Thursday, March 17: 2Chronicles 17- The importance of God's word.

In the third year of his reign he sent his officials… to teach in the towns of Judah. With them were certain Levites… and the priests…. They taught throughout Judah, taking with them the Book of the Law of the LORD; they went around to all the towns of Judah and taught the people  

The fear of the LORD fell on all the kingdoms of the lands surrounding Judah, so that they did not make war with Jehoshaphat. Some Philistines brought Jehoshaphat gifts and silver as tribute, and the Arabs brought him flocks: seven thousand seven hundred rams and seven thousand seven hundred goats (7-11).

I don’t recall seeing this before and I found it intriguing that Jehoshaphat sent out traveling teachers to instruct the people in the Law of the Lord. Taking the word to the people was brilliant!

I couldn’t help but wonder if the fear of the Lord that fell on other nations and the tribute that life-long enemies like the Philistines brought to Judah and their king wasn’t a result of people’s growth in the Lord due to Jehoshaphat’s idea to teach the people the word of God. I can’t say for certain, but the juxtaposition of accounts certainly suggests a link.

This got me chewing on the importance of knowing the Word of God. If I, you, we, want to keep strong in the Lord, if we want the blessing of God, if we want to know God, then we have to know God’s Word. It is the one absolutely certain revelation of the things God wants us to know. Without the Word as foundation, it is so easy for a person to slip off correct thinking about God and His ways into error and falsehood.

Jehoshaphat was brilliant to take the Word to the people…

Lord, I pray that I might build my life on Your word, reading it, ingesting it, thinking on it, and studying it for me and with brothers and sisters who also believe and follow You. Thank You for Your word. It is eternal, pure and sweeter than honey.  Thank You for the gift of Your word. Help me to treasure it always and give to me Your Holy Spirit that I might learn it and plant it deeply into my heart and soul… In Jesus’ name. Amen.