King Jehoshaphat | Olivia Leong

You're listening to a message to go from axt church.

We hope this message will light up your.

Day, all right, Today, the message of God for us

today is the power of God's word that.

All may know. Yay.

We are still in November. Yeah, going on here in

this few last laps before we.

End the year.

We're still on the theme, the church theme that all

may know, that all may know what, that all may

know who, that all may know God and his glory.

Right.

So today's message, God's message for us today is the

power of his word.

Okay.

And whatever that will be shared today will be taken

from Second Chronicles, chapter seventeen.

Okay.

Of course there's a lot of things we can talk

about the power of God's word, but today we're just

focusing on this one small chapter, but a powerful chapter

that we can learn from the life of King Jehoshafat.

Repeat after me, King Jehoshafad. Yeah, it's not easy to

say this name. Next time we've got baby, can Nima

read Jehoshafad Okay, Jehosha Fad.

Okay, anyway, it's a good baby idea.

Nama Okay, so many names okay, so right, So yes,

Second Chronicles very seldom that we read from this chapter.

So before we dive.

Into this chapter, allow me to bring us through, or

work us through the background of the reason and the

purpose of the book of Second Chronicles. All right, So

the Old Testament kings that we can see in the

next slide, So just to share with us, if you

can see the slide, Yes, it's a picture of some bubbles.

If some of us remember, I shed this before, and

I shed it our.

Homes group, right, this is the same diagram.

Okay, if home leaders can help to reaforward again that link.

It's a long, long picture. Is a long as a

long picture, okay. Starting from yes, King Saul. Okay, the

nation of Israel once was once a nation ruled by kings,

starting from King Saul. So the people the nation of

Israel wanted to have a king. They didn't want God

to be their king. They wanted a physical man king,

like how the other nations of their neighboring countries wanted

had had. Okay, and yeah, so yeah, so King Saul

was the first king. Then later King David came about that, yeah, okay,

and then King Solomon. King Solomon was one of the

sons of King David. Okay, And that time when King

Solomon reigned, he he did something wrong, he didn't obey

God fully, and because of that God judsh the nation.

And because of the consequence of Solomon sin the nation,

the kingdom was divided into two. All right, maybe I

should stand here, Okay, So the Kingdom of is the

Kingdom of Israel divided into two kings, divided into two.

One is Kings of Judah, and another is the Nation

of Israel.

Okay, Nation of Judah and Nation of Israel. Nation of Judah.

This Kingdom of Judah is the southern southern region of Israel,

and the Israel Kingdom is the northern side. So we

can have a map after this, right, So if you

can see this map, this is the Kingdom of Israel.

This is the Kingdom of Judah. So sometimes when we

read in the.

Bible, we will see the southern Kingdom is referring to

the Kingdom of Judah and the Northern Kingdom talks about

the Kingdom of Israel. And later on you can see

later I will show you a little bit of the

lineage of the kings of this two nations. Right, most

of the Kings of Judah following after God, whereas the

Kingdom of Israel has disregarded the Lord God. All right,

so God wants to show us something even in this

journey of the nation of Israel.

Okay.

So yeah, So as you can see, the capital or

their main city for the Kingdom of Judah is Jerusalem,

and the Kingdom of Israel, like the city or the

main capital is in Samaria.

Okay, So just a picture.

Of that, okay, next life, right, So as I as

I shed just now, the the picture is.

Actually very long, Okay.

I cannot put it on this slide because it's just

solo and you cannot see anything. So I've broken the

whole picture into portions, okay. So imagine the kingdom divided,

and then there's a timeline here okay, the tilert okay.

So the first King of Judah is real. Bomb is

also one of King Solomon's son, and Jeroboum the first

is also. Yeah, if not mistaken, it's also one of

King Solomon's son.

Okay.

So this is the timeline as you can see nine

three zero okay. And the timelines continue on downwards okay,

from the beginning from the earliest to the latest.

Okay.

So as you can see here on the left is

the Kings of Judah. Here is the Kings of Israel,

all right. So and this is the timeline, so as

as the time goes down, these are the kings of

the different kingdoms.

Okay.

So we're gonna talk about King Jehosha fat here. Yes,

and this is King Esa all right. So next light, Yes,

So I just wanted to highlight also what the colors

meant in this chart, right, So the golden one talks

about kings that did what was right in the eyes

of the Lord. Okay, The gray ones like King Solomon

mostly did what was right in the eyes of the Lord,

and the darker blue one the kings that did evil

in the eyes of the Lord.

Okay.

But these are relative, relatively okay, relative to each other.

Okay, so you can see that.

