Topical Bible: Prayer: Answered: The People of Judah

◄ Prayer: Answered: The People of Judah ►

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Prayer is a central theme throughout the Bible, serving as a means of communication between humanity and God. The people of Judah, like many others in biblical history, experienced the power of answered prayer in various circumstances. These instances highlight God's faithfulness and responsiveness to the cries of His people.

1. King Jehoshaphat's Prayer for Deliverance (2 Chronicles 20:1-30):

One of the most notable instances of answered prayer for the people of Judah occurred during the reign of King Jehoshaphat. Faced with a formidable alliance of enemies—the Moabites, Ammonites, and some of the Meunites—Jehoshaphat turned to God in prayer. He proclaimed a fast throughout Judah, and the people gathered to seek the Lord's help.

Jehoshaphat's prayer, recorded in 2 Chronicles 20:6-12, acknowledges God's sovereignty and past deliverances. He pleads, "Our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this vast army that comes against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You" (2 Chronicles 20:12).

In response, the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel, who assured the people that the battle belonged to God. The next day, as they went out to face their enemies, they sang praises to the Lord. God set ambushes against their foes, leading to a miraculous victory without Judah having to fight. This event underscores the power of prayer and trust in God.

2. Hezekiah's Prayer for Healing and Deliverance (2 Kings 19-20):

King Hezekiah of Judah also experienced answered prayer in two significant instances. First, when the Assyrian king Sennacherib threatened Jerusalem, Hezekiah sought the Lord's intervention. He spread the threatening letter from Sennacherib before the Lord in the temple and prayed for deliverance (2 Kings 19:14-19).

God answered through the prophet Isaiah, assuring Hezekiah that the Assyrian king would not enter the city. That night, the angel of the Lord struck down 185,000 Assyrian soldiers, leading to Judah's deliverance (2 Kings 19:35-36).

Later, Hezekiah fell ill and was near death. He prayed earnestly, and God responded by granting him an additional fifteen years of life. The Lord confirmed this promise with a miraculous sign: the shadow on the sundial moved backward ten steps (2 Kings 20:1-11).

3. The Prayer of the People during the Reforms of Ezra and Nehemiah (Nehemiah 9):

During the time of Ezra and Nehemiah, the people of Judah returned from exile and sought to renew their covenant with God. In Nehemiah 9, the Levites led the people in a prayer of confession and worship, recounting God's faithfulness and their own unfaithfulness.

This prayer was a collective acknowledgment of their sins and a plea for God's mercy. The people committed to obeying God's law, and their prayer was answered as God granted them favor in rebuilding Jerusalem and restoring their community.

4. The Prayer of Manasseh (2 Chronicles 33:12-13):

King Manasseh, known for his idolatry and wickedness, eventually turned to God in repentance. While in distress, he humbled himself and prayed to the Lord. God was moved by his entreaty and brought him back to Jerusalem, restoring his kingdom. This answered prayer demonstrates God's willingness to forgive and restore those who earnestly seek Him.

These instances from the history of Judah illustrate the profound impact of prayer and God's readiness to respond to His people's sincere petitions. Through prayer, the people of Judah experienced deliverance, healing, restoration, and forgiveness, affirming the enduring truth that God hears and answers the prayers of those who call upon Him in faith.

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2 Chronicles 15:15
And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and the LORD gave them rest round about.
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Habakkuk-On his Watch-Tower
... work,"in his faith, and in his prayer, and in ... And the Lord answered me and said,
Write the vision ... understood not the tables, but the oppressed people of God ...
/.../whyte/lord teach us to pray/ix habakkuk-on his watch-tower.htm

Hezekiah, the Praying King
... "Turn again, and tell Hezekiah, the captain of my people, Thus, saith the Lord ... Health
comes in answer to prayer. God answered more than Hezekiah asked for. ...
/.../bounds/prayer and praying men/vi hezekiah the praying king.htm

Prayer Perfumed with Praise
... And when he had consulted with the people he appointed ... You shall get your answers
to prayer when you ... is now exhausted; that the waiting has answered its purpose ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 25 1879/prayer perfumed with praise.htm

"This Thing is from Me"
... And the people departed ... he had answered it rightly, it would have been better if
answered immediately ... three days would have been spent with God in prayer, and he ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 42 1896/this thing is from me.htm

Zechariah
... by the help of Jehovah they destroy the heathen, and Jerusalem is saved, xii.1-8.
Then the people and their ... The prayer is answered; people and leaders are ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/zechariah.htm

Manner of Covenanting.
... The people of God fear him habitually, even though not ... In one word, it might be answered,
that the opinion ... given up because God is thanked in prayer; or prayer ...
/.../cunningham/the ordinance of covenanting/chapter ii manner of covenanting.htm

Achan's Sin, Israel's Defeat
... Note, too, the attribution of the sin to the whole people, the emphatic reduplication
of the shameful picture of their defeat ... Joshua's prayer is answered. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/achans sin israels defeat.htm

The Trial by Fire
... upwards to an unloved god, are not prayer; and that ... The priests answered Elijah by
savagely gashing their half ... the wonder and eagerness of the people, and the ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the trial by fire.htm

'He Uttered his Voice, the Earth Melted'
... In a sentence, Hezekiah's prayer is answered, and then the ... Hezekiah's prayer has,
as it were, fired the fuse ... only in his war against Jehovah's people, but also ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/he uttered his voice the.htm

Concerning the Fortitude of Samson, and what Mischiefs He Brought ...
... They answered, that in case they would not be ... himself, as though some of the people
were upon ... yet discovered, at length Samson, upon Delilah's prayer, [for he ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 8 concerning the fortitude.htm