Ammon and Moab rose against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, devoting them to destruction, and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they all helped to destroy one another.
[1] Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. [1] The word here, anaideia conveys a sense of shameless boldness without concern for one’s own dignity.
Week 3 | Life Group Questions
Opening Questions
- “Persistence pays off.” Can you think of a way that this truism has played out in your life?
- Can you think of time in your life when you simply asked someone for something large and it was given to you? How did that make you feel?
Diving Deeper
3. “In the passage on the previous page, use one color to circle all occurrences of the words ‘give,’ ‘given,’ or ‘gifts.’ Then, using a different color, circle all instances of ‘ask’ or ‘asks.'”
4. In this instance, Jesus uses a story to convey a powerful truth. If Jesus were teaching this truth through story today, how do you think he might change it?
5. The key to our persistence in prayer lay in Jesus’ uses of the word, anaideia, which the ESV translates as “impudence,” or a shameless boldness without concern for one’s own dignity. How would this attitude affect our prayers if we came to the Lord? How is this word different from “rude.”
6. What are the three verbs associated with prayer in verse 9? Do you seem them describing an escalating persistence in prayer?
7. When it comes to prayer the word “asking” is obvious, but what do you think “seeking” and “knocking” look like when we apply them to our lives?
8. As we see in verse 13, Jesus isn’t equating the sleeping man with God, but is contrasting him with God. Why is that important to remember?
9. When we pray, we’re putting our faith into action, affirming that (1) God exists and is listening to us, (2) God is inherently good, and (3) we can trust Him to answer generously and wisely, just as He has done in the past. Of theses three, which do you most struggle with, and why?
10. The passage wraps up in an unexpected manner, stating that the Father will give the Holy Spirit instead of, for instance, “good gifts.” Read the following passages and explain why the answer to prayer with the gift of the Holy Spirit is actually the best gift for us:
- Romans 8:15
- Romans 8:26
- John 16:4-15
11. Do you think it is possible to be confident in prayer for the wrong reasons? What are some poor reasons people are confident in prayer?
12. As you conclude this week’s study, in which areas do you sense that the Lord is specifically calling you to dial up your persistence in prayer?