But even the gold the gold highlighted one, they are

not like like fully all right. Also, for example, we

know King David, he also did something wrong, not like

fully did everything that was right, but relatively okay, So

I'm just highlighting here everyone is not perfect, okay, anything else, yes,

I think next light point to King Jehosha fat.

Here, Okay.

So we're gonna focus today on King Jehosha fat Okay.

I know it's a bit low for some of us

who are at the back cannot see. Next light, so

I've cut it and paces it here so you can

see clear.

Okay. Yeah.

Some feedback from some people say, oh you put all

down down there, cannot see and I put up up here. Okay,

all right, So we're gonna focus on King Jehoshaphat today.

All right.

Cool, okay, So the background of Second Chronicles, right, it's

a very interesting book.

All right.

This book was attributed the author is attributed to profit Ezra.

Okay. So next light, I'll show you another chart. Okay.

Sorry, it's a bit hard to read if you're behind.

But this is a chronology of the Old Testament.

Okay.

Allow me to walk you through this chart, okay, chrono

logical of the Old Testaments. So as we can see

from the top, so we have a timeline. Okay, it's

a bit hard to read because it's gray in color.

Okay.

So in this timeline from the earliest to the latest,

all right, And it starts from the year six thousand

BC and question mark okay. And in this beginning of

the timeline. So we have from the beginning Ad Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph. Okay,

so these are estimated timelines.

Okay.

So it started off with six thousand question mark BC,

four thousand, question mark BC two thousand, about one two

thousand BC here from Abraham, okay, and then we have

Moses and so on and so forth. Okay, all right,

so David Solomon, then you see here the kingdom got

divided kingdom, the Northern Kingdom and the Southern Kingdom, like

I explained just now in the previous chart, okay, and

the timeline goes on, and it was after a certain

time here I think five hundred BC, four hundred and

sixty BC. That's about when the country, the whole nation

of Israel got captured for seventy years there are way, yeah, the.

Many nations came.

To capture the country, the people there, okay. And then

there was a restoration period okay. Then after that there

was a four hundred years of silence okay, before Jesus came,

the Lord Jesus Christ came. Okay, And down here you

can see many many bars. I know it's a bit

hard to read about read for us, so from beginning.

Of course, we have the Old Testament books in the Bible,

so you have Genesis Exodas, so it's placed in timeline

wise okay. And the raid one talks about the beginning

and the Law. So the Old Testament is also divided

into different parts. We have the beginning and the Law.

We have the poetic books, so the yellow ones had

the poetic books like Job, like Psalms, like Proverbs, Ecclesiastis,

Song of Solomon. Okay, all these are in yellow, and

then the orange color is other historical books.

Historical books are like Joshua Judges.

For Samuel second, Samuel's first King, second Kings, and you

can see here Second Chronicles overlaps first Kings and second Kings.

You have major the major prophets are somewhere during the

seventy years in captivity like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentation, Daniel, Ezekiel,

and the blue box are the minor prophets like Joseah

Amos Joa and so and so forth. Right, yes, these

oranges one are historical books as well. Okay, all right,

and we can see next light indicated that the book

of Second Chronicles, or rather first and actually first and

Second Chronicles are attributed to the prophet Ezra okay, who

wrote the Second Chronicles or the book First and Second

Chronicles for the people that existed around after the seventy

years of captivity. They are returning, and this period is

called the return, return, I think, and restoration. Okay, okay,

this is the part where the nation of Israel are

returning back to Jerusalem to rebuild Jerusalem.

And this is where.

Ezra, the prophet is writing the book of Second, First

and Second Chronicles to encourage the nation of Israel and

really to remind them back of the kings of how

God has been faithful, the miracles that God has done

for the country of Israel. And yeah, so they're they're

in First and Second Kings and Chronicles. There are some

similar stories in their, similar to our gospels, right, Matthew, Mark, Luke,

and John, the Four Gospels. They are all similar stories

but of different perspective, similarly for First King, Second Kings

and Second Chronicles.

So it's very interesting. Okay.

So it's actually First and Second Chronicles their book of

encouragement and exhortation, all right, So, yeah, be encouraged. Even

as we look into this, notice how the style of

writing many highlights God's faithfulness and to remind the people

to do to come back to the work of the

Word of God again.

All right.

So the remnants that were left needed encouragement to keep

their faith alive in the midst of difficulty, and they

needed hope for the future because they are rebuilding back

Jerusalem again. So it is a fresh reminder of God's

faithfulness and he would not forget his promises to David

and to his people. So it is a strong exhortation

to motivate God's people to adhere to the Mosaic Covenant

and ritual so that the tragedy in the past would

not be repeated. It's very important because they're coming back

again as a nation. Okay, all right, next night, So

King Joho Jehosaphad. Okay that that bubble day? Okay, King Jehoshahad.

