191 Then Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned in safety to his house in Jerusalem . 2 Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him and said to King Jehoshaphat , " Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord and so bring wrath on yourself from the Lord ? 3 "But there is some good in you, for you have removed the Asheroth from the land and you have set your heart to seek God ."
4 So Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem and went out again among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim and brought them back to the Lord , the God of their fathers .
5 He appointed judges in the land in all the fortified cities of Judah , city by city . 6 He said to the judges , "Consider what you are doing , for you do not judge for man but for the Lord who is with you when you render judgment . 7 "Now then let the fear of the Lord be upon you; be very careful what you do , for the Lord our God will have no part in unrighteousness or partiality e or the taking of a bribe ." 8 In Jerusalem also Jehoshaphat appointed some of the Levites and priests , and some of the heads of the fathers' households of Israel , for the judgment of the Lord and to judge disputes among the inhabitants of Jerusalem . 9 Then he charged them saying , "Thus you shall do in the fear of the Lord , faithfully and wholeheartedly e . 10 " Whenever any dispute comes to you from your brethren who live in their cities , between blood and blood , between law and commandment , statutes and ordinances , you shall warn them so that they may not be guilty before the Lord , and wrath may not come on you and your brethren . Thus you shall do and you will not be guilty . 11 "Behold , Amariah the chief priest will be over you in all that pertains to the Lord , and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael , the ruler of the house of Judah , in all that pertains to the king . Also the Levites shall be officers before you. Act resolutely , and the Lord be with the upright ."
201 Now it came about after this that the sons of Moab and the sons of Ammon , together with some of the Meunites , came to make war against Jehoshaphat . 2 Then some came and reported to Jehoshaphat , saying , "A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea , out of Aram and behold , they are in Hazazon-tamar (that is Engedi )." 3 Jehoshaphat was afraid and turned his attention to seek the Lord , and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah . 4 So Judah gathered together to seek help from the Lord ; they even came from all the cities of Judah to seek the Lord . 5 Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem , in the house of the Lord before the new court , 6 and he said , "O Lord , the God of our fathers , are You not God in the heavens ? And are You not ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations ? Power and might are in Your hand so that no one can stand against You. 7 "Did You not, O our God , drive out the inhabitants of this land before e Your people Israel and give it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever ? 8 "They have lived in it, and have built You a sanctuary there for Your name , saying , 9 ' Should evil come upon us, the sword , or judgment , or pestilence , or famine , we will stand before this house and before You (for Your name is in this house ) and cry to You in our distress , and You will hear and deliver us.' 10 "Now behold , the sons of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir , whom You did not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt (they turned aside from them and did not destroy them), 11 see how they are rewarding us by coming to drive us out from Your possession which You have given us as an inheritance . 12 "O our God , will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do , but our eyes are on You." 13 All Judah was standing before the Lord , with their infants , their wives and their children .
14 Then in the midst of the assembly the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah , the son of Benaiah , the son of Jeiel , the son of Mattaniah , the Levite of the sons of Asaph ; 15 and he said , "Listen , all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat : thus says the Lord to you, ' Do not fear or be dismayed because e of this great multitude , 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 , and you will find them at the end of the valley in front of the wilderness of Jeruel . 17 'You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf , O Judah and Jerusalem .' Do not fear or be dismayed ; tomorrow go out to face them, for the Lord is with you." 18 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 The Levites , from the sons of the Kohathites and of the sons of the Korahites , stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel , with a very loud voice .
20 They rose early in the morning and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa ; and when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said , "Listen to me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem , put your trust in the Lord your God and you will be established . Put your trust in His prophets and succeed ." 21 When he had consulted with the people , he appointed those who sang to the Lord and those who praised Him in holy attire , as they went out before the army and said , " Give thanks to the Lord , for His lovingkindness is everlasting ." 22 When they began singing and praising , the Lord set ambushes against the sons of Ammon , Moab and Mount Seir , who had come against Judah ; so they were routed . 23 For the sons of Ammon and Moab rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir destroying them completely ; and when they had finished with the inhabitants of Seir , they helped to destroy one another . 24 When Judah came to the lookout of the wilderness , they looked toward the multitude , and behold , they were corpses lying on the ground , and no one had escaped . 25 When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their spoil , they found much among them, including goods , garments and valuable things which they took for themselves, more than they could carry . And they were three days taking the spoil because there was so much . 26 Then on the fourth day they assembled in the valley of Beracah , for there they blessed the Lord . Therefore e they have named e that place "The Valley of Beracah " until today . 27 Every man of Judah and Jerusalem returned with Jehoshaphat at their head , returning to Jerusalem with joy , for the Lord had made them to rejoice over their enemies . 28 They came to Jerusalem with harps , lyres and trumpets to the house of the Lord . 29 And the dread of God was on all the kingdoms of the lands when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel . 30 So the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace , for his God gave him rest on all sides .
