This week, we shall continue the study of 2 Chronicles of the Old Testament.
(1) From the account in 2 Chronicles 13:19, it appears that Ramah, which was between Bethel and Jerusalem, was then under the control of Judah: What was Baasha’s purpose of invading and fortifying Ramah? (see 1 Ki. 12:26-27 also)
(2) How did Asa react to this invasion? Why?
(3) Contrast 14:11ff with Asa’s reaction to Baasha’s threat. What does it tell you about Asa’s response to this invasion?
(4) What might be the reason for such a drastic change of attitude?
(5) This political maneuver obviously worked.
a. Did it necessarily mean that God approved of it? Why or why not?
b. Did Asa consult the Lord beforehand?
c. Was it necessarily a sign of not trusting in the Lord? Why or why not?
(6) What was God’s verdict of his action? (v. 9)
(7) How did Asa respond to the rebuke of the prophet?
(8) What has happened to Asa to cause such a change in his spiritual life?
(9) About Asa’s attitude toward the disease in his feet:
a. Is it not right to consult physicians?
b. How do you look upon the life of Asa?
(10) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
(1) Can you recall the latter years of Asa in the previous chapter? What kind of a king had he become?
(2) How old was Jehoshaphat when he ascended to the throne? (20:31) Did the latter years of Asa’s reign have any effect on him? (vv. 3-4)
(3) What further reform did he perform in addition to what his father had previously done? (v. 6)
(4) Instead of simply removing idols from Judah, what did he do in order to change the hearts of the people as well? (vv. 7-9)
(5) What example did he set for us?
(6) How did his kingdom fare in terms of the following?
a. Internal stability (v. 5)
b. External strength (vv. 10-11)
(7) The Bible says Jehoshaphat “became more and more successful” (v. 12).
a. How was his military strength compared to that of his father Asa? (vv. 14-18 versus 14:8)
b. Do you think his success was the result of military strategy including the building of many fortified cities? Why or why not? (vv. 3-5)
(8) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
(1) What kind of a king was Ahab? (see 1 Ki. 16:30-33)
(2) Why then would Jehoshaphat marry his son to Ahab’s daughter? (2 Ki. 8:18) Should he do so?
(3) What caused king Ahab to wage another war against the Arameans? Where did his confidence come from? (see 1 Ki. 22:1-3)
(4) While Jehoshaphat was receptive to Ahab’s invitation to join forces against the Arameans, what did he ask Ahab to do and why?
(5) What was the difference between the two kings?
(6) Since Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no longer a prophet of the Lord here whom we can inquire?” (18:6), what kind of prophets were the 400 men summoned by Ahab?
(7) Why was Micaiah not included in the original company of prophets?
(8) Why didn’t Ahab like to hear the truth from Micaiah? (v. 7)
(9) What about you? What do you prefer to hear?
(10) Why did the Bible seem to emphasize that the two kings were “dressed in their royal robes” in front of the prophets? Should this be their attitude in seeking the Lord?
(11) How did Zedekiah (who appeared to be the leader of the pack) seek to affirm the certainty of his prophecy?
(12) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
(1) What kind of pressure did the prophet Micaiah face?
(2) What choices did he have?
(3) What did he choose and why?
(4) “The vision described by Micaiah was not merely a subjective drapery introduced by the prophet, but a simple communication of the real inward vision by which the fact had been revealed to him” (K&D, 196):
a. Do you agree? Why?
b. Why would God agree to send a “deceiving spirit” to the prophets?
c. Without this “deceiving spirit”, what would these prophets say (or had already said)?
d. So what role did the “deceiving spirit” play?
(5) How did Zedekiah respond to the words of Micaiah? Why?
(6) How did King Ahab respond to the words of Micaiah? Why?
(7) What should King Jehoshaphat have done under the circumstance?
(8) What did he do? (v. 28) Why?
(9) What price did he have to pay for his action? (vv. 31-32)
(10) What did Ahab do to avoid the fulfillment of God’s prophecy? (v. 29)
(11) In what ways does the Bible show quite sarcastically that his effort to avoid God’s prophecy was futile? (v. 33)
(12) What is the message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
19:1-3—Reprimand by the Prophet
(1) Can you recall what happened at the battle with the Arameans in the last chapter?
a. To Ahab, the king of Israel
b. To Jehoshaphat himself
(2) What lesson should Jehoshaphat have learned?
(3) According to the seer, what sin has Jehoshaphat committed? (v. 2)
(4) What punishment would he receive from the Lord?