So Jehoshahad. What does it mean? The name Jehoshaphad means

the Lord Jehovah has judged, okay, right, And King jehoshah Pad.

He is crowned King of Judah when he was thirty

five years old, wow or the younger king about Yeah,

well he was crown king thirty five years old, right

and his reign lasted twenty five five years okay.

And and King.

Jehoshapha why why I I really felt that God wants

to speak to us through this word uh and to

see this life of Jehoshapha. King Jehoshapha is because King

Jehohaad is one of the best, most pious and prosperous.

King of Judah. Okay.

And and in fact, in the Book of Second Chronicles

for King Jehoshaphat has his life is documented for three

chapter the three three full chapters similar to King Asa

before okay, he of course King Jehoshava, like I mentioned, he's, uh,

the son of King Asa. Next like that, next, like

that's that's King Asa. So as I was saying, uh, yeah,

so it's King Essa. Then later is King Jehoshaphad okay

or in the in the Kingdom of Judah okay, the

left side one, okay, the right sie one is the

King of Israel okay, Okay, all right, So before we

go into chapter seventeen, there's some little background, a bit

of history about this king is a Okay, Chapter sixteen.

If you have your Bibles with you, let's turn to

Second Chronicles. Yeah, Second Chronicles, chapter sixteen. Okay, before we

dive into chapter seventeen, just a brief brief background, okay,

So I'm just going to read quickly. Okay, this is

just the last part of King Asa.

Okay.

As we can see just now, the bubble, right was

goal in color. King Asa did what was right. However,

in chapter sixteen, the last chapter of King ASA's life,

he didn't quite trust God, right and yes, instead of

seeking God, King Asa trusted his own resources to get

help from Syria, the Nation of Syria, to defend them

against the attacks of the Kingdom of Israel.

Okay.

So basically that's this Kingdom of Judah at the southern side.

They're always atvolved with the Northern Kingdom of Israel, right,

and also the nations around.

But somehow King Asa.

Tried to get help from the Nation of Syria to

protect to help to help the Kingdom of Judah to

fight against the Northern Kingdom, Kingdom of Israel.

Okay.

So I'm just gonna read a portion here from chapter sixteen,

verse seven to nine.

Okay.

So, and at that time, in verse seven from chapter

sixteen of Second Chronicles, okay. Second Chronicle Coast, chapter sixteen,

verse seven. Second Chronicles, Chapter sixteen, verse seven reads And

at that time Hanani the Sea came to Asa, King

of Judah, and said to him, because you have rebelled,

you have relied on the King of Syria and have

not relied on the Lord your God. Therefore the army

of the King of Syria has escaped from your hand.

Wow. So whatever help that King Asa, the King of Judah,

has asked for help is already gone. Okay?

Was it? Were the Ethiopians and the Lubim not a

huge army with every with very many chariots and horsemen.

Yet because you relied on the Lord, he delivered them

into your hand.

Wow.

Meaning to say this, uh this Hanani, Hanani the Sea

is reminding King Asa.

Previously remember this big this, this.

Huge army, the another enemy, Ethiopians and Lubim their enemies

of the King, the Kingdom of Judah. Right that time,

King a Isa trusted God. Yet because you relied the Lord,

he delivered them into your hands. So yes, the seer

is reminding King Isam. Then verse nine says, for the

eyes of the Lord. The eyes of the Lord ran

to and fro throughout the whole earth to show himself

strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to him.

In this you have done foolishly. Therefore, from now on

you shall have wars. So Hanani, the Seer is prophesying

over the Kingdom of Judah because you didn't trust God.

God is going to have allow wars in the king

of Kingdom of Judah.

Right, okay.

Then verse Dan says, how did Aesa responded?

Okay?

Then Isa was angry with the seer and put him

to prison for he was enraged at him because of

because of this, and Isa oppressed some of the people

at the time. They are so said, Lah that Iza

didn't responded well through this even a rebuke, right, he

could have repented.

No, but in say he got angry.

Wow, you knew every time when we face a challenge

with someone rebukes us, so important to respond correctly. But

it's also so tempted to go the easy way of

just getting angry and lashing with everybody. Yeah, I know, right, Yeah,

I'm guilty of that sometimes yes and most times so

I am.

I'm very convicted here.

So verse yeah, So this king Eesa didn't do what

was right la okay, so okay, and then you can

continue to read verse eleven until fourteen.

Okay.

Now we are entering chapter seventeen. Okay, so that's all

that was the background. Okay, let's read chapter seventeen or

second Chronicles.

Verse one.

