Welcome friends to the Bible Journey Daily Podcast. It's wonderful to have you with me here again as we continue our study series through the Book of Two Chronicles. A book that doesn't just record the rise and fall of kings but teaches us how to live wisely, how to live wisely, faithfully, and well. Now I've called today's episode How to Live a Balanced Life. But rest assured that this is not some new age guru's attempt to tell you how to find balance, it is simply a biblical examination of what the Bible itself describes as a balanced life, the king we're going to look at today in 2 Chronicles chapter 17. Now I personally have always admired people who seem to live balanced lives, people who develop both their minds and keep on top of their bodies physically, and who cultivate both discipline and joy in their life, who live with both conviction and compassion for other people. But you know what? I've never preached a sermon and balance because I didn't see the concept explicitly until I arrived today at this scripture. That changed when I studied 2 Chronicles chapter 17. In this particular book, in this particular chapter, one of the kings is described by more than one commentator that I read when approaching it as balanced. His life is said to give us practical, biblical examples of what a balanced life should look like, and how, if we're willing to learn from today, we can cultivate it ourselves. Isn't that good news? And the king is someone called Jehoshaphat, who he was introduced yesterday for the first time at the close of yesterday's chapter. Now the chronicler, the writer of this book, deliberately presents Jehoshaphat's records, record in a way that mirrored the life of his father Asa. And all this will be described through chapter 17 all the way through twenty, which is worth noting in fact parallels chapters fourteen and sixteen. In both the sets of chapters we see the same pattern followed Reform, victory, prosperity, obedience, and then sadly transgression. Both Asa and Jehosaphat suppress idol worship, but neither fully remove the high places outside Judah. Both enjoyed prosperity, both conducted great building programs, both experienced victories in battles because they obeyed the Lord, that's key. But both following those key moments made foreign alliance that compromised their faithfulness. The chronicler is clearly trying to teach us something by going through these parallels something about the importance of depending on God, obeying his word, and seeking his help and doing all of these things consistently and sticking to it. But Jehosaphat story adds in that extra something else. It also shows us a picture of balance. He is a king who will strengthen the nation militarily but also spiritually. He will build fortifications, but he also will set out teachers of the law in the land and into those cities. He expands Judah's influence, but he also deepens their devotion. He is active, but he is prayerful at the same time. He is courageous, but he is humble in his courage. And he is strategic, yes, but he still remains dependent on God in the planning and execution of those strategies. So Jehosaphat, I think, shows us what it really looks like to live a life that is not lopsided, that is not spiritually thin in any way, and on the other side not spiritually frantic, not inconsistent, but balanced. So today join with me as we explore 2 Chronicles chapter 17 and discover how Jehoshaphat's balance in his life and in his leadership, and how we might be able to do the same if we can learn from his example. Welcome to today's episode of the Bible Journey Daily Podcast. So in the opening verses, the first thing we see is Jehoshaphat strengthened the kingdom. Verse 1 says, Jehoshaphat, his son, succeeded him as king and strengthened himself against Israel. So Asa has died. We've discovered that yesterday. Jehoshaphat now takes the throne. And the first thing he does is he strengthens Judah's defenses against the northern kingdom. So remember there is Judah, which is being faithful, and there's a northern kingdom still using the title Israel, even though it's only part of the nation. Jehoshaphat strengthens the defenses against the wayward northern kingdom. Verse 2, he stationed troops in all the fortified cities of Judah and put garrisons in Judah and in the towns of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured. So Jehoshaphat places a significant military presence along the northern border. He fortifies the cities, he positions garrisons in important places, he secures the territory that Asa had previously taken. So this is wise and prudent leadership and planning, isn't it? This is responsible stewardship for his time in charge of Judah. And it's worth noting that two chronicles, which we're looking at today, gives far more attention to Hosephat than the historical record of the Book of Kings does. In fact, much of what we hear and see in chapter 17 has no parallel in One Kings. The chronicler wants us to see something in Jehosaphat