Spiritual Awakening

Spiritual Awakening. Sermon by Arlene Lanting, April 12, 2025

There was a about a new alliance between Israel and Judah. Israel’s king Jehoshaphat’s father had rid Israel of idols. Jehoshaphat had relaxed laws about worship in Judah once again. Despite this he still believed in seeking the Lord for wisdom. Judah’s King Ahab asked Jehosaphat if he would join him to retake Ramoth-Gilead. Jehoshaphat agrees, with the condition that they seek the wisdom of the Lord. So Ahab calls his prophets of the Lord together to seek guidance if they should go to war or not. The prophets respond with a resounding yes.

King Jehosaphat is not convinced that these prophets are truly speaking for God, and he inquires if there is not a true prophet of the Lord in Israel. King Ahab reluctantly agrees to seek God through the prophet Micaiah. Micaiah tells the kings that this is not God’s plan, and that disaster would befall King Ahab if he goes into battle. Ahab’s prophet Zedekiah declares that Micaiah is not a true prophet. According to Israelite historian Josephus, Zedekaih gives Micaiah a challenge to prove himself. In so doing, Ahab becomes confident that they are destined to win, and the two kings and their armies go to war. It goes very badly. Ahab dies in a disastrous almost non-battle. We see selective hearing that creates spiritual distress to those who create conflict and those who are innocent bystanders.

2 Chronicles is the story that happens next.

2 Chronicles 19:1

When Jehoshaphat king of Judah returned safely to his palace in Jerusalem,

Jehu the seer, the son of Hanani, went out to meet him and said to the king,

“Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord?

Because of this, the wrath of the Lord is on you.

There is, however, some good in you,

for you have rid the land of the Asherah poles and have set your heart on seeking God.”

Jehoshaphat had aligned himself with King Ahab, the king of Israel who did not love God, but used him when it was to his own benefit.

Jehoshaphat must be keenly aware of what he had done. Now, he is being judged for what he did that was wrong and then judged for the right he had done at the same time. In other words, he faces judgment he deserved followed by a light of hope.

Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem, and he went out again, but this time not to align with a godless king, but to go talk among the people of Judah from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim, to talk to them to turn them back to the Lord, the God of their ancestors. He reminded them who God really is, and that God loved His people.

Jehoshaphat seems to understand that you change people’s minds most effectively when the conversation is built on a relationship, by talking to them, by valuing them enough to be with them. Then those people talk to other people and a movement spreads. When the king of the land shows He cares enough to come to you, you know it must be important.

He appointed judges in the land, in each of the fortified cities of Judah. He told the judges ****

You remember the judges put in place before the time of the Kings of Israel? They literally acted as judges, helping to settle disputes, and to direct people to God. They also acted as military leaders. It is different now. The King is in charge of the military, but the judges would still take care of local issues, including spiritual and non-spiritual matters.

He appointed judges in the land, in each of the fortified cities of Judah. He told the judges

“Consider carefully what you do,

because you are not judging for mere mortals but for the Lord,

who is with you whenever you give a verdict."

2 Chronicles 19:6

"Now let the fear of the Lord be on you. Judge carefully,

for with the Lord our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery."

In Jerusalem also, Jehoshaphat appointed some of the Levites,

priests and heads of Israelite families to administer the law of the Lord and to settle disputes.

And they lived in Jerusalem. He gave them these orders:

“You must serve faithfully and wholeheartedly in the fear of the Lord.

In every case that comes before you from your people who live in the cities

whether bloodshed or other concerns of the law, commands, decrees or regulations -

you are to warn them not to sin against the Lord;

other wise his wrath will come on you and your people.

Do this and you will not sin.

Amariah the chief priest will be over you in any matter concerning the Lord,

and Zebadiah son of Ishmael, the leader of the tribe of Judah,

will be over you in any matter concerning the king,

and the Levites will serve as officials before you.

Act with courage, and may the Lord be with those who do well.” Vs 6-11

Sounds like a battle cry doesn’t it? But not a physical battle cry this time. It was a spiritual one - a battle cry for life and life more abundantly.

