Sermon Notes
When You Are Between
A Rock and A Hard Place
December 28, 2025
1 After this, the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to make war on Jehoshaphat.
2 Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Sea. It is already in Hazezon Tamar” (that is, En Gedi). 3 Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. 4 The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him.
5 Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the Lord in the front of the new courtyard 6 and said:
“O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power
and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you. 7 O our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this
land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? 8 They have lived in it and
have built in it a sanctuary for your Name, saying, 9 ‘If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or
plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our
distress, and you will hear us and save us.’
10 “But now here are men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, whose territory you would not allow Israel to invade
when they came from Egypt; so they turned away from them and did not destroy them. 11 See how they are
repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance. 12 O our God, will you
not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do,
but our eyes are on you.”
13 All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the Lord.
14 Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly.
15 He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16 Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. 17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’”
18 Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord. 19 Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with very loud voice.
2 Chronicles 20:1-19
Jehosaphat’s crisis response provides us with a blueprint to follow
when we find ourselves: “between a rock and a hard place.”
Key: He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord (v. 32).
His eyes were on the Lord (v. 12).
I. Cry out to God in prayer.
Alarmed, Jehosaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord (v. 3).
Seven aspects to his prayer: a good pattern for our prayers.
1. He gathered others to pray with him (v. 4).
2. He acknowledged God’s power and sovereignty (v. 6).
3. He recounts God’s favors in the past (v. 7).
4. He affirms his confidence in God (vv. 8-9).
5. He narrates his human predicament (vv. 10-11).
6. He entreats God to take care of it (v. 12a).
7. He concludes with an affirmation of trust (v. 12b).
II. Go to God’s Word.
Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel … He said, ‘Listen…
This is what the Lord says to you’ (vv. 14-15a).
III. Trust God fearlessly.
This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged … for the battle is not yours but God’s. The Lord will
be with you … Stand firm’ … Jehosaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord … as they went out at the head of the army
(vv. 15, 17, 21).
We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.
2 Chronicles 20:12