Then Johor Shafad, his son, reigned in his place and

strengthened himself against Israel. So remember there was a prophecy

saying that because of what Essa did, the Kingdom of

Judah now will be at war.

Okay.

So that's why King Jehosephath have to strengthen himself. Yeah,

because he's now king, not his dad anymore. His dad

died really okay in the previous chapter read uh, yeah,

you will read that, okay, continue on in verse two okay, yes,

So how did how did Jehosaphat strengthen himself?

What did he do?

Verse two says, and he plays troops in all the

fortified cities of Judah and set garrisons in the land

of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa

his father had taken. Okay, so he he set up

his military strategies there. Verse three. Now the Lord us

with Jehoshahad. Why was the Lord was with Jehosepha Because

Jehoshah Pad walked in the former ways of his father, David.

He did not seek the bows. Okay.

So in English language, when it's translated right, when the

words there says that Jehoshah Pat he walked in the

former ways of his father. The word father that could

mean like grandfather, could mean great great grandfather.

In this context, this father means it was Jehoshapha.

It's great great grand no great great great grandfather.

Okay, Just now, if you follow the bubbles, if.

You count back, it's great great great grandfather, probably four generations.

He followed. He probably went.

To Sunday school and hear all the stories are from

his not Sundays Club, maybe his parents or maybe his

his stare takers. Did you know that your great great

great grandfather did and what God did?

Did that? You know? Probably he heard and he gleaned

from it, and he took a heart to that. Right.

Probably somebody must have told him or discipled him about that,

you know about God and everything right, and.

He chose to walk. He chose to walk right.

The ways of his great great great grandfather David and

he did not seek the ba ow. So for those

of us who are knew to this, but ows okay,

But ours are the foreign gods okay, the idols of

the gods of the other nations.

Okay.

And it was it is a special name of the

supreme God of the Canaanites, the Philistines okay, the Phoenicians, yes,

and for the the these people called this ball as

the god of the Sun, the morning Sun, the sun okay,

the god of the Sun, so supreme, okay, is a

big god to them.

All right, let's continue to read. Okay.

So so so Jehoshaha disregard by ours the supreme God

of other nations. But he considered to walk in the

ways of the Lord God. Okay, continue on in verse four.

But sort so, King Jehoshaphad sought the God of his father,

or rather his great great great grandfather, King David. And

what in his command remembered his big letter, his God's commandments,

and not according to the acts of Israel. So remember

we say, the Kingdom of Israel, the Northern Kingdom. They

disregard the Lord God. Already they wanted to do their

own thing.

Okay.

Verse five, Oh, yeah, and then here in verse four,

King Jehoshaphah, when he followed the Lord God of his father,

he worked in his commandments.

Right, Uh, you know the Lord God.

Yes, the Lord God here speaks about God Jehovah, whom

we are worshiping today. All right, he is Jehovah. So yeah,

the Lord God. He is the Lord who is supreme

God among the Hebrews. And he is the I am

who I am, And he's the God of yesterday, today

and tomorrow. Right, So he is God above the sun, above,

the supreme God of Baos as well.

All right.

And here when we talk about verse four, as we

can see here verse four, right, Jehoshaphat sought the God

of his father.

When we read in the English language, sick or sort

is what do you call English? Sort? Is what the

past the coastands of sick? The English people? Yes, okay, sick,

so sick the words sick.

Sometimes we cannot comprehend what does it mean sick? So

I went to the Hebrew language so you can show

the slight next, the next slight sick.

Here in Hebrew. Right, it's called dora dorash okay, dosh okay, okay,

it's it means to resort.

To to enquire. Of course, there's other other meanings there

you can read. Okay, I'm going to just highlight the

buld that once for the sake of time.

Okay. Uh. It's to also to frequent a place.

So when we say we seek God, do we frequent

back to God?

Do we inquire God? Okay?

We seek God? Do we consult God? Do we seek

him in prayer? In worship? When we say we seek God?

What does it mean? It means to investigate. It's a

lot of work to do.

The word's sick.

It is not okay, sit down, read my Bible, prayer,

give him five minutes and then how okay, that's it.

No, no here sick sick.

That's a deeper, deeper meaning to that, like to invest it.

That's a hard work to do. Okay, okay, that's to

demand and then that's this part here says to practice,

to study, to follow, to seek with application demesa, that's

an application, that's a that's some work to be done.

It's not just sitting there passively, but seeking right to

seek with care, right care for. When you care for

something right, you really have to invest your time, your energy,

your attention everything, your investment financially, Yes, okay, to sick God.

Wow.

This for let the word god. It has heavy meaning

to it. Okay, sick God. So every time you and

you read in the Bible, when someone says it's sought God,

this is the word door rush Okay, door rush okay.

