The perfect example of asymmetrical warfare—they have the multitudes, and we have God!
If we were reading the 1 Kings account of Jehoshaphat’s life at this point, it would simply inform us, “Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, the might that he showed, and how he made war, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?” (22:45). And aren’t we glad that they are recorded there? The battle scene in 2 Chronicles 20, found only here, is so different from what happened at Ramoth Gilead—in fact, different from any armed conflict in the whole Bible. Let’s set the stage. After a period of peace in the kingdom, the enemy gathered to attack Judah, this time from the east and southeast. “It happened after this that the people of Moab with the people of Ammon, and others with them…came to battle against Jehoshaphat” (v 1). The “others” included soldiers from “Mount Seir” (v 10), the land of Esau and the Edomites. The whole region in those days was considered part of the territory of “Syria” (v 2). Their troops had already crossed the Jordan and were encamped at the spring of En Gedi, halfway along the west shore of the Dead Sea. When Jehoshaphat heard, did he think to align himself with Israel or some other nation to do battle? No! He “feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah” (v 3). Fear is logical if there’s something to cause it. But fear turns to faith when God comes to our aid, “and from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord” (v 4). What a joy it must have been to the Lord to see them streaming from towns and villages towards Jerusalem, because “all Judah, with their little ones, their wives, and their children, stood before the Lord” (v 13). This unity of need, faith in God, and purpose of heart in seeking Him is still the only path to victory.