31 Now Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah . He was thirty-five e years old when he became king , and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five e years . And his mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi . 32 He walked in the way of his father Asa and did not depart from it, doing right in the sight of the Lord . 33 The high places , however , were not removed ; the people had not yet directed their hearts to the God of their fathers . 34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat , first to last , behold , they are written in the annals of Jehu the son of Hanani , which is recorded in the Book of the Kings of Israel . 35 After this Jehoshaphat king of Judah allied himself with Ahaziah king of Israel . He acted wickedly in so doing . 36 So he allied himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish , and they made the ships in Ezion-geber . 37 Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat saying , "Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah , the Lord has destroyed your works ." So the ships were broken and could not go to Tarshish .
21 When Jesus had said this , He became troubled in spirit , and testified and said , "Truly , truly , I say to you, that one of you will betray Me." 22 The disciples began looking at one another , at a loss to know of which one He was speaking . 23 There was reclining on Jesus' bosom one of His disciples , whom Jesus loved . 24 So Simon Peter gestured to him, and said to him, "Tell us who it is of whom He is speaking ." 25 He, leaning back thus on Jesus' bosom , said to Him, "Lord , who is it?" 26 Jesus then answered , "That is the one for whom I shall dip the morsel and give it to him." So when He had dipped the morsel , He took and gave it to Judas , the son of Simon Iscariot . 27 After the morsel , Satan then entered into him. Therefore Jesus said to him, "What you do , do quickly ." 28 Now no one of those reclining at the table knew for what purpose He had said this to him. 29 For some were supposing , because Judas had the money box , that Jesus was saying to him, "Buy the things we have need of for the feast "; or else , that he should give something to the poor . 30 So after receiving the morsel he went out immediately ; and it was night .
31 Therefore when he had gone out, Jesus said , "Now is the Son of Man glorified , and God is glorified in Him; 32 if God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself , and will glorify Him immediately . 33 " Little children , I am with you a little while longer . You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews , now I also say to you, 'Where I am going , you cannot e come .' 34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another , even as I have loved you, that you also love one another . 35 " By this all men will know that you are My disciples , if you have love for one another ."
36 Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord , where are You going ?" Jesus answered , " Where I go , you cannot e follow Me now ; but you will follow later ." 37 Peter said to Him, "Lord , why e can I not follow You right now ? I will lay down my life for You." 38 Jesus answered , "Will you lay down your life for Me? Truly , truly , I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times .
(Read John 13:18-30)
Our Lord had often spoken of his own sufferings and death, without such trouble of spirit as he now discovered when he spake of Judas. The sins of Christians are the grief of Christ. We are not to confine our attention to Judas. The prophecy of his treachery may apply to all who partake of God's mercies, and meet them with ingratitude. See the infidel, who only looks at the Scriptures with a desire to do away their authority and destroy their influence; the hypocrite, who professes to believe the Scriptures, but will not govern himself by them; and the apostate, who turns aside from Christ for a thing of naught. Thus mankind, supported by God's providence, after eating bread with Him, lift up the heel against Him! Judas went out as one weary of Jesus and his apostles. Those whose deeds are evil, love darkness rather than light.
(Read John 13:31-35)
Christ had been glorified in many miracles he wrought, yet he speaks of his being glorified now in his sufferings, as if that were more than all his other glories in his humbled state. Satisfaction was thereby made for the wrong done to God by the sin of man. We cannot now follow our Lord to his heavenly happiness, but if we truly believe in him, we shall follow him hereafter; meanwhile we must wait his time, and do his work. Before Christ left the disciples, he would give them a new commandment. They were to love each other for Christ's sake, and according to his example, seeking what might benefit others, and promoting the cause of the gospel, as one body, animated by one soul. But this commandment still appears new to many professors. Men in general notice any of Christ's words rather than these. By this it appears, that if the followers of Christ do not show love one to another, they give cause to suspect their sincerity.
(Read John 13:36-38)
What Christ had said concerning brotherly love, Peter overlooked, but spoke of that about which Christ kept them ignorant. It is common to be more eager to know about secret things, which belong to God only, than about things revealed, which belong to us and our children; to be more desirous to have our curiosity gratified, than our consciences directed; to know what is done in heaven, than what we may do to get thither. How soon discourse as to what is plain and edifying is dropped, while a doubtful dispute runs on into endless strife of words! We are apt to take it amiss to be told we cannot do this and the other, whereas, without Christ we can do nothing. Christ knows us better than we know ourselves, and has many ways of discovering those to themselves, whom he loves, and he will hide pride from them. May we endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, to love one another with a pure heart fervently, and to walk humbly with our God.