Jehoshaphat, who had been enticed by the riches of other kings. He began to see there was more than regal power and earthly riches. He had a responsibility to God himself, even in context of the nation. When the king went out and put things in action, and went into his communities and boldly talked to the people, he inspired them. He went from backsliding to an intellectual spiritual shift. Putting that intellectual shift into action led to personal transformation. Reacting to that transformation, sharing with his people on their turf, at their level and putting plans into action led to a personal and national spiritual awakening for himself and his people.

What a story for our time. As we struggle to understand what we see around us, we see insight from a long long time ago. Jehoshaphat could have asked others to go out to the people for him but he felt he needed to do this. He felt he needed to speak to them himself. This was a personal message.

That spiritual awakening shifted Jehoshaphat’s awareness of power in the context of justice and compassion.

“Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord?

Because of this, the wrath of the Lord is on you." Vs 2

Jehoshaphat was being judged, and he knew it.

"There is, however, some good in you,

for you have rid the land of the Asherah poles and have set your heart on seeking God.” Vs 3

Jehoshaphat experienced Judgment that included compassion and mercy!

Jehoshaphat had been permitted to err, and err he did! The sequence of judgment and subsequent mercy resulted in revival. His leaders embraced embraced their responsibility in the revival process, and the King himself made sure his people were aware of all these changes. Jehoshaphat was motivated to present his leaders with a vision of restoration - a return to God.

Isaiah reminds us of God’s identity.

“I am the Lord; that is my name!

I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols.” Isaiah 42:8

Genesis 3:4,5 illustrates sin as the desire to be like God.

“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman.

“For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened,

and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Is this what Jehoshaphat had done? Is it what we do? Do we claim to have it all figured out? To be all knowing? Do we claim to understand the beginning to the end? I don’t know about you, but in my experience when you think you have it all figured out, then it’s time for a fall.

Romans 3:21 to 26

But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known,

to which the Law and the Prophets testify.

This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.

There is no difference between Jew or Gentile,

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

and all are justified by His grace through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ.

God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement,

through the shedding of His blood - to be received by faith.

He did this to demonstrate His righteousness,

because in His forbearance He had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished -

He did it to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time,

so to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

Romans 2:21-26 states that all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory, but are justified freely by His grace through the redemption found in Christ Jesus.

Why does the Bible tell us stories of wars and battles and hard things to read and understand and know? Sometimes these stories are scary and about death. Not things we like to hear? Why are they included in the Bible? We concluded previously that this story teaches us how intentional or unintentional selective hearing can lead to spiritual distress.

I would suggest that 2 Chronicles shows us another layer. If Jehoshaphat had not inquired about an alliance with Ahab, and if Jehoshaphat had not heard the warning Micaiah gave the self-empowered King Ahab, if Jehoshaphat had not come so close to death, if Jehoshapat had not seen King Ahab die just like Micaiah had said he would, and if he had not had first hand experience seeing Elijah’s prediction as asserted by Zedekiah actually come to be. If King Jehoshaphat had not experienced these things, would he have had a spiritual shift? We don’t know the answer to that. It certainly makes us wonder.

There is so much we do not see and much we do not understand. But one thing we do know. God sees what we do not.

When Jehoshaphat king of Judah returned safely to his palace in Jerusalem,

Jehu the seer, the son of Hanani, went out to meet him and said to the king,

"Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord?

Because of this, the wrath of the Lord is on you.

There is, however, some good in you,

for you have rid the land of the Asherah poles and have set your heart on seeking God.” Vs 1-3

I want to take you to Revelation 3 vs 2. to 6, a letter to the church in Sardis. This is not an exact parallel, but there are common themes.

Wake up!

Strengthen what remains and is about to die,

for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God.

Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; it fast, and repent.

But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief,

and you will not know at what time I will come to you.

Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes.

They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy.

The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white.

I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life

but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels.

Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Revelation 3:2-6

We like the church of Sardis, like Jehoshaphat, can be so wrapped up in ourselves that we become blind to what we do not see and what we do not understand. And we are being told to wake up, look up, trust in Him. To make a spiritual shift that can lead to spiritual transformation and to a spiritual awakening.