that Kings chose not to emphasize, namely the balance in his life, because it's saying he strengthened the kingdom militarily, but he also is seen to strengthen it spiritually, side by side at one and the same time. The text continues, verses 3 and 4. The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the ways of his father David before him. He did not consult the Baals, he sought the God of his father and followed his commands rather than the practices of Israel, meaning the northern kingdom. These verses tell us exactly what Jehosaphat did, but also what he did not do. He did not follow the practices of Israel, meaning the northern kingdom. He didn't seek the Baals. That's important. The localized version of Baal worship, which included sacrifice, had completely infected Israel in the north. Instead, he sought the God of his father. He walked in the former ways of David and he obeys God's commands, it says. David again, did you note, is being presented as the standard of godliness for all the kings that follow. If a king walks in David's ways, he prospers. If he does not, he fails. That's the pattern. And Jehoshaphat, at this point, we're told, walks in David's ways, and the Lord is with him. Verse 5. The Lord established the kingdom under his control, and all Judah brought gifts to Jehoshaphat so that he had great wealth and honor. Joseph, Jehoshaphat's obedience, is the thing that brings stability. His devotion is the thing that brings blessing, and his leadership inspires loyalty. Verse 6. His heart was devoted to the ways of the Lord. Furthermore, he removed the high places and the Asherah Poles from Judah. This is what lies at the heart of Jehoshaphat's balanced approach to life. He is spiritually devoted, his heart is devoted to the ways of the Lord, it says, but he's also practically active at the same time. He removes those high places, he takes down the Asherah Poles. So he trusts the Lord, he obeys the Lord, he strengthens the kingdom, and including in that he purges idolatry and builds the defenses after doing that and restores worship. So Jehosaphat's life is not lopsided here. He's not spiritually passive, he is balanced in every way. He does what is spiritual and he does alongside that what is practical: fortifying cities, organizing troops, and securing borders. And because of this balance, the chronicler is able to say the Lord established the kingdom whilst under his control. So Jehosaphat's life here, at least in these opening verses, is a model of what it means to live with both faith and wisdom side by side, devotion and discipline, both trusting in God and at the same time acting. It is a picture of balance. Now the next section of the chapter moves to what Jehosaphat's strategy is. In the first six verses, he has shown us what he was, but the next six verses will show focus on what he did and how he will build a spiritually stable, biblically grounded nation. And that's what's important here. Verse 7 and 8. In the third year of his reign he sent his officials to teach in the towns of Judah. They taught alongside the Levites and the priests. So Jehoshaphat does something quite remarkable here, something no other king before him is recorded as doing. He sends leaders, Levites, and priests throughout the entire southern kingdom to teach, as it's described, the Mosaic law. So he fortifies the nations militarily, yes, but he also fortifies the nations spiritually. Don't miss that. He understands that a nation is not secure simply because its borders are secure. A nation is secure when its people know the word of God. This is true balance. This is what true balance looks like. Verse 9. They taught throughout Judah, taking with them the book of the law of the Lord, and went around to all the towns of Judah and taught the people. Notice carefully, they're not out there teaching principles, they're not out there teaching traditions, they're not even out there primarily teaching morality. They taught the book of the law. The Word of God, Jehosaphat made the Word of God central to the life of the nation. He sent teachers out with a book, not merely with opinions. He sent priests out with scripture, not just people teaching rituals, and he sent Levites out with truth, not tradition. So he built the entire kingdom on scripture, on the word of God. And in verse ten we see the result. The fear of the Lord, it says, fell in the kingdoms of the land surrounding Judah as well, so that they did not go to war against Jehosaphat. This is perfect, isn't it? Because Judah followed the Lord, God placed fear and reverence not only within the people, but awe and restraint and another fear of the Lord in the surrounding nations. So Jehosaphat's strategy of sticking to the word of God produced political peace as well as military stability and a sense of personal security for the people. This is the principle we are seeing here in Asa's early years, repeated again, that being when God's people seek him, God protects them. Verse 11. So not only did the nations