Verse four.

Yes, that's where you say, is that okay? King Jehoshaphah

shot the god of his father and walked in his commandments.

Now walk.

Walk is also another for letter word for let the

word and we always say walking.

We always taught the walking right.

Walking also carry heavy meaning to eat, walk next light walk.

In Hebrew says a word says hallock, hall lock, hall lock,

hall lock. Okay, hall lock means to go walk and

come okay, okay. To depart, that means to move from

one place to another. That's a movement.

Okay.

Hollock is not ah, how do you say, not standing

at the same position? Okay, all right, walk here hall lock.

That's that's one part says to lead, bring, lead away,

to carry, to cost, to walk, okay, maybe helping someone

to walk, all right, And that's I'm going to read

the bold that once okay, be conversant, wow, big English

with Okay. Conversant means to be familiar, okay, to be

to be familiar, That means uh, to to like if

I know, I take a tea.

I'm familiar with her, like for how many years? Really?

So many years? More than ten years, I think, I

think so the teen years. Wow, so I'm familiar.

Okay. Familiar. So conversant means to be familiar.

Okay, I know her or where she stay, her family,

her family back in the Philippines are familiar.

Right. When we say to walk means to be familiar.

To be east, wow, walk you know, stress be east

beas walk when you walk very very east beast.

That's a whole lock is so meaning to say when

we walk with the Lord, it can be east, no pressure,

no stress, Okay, we walk with the Lord.

Yeah, it says, yeah, okay, this is what I understand

from this word how lot when I apply it with

walking with the Lord?

Right okay?

Yes, to follow, to forward, to go about, to go abroad,

to go along, to go away, go forward, to.

Go on, to go out, up, to go up, to

go down, to go somewhere. Okay.

It speaks also about greater Okay, greater. That means there

there must be a growth when we walk with the Lord.

One thing to know whether our walk with God, whether

we are really walking with God, there must be and.

The evidence of growth. Right. Yeah, So it's it's very personal. Okay.

It's good to have an evaluation for ourselves to think

about it. When we say we walk with the Lord,

how has it been maybe a week ago, a month ago,

a year ago?

A reflection? Have I grown.

Grown greater in a sense, like better than before? It's

a good reflection for all of us.

Okay.

When we say we walk with the Lord, Okay, there's

always movement. Okay, there's always movement. When we say we walk,

walk okay, hod Lock, Okay, be at b at the point.

I like this.

Meaning walking means be at the point means there is

a target. There is a target when we walk with

the Lord. There is always a target. Where are we

going to?

Okay?

If we don't just walk aimlessly, be at the point.

There is a point that we are walking towards. So

you feel that in your journey, if we feel that

in our journey with God, we feel very aimless. Good

to speak to a leader here, okay, and we are

here happy to disciple to us together to walk with

the Lord, because to find where is that point that

God wants.

To lead us to?

Okay, all right, okay, so so much okay to talk

about walk Okay, yes, right. So when we ever read

in the Word of God about someone seeking someone walking

with the Lord, it covers all these very precious and

very meaningful definitions. Okay, all right, So that's verse four.

Let's continue verse five. Therefore, Second Chronicles, Chapter seventeen, Verse five,

Therefore the Lord established the kingdom in his hand, in

King Jehoshahad's hand, and all Juda gave presents to Jehoshaphad,

and he had riches.

And honor in abundance. Wow.

This is like the blessing a witness that we can

see documented for King Jehoshaphah, that when he's sick and

walked with God, there is a blessing that comes after. Okay,

verse six. And King Jehoshaphat's heart took delight in the

ways of the Lord, see Lord, Yes, in the ways

of the Lord. In my Bible, that Lord is big

letter for L O R D R. Okay, but it's okay.

And King Joshaphah's heart took delight in the ways of

the Lord. Moreover, he removed the high places and wooden

images from Judah. Right, So King Jehafah, King Jehoshafat took

delight in King James. Version says his heart was lifted up,

his heart and amplified. Version says his heart was courage

and took great pride in the ways of the Lord.

His in ESV. Version says his heart was courageous. You know,

this word delight is.

So so meaningful that he chooses to be to to

how do you say, to have his own motivation right

to do what is right? And he removed all the

high places and wooden images of Judah, removed all the idols.

Nothing in Judah, no God in Judah except God Jehovah,

the Lord God.

Okay. That was King King Jehosha FAD's way of doing

to reigning in the King in Judah. Okay, Let's continue

verse seven.

Also in the third year of his reign, he sent

his leaders ben hale Obadiah, Zachariah, Nathaniel, and Makaiah.