God can turn something terrible into something good. But how many times do we question and wonder because we do not see what we do not see, because we assume what we assume. Make no mistake what good comes out of bad does not justify the bad. Look at past atrocities of the world. The good in the end does not justify the bad. Two separate things. God can still bring good out of bad. Bad that is intentional and not intentional.

Are we able to come together to use our talents for God? Are we able to let go of our fears enough to be used by Him. The times of Jehoshaphat were dangerous times. Dangerous times come in many forms – personal, local, national, global. There are people in the world living in fear in a way we know nothing of, that we are blind to. Lets look at just a few examples.

There was a massive volcanic eruption in 536 A.D., which was followed soon after by two more eruptions in the next decade. This threw large amounts of dust into the atmosphere and blocked a significant amount of the sun’s rays, leading to a period of almost two years of cooling temperatures that were called the Late Antique Little Ice Age that triggered cooling temperatures that lasted until 660AD. Approx 130 yrs. There were people when the air became warmer who only heard about this weather from their older relatives. Throughout history, people have concluded regardless of religion that God or the gods must be punishing them.

In 541 BC Plague of Justinian brought death to 30–40 percent of the population of eastern Mediterranean and Middle East regions. This triggered an agricultural crises that led to an economic crisis that led to a military crisis caused by sudden mass migrations, that led to a structural breakdown of the administrative and political order of 2 empires. Over the next century this led to the complete collapse of the Sassanians and the near demise of the Byzantine Empire. People must have cried out, what is happening?

1315 to 1317 the Great European Famine led to the 1347 Black Death, an infection believed to have been viral, that is believed to have originated in Europe from Asian trade. 60% of the people in Europe died in the next 4 years. The black death is believed to be carried by Fleas. 60%! People would have lived in fear.

Consider The Great War, and then World War Two, with it's atrocities that go beyond understanding.

There are wars that currently exist in various places in the world. Ukraine. What about the less discussed Sudan living civil war, displacing so many people, fearing for their lives.

All of these tragedies happened or are happening and no doubt people cried out asking why? Some people probably felt the world was coming to an end. Some rejected God as cruel and unkind. Some had a hope in something bigger than themselves.

ADRA just declared that some aid agencies are providing only half or less of resources worldwide than they did before due to global reductions in aid. There are people in our own communities caught in battles of a different kind – with abuse, addictions, neglect, mental health.

My point is that we are often oblivious to the tragedies and hardships of the world around us and how quickly we forget the past. And when we do open our eyes, we are shocked and often frightened in our world even with rampant anxiety and mental health issues and instability related to a loss of ability to navigate real relationships, that have been relaced by electronic bytes.

When we shift our spiritual focus, we recognize a God who gives us hope and peace in troubled times. Hope and peace are not the same as idleness. It does create a spiritual shift.

The times of King Ahab and Jehoshaphat were treacherous times. They were troubled times. The Bible tells us that troubled times repeat. They have throughout history and will again. Lets take comfort as we see history and study God’s word, that when things get tough, God sees what we cannot. We rarely see the whole picture. When we think we have it all figured out, we usually find we do not.

This story reminds us that a spiritual shift often can come from a crises, like Jehoshaphat's. It is not the only means to a spiritual shift. For Jehoshaphat it was a crises. When we are in a crises, or fear a crises, let us not be discouraged. Let us do what Jehoshaphat did when he made that shift. Let us take heed. When convicted, let us act on it. Let us share it, invite people to join in it. And then let us let the Holy Spirit do His work.

It is my prayer that all of us, myself included, will let go of ourselves enough to be used by Him in a time of need. What are we waiting for? Maybe we are waiting to overcome our own fears, our inefficiencies.

Let us learn from Jehoshaphat to be willing to move from a spiritual shift to transformation that moves beyond ourselves. Not because of us, but because of Him. That is what Pentecost 2025 is all about? As our churches stand together seeking revival through Pentecost 2025, let us lean on the power of Christ, let us have beyond ourselves. Let us experience a spiritual transformation and see what happens. What are we waiting for?