refrain from attacking Judah, they honored him and brought gifts. They brought tribute, gifts, flocks and herds. This, of course, is remnant of Solomon's reign when Gentiles nations around the united nation at that time brought gifts to David, the king who set the template for walking in the ways of the Lord. So Jehosaphat's obedience and balance produces influence not only within the nation, but in the surrounding nations. Verse 12 and 13. Jehoshaphat became more and more powerful. He built forts and stores cities in Judah, and he had large supplies in the towns of Judah, and he also kept experienced fighting men in Jerusalem. So Jehosaphat's strategy here is balance. He strengthens Judah spiritually through teaching of the word. He strengthens Judah's military through these fortifications he describes, and he strengthens Judah economically through the store cities he's established. So this is not a one-dimensional life. That is still described as balanced. Then in verses 13 we see him list the military divisions of Judah, the two tribes of the southern kingdom and the mighty men of valor stationed in Jerusalem. These verses will show us organization, preparation, discipline, and strength. And Jehosaphat's military strength is now going to be formidable. His cities are fortified, his storehouses are stocked, and his troops are trained. And all of this, don't fail to note, is built on the foundation of Scripture, the foundation of knowing the Word of God widely among the people. Jehosaphat's strategy was relatively straightforward, really simple almost. Teach the word, trust in the Lord, strengthen the nation, and God will bless. That is a balanced approach to life. Now this final sector of the chapter gives us the detailed description of those military sources. Now, while the individual names may not mean much to us today, the chronicler includes them to show the strength, the organization, the width of it, the stability of Judah under his leadership. First of all it talks about the mighty men of valor. So the chronicler tells us that Jehosaphat selected mighty men of valor from both tribes of the southern kingdom, Judah and Benjamin. It says from Judah the numbers were three hundred thousand under one commander and two thousand under another from Benjamin, two hundred thousand under one leader and a hundred and eighty thousand under another leader. Verse nineteen. These were the men who served the king beside those he stationed in the fortified cities around Judah. So Jehosaphat clearly has a massive standing army in Jerusalem, an additional troops stationed throughout these fortified cities. This is a well organized military militia ready for defense. And when you add the numbers together, Bible experts say there's over a million, one million one hundred and sixty thousand men. A staggering figure in those days. But some have noted that this likely represents the total number of men militarily available for military duty, not necessarily just the number of the enlisted soldiers on any one day. But still the point is clear. Jehosaphat commanded a powerful and disciplined and godly minded and godly educated loyal fighting force. So why are the numbers so suddenly so large? Well, commentators offer very clear explanations as to why there is this capacity available to him. Many soldiers, they say, would probably have defected from the northern kingdom, drawn into Judah because they saw God's blessing on Jehosaphat. That was referenced in a civil way that people were attracted to Judah. Why it's very reasonable to assume it happened militarily as well. Remember also that David, a century earlier, had five hundred thousand Judean soldiers. 2 Samuel chapter 24 details that for us. So Jehoshaphat's numbers are definitely not impossible at this time. Asa, Jehoshaphat's father, had 300 from Judah and 280 from Benjamin, so Jehosaphat's forces just reasonably reflect the continual growth. But regardless of how the exact interpretation of how the writer, the chronicler, reached this point is unmistakable. It's saying Jehoshaphat strengthens Judah's army militarily, economically, and spiritually, and the chapter paints a clear picture not only of Jehoshaphat's life, but of the blessing and the increasing of stability militarily, economically, civically in the southern land of Judah. And he did this by seeking the Lord personally, and by ensuring the people at every level knew the word of the Lord. He strengthened the nation militarily, and in doing all these things together, this is a life and a nation with the right balance. Jehosaphat was not merely a spiritual leader, he was also clearly a very practical man, and he was able to be both things at once at the same time, and that balance is why his reign here is being seen to prosper. Okay. Before I bring us to a close, let me highlight the three truths I think this passage particularly beautifully illustrates for us through Jehoshaphat's life. First of all, Jehosaphat began personally through seeking the Lord. That