To teach in the cities of Judah. Wow Okay.

And with them with the leaders, he sent levites Shemayah, Natanaya, Zabadayah,

and Shah hel Shami, ramov Jahoratanja, Tobija and Tobaja the Livites.

So all these Alivi's amazing. They named every name prescious

in God's side. Now no one is missed out.

Okay, okay?

Right? And with them Ali, Shama and Johoram the priests.

So got two priests and many levites following the leaders.

Right.

So verse nine says, so they taught in Judah and

had the book of the Law of the Lord with them.

They went throughout all the cities of Judah and taught

the people. So this us the strategy. They had the leaders,

they had the priests and the Levites teach the word

of God the Law of the Lord to all the

people in Judah.

Okay and yes, okay, let's continue on verse ten.

And the fear of the Lord fell on all the

kingdoms of the lands that were around Judah. So they

did not make war against Jehosaphad. Hey, so weird, Right,

the word of God was taught in Judah. The word

of God was taught in Judah. Shouldn't the fear of

the Lord does fall on Judah? Why is the fear

of the Lord around Judah. The word of God was

taught in Judah. It didn't say that the word of

God was taught around Judah. No, the word of God

was taught in Judah, but the fear of the Lord

fell on the nation that's around God did something supernatural here, right,

amazing when I read that like something very interesting.

I never read it like that before.

How is it that the law of the Lord was

taught in Judah, but the fear of the Lord fell

on the kingdoms of the lands around Judah. So and

even if you read in Second Chronicles chapter seventeen, verse two, johsaphied, Right,

if you read in verse two, verse two, or Second

Chronicles chapter seventeen, we can slide back to verse two. Yes,

and it says, yeah, it is said Joe Hosaphath plays

forces in all the fans cities.

Yet it is not said that the fear of the

Lord fell on the neighboring nations.

You see he did in verse two beginning when we

read right, he did he fortified the city, said garrisons.

Why is it what he did this one?

In verse two, the fear of the Lord didn't fall

on the how you said the fear of the lot

didn't fall upon the other nations that time when he

did that. But it says the fear of the Lot

happened around Judah when when preaching ministry was established in

the cities, right then, his enemies had a fear and

made no war. It's amazing. Okay, this is supernatural. Okay,

And this is similar Okay, I just want to draw

a similarity of this situation. This is similarly seen when

Jacob and his sons. Okay, now talk about Jacob. It's like, oh,

the great grand grand grand grandgrandfather of of Solomon David. Okay,

the before the ancestors before. Okay, Jacob, you're talking about Jacob.

This is similarly seen in Jacob and his sons were

going to worship at Bethel. The terror of God was

upon the neighboring cities as they did not pursue them after.

If you write your notes there, you can write you

can read Genesis chapter thirty five ver was one to five. Okay,

for the sake of time, I'm not going to read that,

but just to highlight my next slide, you can see

that that's this verse from Genesis chapter thirty five was five,

and they journeyed.

Right. This is talking about Jacob and the family. God

called Jacob okay to to to build an altar for him. Okay, right, okay?

And jacob obeyed God and did what was right, and

he took all his family and journeyed. And they journeyed,

and the terror of God was upon the cities that

were all around them, and did not pursue the signs

of Jacob because at the time Jacob was so scared

that when he brings his family, his family is all huge. Sukay,

don't imagine his family. Jacob's family is so huge. He

needs to bring his whole family to journey to this

place where God has called Jacob. Right, but God took

care of him, and make sure that he's not he's

not attacked, right, right, Okay. So bringing this to application

nearer to High Proverbs chapter sixteen, verse ten, you can

write down on your notes Proverbs sixteen, verse ten. You

can make this as your memory vers for the week

as well. When a man's ways please the Lord, he

makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

Hallelujah. Right.

When a man's ways please the Lord, right, he makes

even his enemies be at peace with him. This is

an application of principle that Jehoshaphat somehow knew right, and

he practiced, and true enough God came true. For God

is faithful in his word. He's faithful in his promises.

This is one promise that you can hang on to.

When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even

his enemies be at peace with him.

Hallelujah. Right, okay.

So, through the teaching of the book of the Law

of the Lord, Judah as a nation became pooroughly instructed

in their duty to God, to the King, and to

each other. Right. The law of the Lord is righteous,

and he teaches the people what to do, okay, And

their whole nation was so united to do it together

right to have to be instructed in their duty to God,

to the King, and to each other. They became therefore

as one man. They're so united on such principle, no

enemy could be successful. This is also another principle that

we can remember. Okay, can write down on your notebook

again next night. Psalms one hundred of the three, verse

one to three. It says in Psalms one hundred and

thirty three, verse one to three, behold how good and

how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. Okay, brethren, sister,

and once again okay, for brethren to dwell together in unity.

