A SONG IN BATTLE !

A SONG IN BATTLE: Let us look at Old Testament counterpart to this story. During the reign of King Jehoshaphat, the Ammonites and Moabites came against the Israelites. Jehoshaphat cried out to the Lord in prayer and He answered him. (2 Chronicles 20:15 through 22). "And he said, Hearken you, all Judith, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou King Jehoshaphat, thus says the Lord unto you, be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's. . . You shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you. And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the Lord, worshiping the Lord. And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with a loud voice on high. . . And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that's should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the Army, and to say, praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth for ever. And when they begin to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten." Jehoshaphat knew his army was no match for those of the countries banded against him, but he knew his God was more than a match for them. He called a prayer meeting and the people fasted and prayed. The spirit of God moved upon a young man in the congregation and he stood and prophesied. The Lord told them not to fear, for the battle was the Lord's. The next morning when they went out against the enemy's powerful armyes, they did not go against them which swards and spears but with songs of praise (v. 21). They marched and chanted, "praise the Lord; for his mercy endures for ever." In their hour of trial, instead of cowering in fear, the children of Israel sang praises to God just as Paul and Silas did in jail. And what was the outcome of this battle ? Look at verse 22: "And when they begin to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten." When they begin to sing praises to God, He did something. They witnessed a manifestation of God's power.