Satan’s hand is to be seen in another form in this chapter from what we saw in the eighteenth.
There, successfully, the devil sought to allure the god-fearing king from his life of faith, and humble dependence, by wealth and honor and what else the world could give.
Here he would frighten him, drive him away from God by force and by fear and destroy him.
These are among Satan's chief methods of weakening the people of God, and the believer's security lies in taking everything to God, and receiving everything from God.
Had Jehoshaphat really had God before him at the time, he would never have joined himself with the wicked Ahab and his more wicked wife, Jezebel, nor encouraged in the least the marriage of his son with the daughter of that couple which brought untold damage to the kingdom of Judah.
In chapter 19, however, we found that Jehoshaphat had profited by the experience, bitter as it was, and set himself to bring back his people to Jehovah the God of their fathers; he was therefore prepared of God to receive a new experience of His mercy and grace.
The children of Moab and of Ammon, hereditary enemies, but in David's and Solomon's days subdued, were allowed to come against Jehoshaphat; it was Satan's work, but God was going to overrule for blessing on his servant.
Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord (happy, peace-giving engagement in prayer and reading the Word of God!), and proclaimed a fast throughout Judah. No hurried mobilization of troops; no gathering of fighting materials; no fortifying the cities, or other military preparations do we read of, but what was far more needed,—the people gathered themselves together to ask help of the Lord and to seek Him.
Jehoshaphat in his prayer (verses 6-13) owned God as his one resource; the unseen Ruler, the One of power and might, he asked to intervene in behalf of those who had no might, nor knew what to do, but whose eyes were upon Him.
As they waited before God, the answer came through a Levite, of the sons of Asaph,
"Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's!"
Early in the morning, when in confidence in God, the people went forth to meet the invaders who had crossed the Dead Sea near its middle, and were marching toward Jerusalem, Jehoshaphat spoke encouragingly to them,
"Believe in Jehovah your God, so ye shall be established: believe His prophets, so ye shall prosper."
The truth of these words has many a time since been felt. To trust in the Lord is fundamental; to give diligent attention to His word, having trusted in Him, is the way to the soul's prosperity (3 John 22Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. (3 John 2)).
It was when the song of praise rose on the morning air, that God made the advancing Moabites, Ammonites and associated people of Mount Seir at enmity with each other, so that they made an end of one another till none had escaped. And so the place of battle became the scene of blessing; the hearts of the humble were lifted up in praise to Him Who had wrought for them, and besides, for He deals with a bountiful hand to His people, the terror of God was on all the surrounding kingdoms, and Judah's land was in quiet rest. All was not as it should be, but according to their faith it was done unto them.
Connecting Jehoshaphat's history as shown us in the Chronicles, with the more general history contained in the Kings, we may note that Elijah's work as God's servant, was in Israel and not in Judah; that Jehoshaphat began to reign in Ahab's fourth year, and lived seven years after that wicked king of Israel died on the battle field; and that Jehoshaphat's son Jehoram was regent during the last 7 or 8 years of the former's life, or from about the time of Ahab's death; that before Jehoshaphat's death Elisha the prophet began his ministry in Israel while Elijah was still living; that Elijah's departure occurs after the death of Jehoshaphat.