For there the Lord commanded the blessing life forever more.

Amen. This is God's blessing for people who are united. Okay.

Here we talk about the nation of Judah.

They were so united because the Word of God guided

them all together, and they are so united.

Okay. Yeah, we can apply that to our families, to our.

Company, even to our studies, our group MADS, assignment group, MADS. Okay,

you can apply it. Okay, Okay, let's continue on. In

verse twelve of Second Chronicles, chapter seventeen, Verse twelve, So

Jehoshaphat became increasingly powerful, and he built fortresses and storage

cities in Judah verse thirteen. Right, And he had much

property in the cities of Judah. And the men of war,

mighty men of Valor, were in Jerusalem verse fourteen. These

are their numbers, according to their father's houses of Judah,

the captains of thousands aDNA the captain, and with him

three hundred thousand mighty men of Valor verse fifteen. And

next to him was Jeho Hannan the captain, and with

him two hundred and eighteen thousand. Well, this number cannot imagine.

Verse sixteen. And next to him, okay, I want to

highlight this verse sixteen, and next to him was a messiah, Amasaiah,

the son of Zikree, who willingly offered himself to the Lord,

and with him two hundred thousand mighty men of valor.

Just want to highlight this man named Amasaiah, Amasaiah. He's

only mentioned in this verse and never again in any

parts of the Bible. Okay, Amasaiah, he was ready, he

was willing, I believe. I believe it's also due to

the teachings that was done by the leaders, the priests

and the levice of the Lord, of the Lord, and

probably he's one of them listening and felt something in

his heart. God probably did a work in his heart,

and he responded by saying, I'm willing to serve the

King and my country.

Right.

He says, yeah, Amasiah was ready and willing so of

the Lord. This is particularly notable because he did it

in an other otherwise secular calling, meaning to say, he

didn't just go to the temple to serve the Lord,

but he self God by volunteerily, willingly availing himself to

serve the King and his country. No one had to

press him into service, no one had to seek him

out for service. No one had to look after him

once he's begun his service or his serving.

No one had to lead him, no one had to

follow up with him.

He willingly did it wholeheartedly. There is no lawful occupation

in which a man cannot parally serve in serve the Lord. Okay,

it is a great privilege and blessing to be set

apart to the work of winning souls. But we must

never separate that work from all the rest of the

callings of life, as it alone was sacred and all

the rest were secular and almost sinful. Serf God wherever

you are. So this is very good encouragement, even for

myself that you know, you know, winning our friends, our

colleagues to the Kingdom of God is not dedicated for

just coming to chish only or our pastors only. But

we can serve God even in our marketplaces. Okay, all right,

So just want to share a story. Okay, I know

we have some dh our colliques here with me, right,

So just want to share a story. Our side manager

has announced the passing of one of our colleague named Tobilin.

He is a very close working colleague with me, right,

and he is he just turned forty one years old

last month.

And he is a very big like a big brother

to a lot of us.

Okay, these few photos are just some photos from luncheons

that we had with him. Actually there are many, many,

many many others. I couldn't fit it all in one slide, okay,

So just this is just a summary that he's such

a he's such a how do you say, kind hearted soul? Okay,

this this colleague of ours to bey he he would,

he did tell me before. Since other people got their

own ganger, we just find all those new new ones,

all those who have no gang.

Now, we just bring them out to say, okay, okay,

let's do it.

So I was just accompanying him, get all the different colleagues,

all the new young young ones, Okay, come, let's go,

let's go for lunch, and we just connected, you know,

and and it's he's such a beautiful hat guy, right,

and uh yeah, it was so sudden that he actually

passed on on Thursday night because he he had two blocked.

His two main arteries were blocked right his heart, so

he so while he was trying to play pickup ball.

I think it was on the fiftieth minute when it

was it was a new game with him and some

of our colliaques.

It's a new game.

So I believe it wasn't very tea, very straineous, so

it was very simple. My colleagues were explaining when my

cliques were there, they were explaining how he just collapsed

and he, yeah, just went and yeah, life is so short,

like what I think Katy was saying this morning, that

our life is just but a breath, and we thank

God that we have breath today.

That yeah, I'm very sad, very sudden.

When I remember even telling doctor Jill on Friday morning

when I received the new argus broke down because he

was so close and we never expected.

That he left so soon.

It was so hard to work on Friday morning. But

thank god that time I was early at work, so

no one was there. I was just such a mess.

M cleage was passing by thinking that was medy they

think or something else.

I was like, oh like mourning away. I was like,

how can so fast?