was what allowed him to live a balanced life. He trusted God, he obeyed his word, and he used that to practically strengthen his kingdom. He did what was spiritual, and he used it to motivate him and enable him to do what was practical. And key in that was ensuring that others also knew the word of the Lord. It tells us, remember, he sent teachers, Levites and priests throughout the southern kingdom of Judah. He made Scripture central to the life of the nation. He obeyed that call in Deuteronomy 6 by diligently teaching the people and making the word of God central to the life of the nation. And then third, because Jehosaphat and the people followed the Lord, chose to do that, God blessed them all with peace and prosperity. And the additional benefit of that was the fear of the Lord fell on the surrounding nations also, and tribute flowed into Judah, and Jehoshaphat grew increasingly even more powerful. Does that sound familiar? Well, if you read Kings and Chronicles, this theme is going to appear again and again. Obey the Lord and He blesses you, seek the Lord, and He will strengthen you, and walk with the Lord, and He will give you peace. And Jehoshaphat personally sought the Lord. We've seen that. But he also ensured that others knew the word of the Lord, and God blessed both him and his people because of that. Now, when we think of balance in life, we often think of balance in the personal areas of our life. Hoping to achieve that balance in our work and family life responsibilities. Periods of rest, periods of activity and responsibility are also important. And also living a disciplined life, but a life that is still able to have joy and delight within it. Workaholics, of course, they're out of balance because they neglect the personal and the family life for the work life. Others are out of balance because they neglect responsibility in the name of doing nothing. They maybe call it rest when actually it is being idle. But balance is much more than time management. Many, many years ago, as a young teenager, I read a guy called Zig Ziggler who once said, Life is about balance. Be kind but don't let people abuse you. Trust and don't be deceived. Be content but never stop improving yourself. I took that and applied that as best I could at a young age. Interestingly, at the time when I read Zig Ziggler's book, I didn't actually know that he himself was a Christian. But what he talked about was balance within developing our character. And Jehoshaphat, I think, shows us here an example. Of that correct spiritual balance. He trusted the Lord in one hand, but he also prepared his army. He relied on God, but he also fortified cities. He taught Scripture alongside organizing the people and the troops. He prayed, but alongside that he also planned. Are you doing all those things side by side? If you are, that is the ultimate life of balance. Do all that you can do, but also trust the Lord to do what only He can do. We can become spiritually unbalanced when we try to do everything ourselves, or when we simply say nothing and say, The Lord will do it all. Just trust in the Lord. Balance, friends, is required in both, in all things. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might. And whatever your hand finds to do, also do it by trusting the Lord with all your might. That is the example that Jehoshat has given us today. That I think is the lesson of this unique standalone chapter 17. And that is tools to help you and I live a balanced life. I hope you find it helpful. Thanks for being with me today. Encourage you, to help you cultivate balance in your life, to, on the one hand, trust the Lord wholeheartedly, but also to act it out in life, to act wisely and faithfully in every area of your life. Now, in our next episode tomorrow, we're moving, of course, into 2 Chronicles 18, where Jehosaphat's story takes a rather surprising and well, to be honest, sobering turn. The king who lived a balanced life up to this point chooses to make a dangerous alliance and finds himself surrounded by false teachers. People who tell him exactly what he wants to hear. And I've entitled the episode The Danger of Listening to False Preachers. That's his current working title, anyway. Sometimes when I actually get down to finalizing it and speaking it, I do change the title. But of course, tomorrow's episode, even based on the working title, you can see is really important because it's a warning every believer, particularly in our day and age, needs to hear. So I hope you'll join me for that and that we can learn and be protected from that ourselves. But until then, may you keep the Lord and simply seek to live a balanced, faithful, and wise life. So we'll see you in the next episode where hopefully we learn the importance of discernment and the necessity again of listening to the word of Lord, even when it's unpopular, even when it's uncomfortable, even when it's unwelcome by those around us. So I'll see you tomorrow and thank you for being with me today. Bye-bye for now.