(5) Was it too harsh? Why or why not?
(6) What lesson can we learn from his mistake?
19:4-11—Turning People Back to the Lord
(7) Who were the key people Jehoshaphat appointed in his effort to turn the people to the Lord?
(8) Apart from delegating these responsibilities to the judges, the Levites and the priests, why did he go out himself as well? (v. 4)
(9) To the judges across Judah (vv. 6-7)
a. For whom are they serving as judges? (v. 6)
b. What then should their attitude be?
(10) To the Levites and priests in Jerusalem (vv. 8-10)
a. What responsibilities were they charged with? (v. 8)
b. How should they carry out their duties? (vv. 9-10)
(11) Clear division of authority (v. 11)
a. Who was the overall-in-charge of spiritual matters?
b. Who was the overall-in-charge of administrative matters?
(12) What is the main message to you today, and how may you apply it to your life?
The Battle with the united army of Moabites, Ammonites and Meunites (Part I)
(1) What caused Jehoshaphat to be so alarmed? (see Note 1 below)
(2) What did he resolve to do? (vv. 3-4)
(3) What did fasting represent in this case?
(4) Jehoshaphat’s prayer—1st part (vv. 6-9)
a. Who God is (v. 6): Who did he say God is and why did he put it as a question?
b. What is the next question he asked? (v. 7) What was his point?
c. He then quoted from Solomon’s prayer (vv. 8-9): Certainly this was what Solomon prayed at the dedication of the temple (6:34-35). Did God actually promise to answer his prayers? (7:1-3)
d. What is the basis of his plea above?
(5) Jehoshaphat’s prayer—2nd part (vv. 10-12)
a. What was so wicked of the Ammonites, Moabites and Meunites? (vv. 10-11; see Deut. 2:4-5, 9, 18-19; and also Note 2 below)
b. How many fighting men did Jehoshaphat have? (see 17:14-19)
c. Why then did he see themselves as without any power?
d. What did he also confess? (v. 12)
e. How did Jehoshaphat differ from Asa in his attitude toward fighting these formidable enemies? (v. 12 versus 16:1-3)
(6) Why does the Chronicler mention that even “the wives and children and little ones” stood before the Lord? (v. 13)
(7) The answer from the Lord (vv. 15-17)
a. What reason did the Lord give in telling them not to be afraid? (v.15)
b. What strategy did the Lord devise for them? (v. 17)
c. What in essence did the Lord tell them to do?
d. If you were one of the people, how would you react to the word of the Lord?
(8) How did the king react to the word of the Lord? (v. 18)
(9) What about the people, and especially some of the Levites? (vv. 18-19)
(10) Why?
(11) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Note 1:
En Gedi is on the west coast of the Dead Sea, only 15 hours from Jerusalem (K&D, 635). It appears that Jehoshaphat was totally caught by surprise, not being aware of the crossing of this vast army of the sea, and within less than a day’s distance from Jerusalem, it was unlikely for him to gather all his fighting men, especially those from Benjamin.
Note 2:
Mount Seir normally refers to the Edomites, but the Meunites who were likely not of Edom descent were residents of Mount Seir, and thus were included by Jehoshaphat as Edomites whose territory was spared from the invasion by Moses and his people.
20:20-29—The Battle (Part II)
(1) If you were Jehoshaphat, do you think you would be able to have peace during that night? Why or why not?
(2) What was the first thing he decided to do early the next morning? (v. 20)
(3) Was he speaking to the people or to himself? Why?
(4) What was their collective decision as they went into the battle field? (v. 21)
(5) What did this decision represent?
(6) What was the result of their singing praises? (v. 22)
(7) What do we learn about the importance of praising God especially when we face life’s challenges?
(8) What happened that led to the total destruction of this united army of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir? (v. 23)
(9) At the end of the battle, the people praised the Lord (v. 26): How different was this praise from the praise before the battle in v. 21? Which do you think was more precious? Why?
(10) What was the result of this victory? (vv. 29-30)
20:31-37—The End of Jehoshaphat’s Reign
(11) While Jehoshaphat had done all he could to return the people to the Lord, what was the Bible’s verdict on the spiritual condition of the people? (v. 33)
(12) What was the final act recorded about the life of Jehoshaphat? (vv. 35-37)
(13) Why do you think the Chronicler chooses to end the account of Jehoshaphat’s life on such a sour note?
(14) What is the main lesson you have learned about Jehoshaphat and how may you apply it to your life?