So yeah, so after after just praying to God and

asking and I felt so bad really because he is

an unbeliever.

I regretfully not sharing Christ with him.

He went so fast though we had many Marcans with him,

but I didn't have a chance to speak Christ with

him by just being his friend. Yeah.

So I was so remorseful and so said, nothing I

can do about Toby.

He's gone, but I still have all these friends that

you can see in a picture. They're still alivee. So

that's still work to be done. And I'm alive. There

is a reason why I'm alive. So I'm reminded. Holy

Spirit reminded me that hey, Olivia, be and courage again.

Take courage again. Yeah, keep going because there's still work

to be done, and allow God. So I allowed God

to have a holy Spirit continue to remind me and

to continue to walk we need.

Though it was so hard, I tell you.

Even on Friday morning, different ones came to me and

they were also mourning.

You know, you can see everyone's crying. Their hearts are like, oh,

it's so shocking because.

He was so friendly, even not just to our team,

but also to the team that even though he's not

working with but because we are physically seated at a

place where you know people around.

So that's why it's so important for me.

I even shared with some of our cliques when we

had lunch that day, I said, that is the reason.

I told him, that is the reason why I choose to.

Come to office every day if I can as much

as I can, for the reasons as such as this,

to spend time just being friends.

With people, because we never know. One day they'll just

been like Toby, right, so fast, It's just gone like that, right,

so young, right, and you're so unexpected. I was supposed

to have lunch.

I was thinking of having much with him next week

because he had training book training online, so we couldn't

go out for lunch this week.

So I thought, how we'd catch up with him next week.

That's no more, next week, He's gone ready, So I'm like, oh, okay,

like so sw we were just talking about it.

So but yeah, so that's the story.

Yes, So I'm so glad that I was in office

to even comfort a lot of people who were mourning

his sudden death and uh, just bring encouragement, bring light.

I mean I can imagine. Yeah, because some of Michael

list are telling me, you know, it's so hard to work.

He say, why don't you just go home and just

you know, rest, you know, take a day off. I

told myself, No, I'm here. I'm here for a reason

to help bring comfort, to bring encouragement, even for those

who are morning in the office that morning itself. So yeah,

late in the evening, our side manager put up an

email sharing about Toby's Toby's passing is he's also serving

in the company for seventeen years, since the beginning when

he first got this job, same thing for seventeen It's

so faithful, such a nice guy. Yeah, so said that

he passed on so soon, so soon? Ah, yes, so anyway,

coming back to this message, three points that I want

to live with us as old w nextlight.

Yes so. In this story of Second Chronicles, chapter seventeen,

three points so important to seek God and to walk

with him. Remember how the words seek. It's an active word.

It requires a lot of hard work to seek God,

a lot of investment in it to walk with God.

It also talks about being able to go from one

place to another. It's a movement. It's not a passive

or stationary action.

It is an action that has a purpose to be

at a point seek God and walk in his word.

Okay, let's not just be hearers of the world today,

but let's be doers of his word. Amen. Okay.

All speaks about others, right, others will be at peace

with you if you walk within his word.

Okay, right, like we read just now right in Proverbs.

Right in Proverbs sixteen ten says when a man's ways

please the Lord, he makes even his enemies be at

peace with him.

Right.

And then w speaks about willingly serve, So as you

seek God, as you as you walk with God, hear

what God is trying to say. And let's serve the

Kingdom of God, serve the House of God, serve the

community that's around you. Right, and yeah, let's let's be

that very important. I'd like to invite the extremers up

to let's close in this song, and we can rise

to our feet.

Rights.

Ow So so reminds me also about the parable of

the sober. In Matthew chapter thirteen, was three to nine,

Jesus spoke of many things to them in parables.

Right.

Matthew chapter thirteen, verse three to nine says, Jesus says,

behold a sower went out to sew, and as he sold,

some seeds fell on the wayside, and the birds came

to devour them. Some fell on stony places where they

did not have much earth, and they immediately sprang up

because they had no death in the earth.

Verse six of Matthew chapter thirteen.

Says, but when the sun was up, they were scotched,

and because they had no root, when they withered away

verse seven, And some seed fell among thorns, and the

torns sprang up and shook them. But others fell on

good ground verse eight of chapter thirteen of the Book

of Matthew, Chapter thirteen. Verse eight says, but others fell

on good and yielded a crop, some one hundredfold, some sixty,

some thirty.

He who has ears to hear, let him hear. Amen.

Amen, even as we hear God's word today, there is

power in God's word.

Amen. There's power in God's word. Amen.

There's power in God's word. Right, Let's take his word.

Let's do his word, because the word of God has power.

Amen.

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