LET MUSICIANS RISE UP !
I don’t know if this military operation of Jehoshaphat is studied at the military academies. But this was the greatest victory.
And it was not the warriors who won the battle, but the artists – the Levites: musicians, poets, singers, dancers.
Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side Syria; and, behold, they be in Eingedi. And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. (2Chr. 20:2-3)
This story is described in the book of Chronicles – “Divrei ha-yamim”. Jehoshaphat – King of Judah was in fear. A great army threatened Jerushalayim. And we had no strength to stand against this great multitude. There was a levite, serving as a meshorer (psalmist) in the house of God. The name of his ancestor was Mattaniah (from Hebrew – the Gift of the Lord). The Levite announced the word from the God. Jehoshaphat listened to this prophesy. And being inspired from above, he played a completely non-standard game position. He sent fine arts against an armed and fearsome enemy. Brutal force was opposed by poetry and music. The Levites – artists were filled with the inspiration from the Lord, they uplifted the heavenly verses and music, and performed angelic militias dance. Thus, under the leadership of the Spirit of God, the psalmists of Israel won the battle.
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I want to comment on some of the key passages from this story. Let’s go through the text.
Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of the LORD in the midst of the congregation. (1Chr.20:14)
Here is the question. Why in this tense situation the author gives a long genealogy of a Levite? I ask myself this question every time I come across the scriptures where the genealogy is given within a particular story and not in a regular list of names. There must be something here!
In other words, the Spirit of the Lord reveals the message of the Most High not only through the words that the Levite had to proclaim, but also through his name. Part of the message is proclaimed by words. The other part is hidden in the name of the speaker. Another question comes out. Why does the author tell us this or that number of names? Do these names make a message? Did he write this genealogy name by name, word by word, to formulate a thought? And what if the number of generations matters? As you know, in Jewish tradition numbers have symbolic meaning. They may contain a message within them. In this genealogy there are seven names. Seven is the number of fullness and of a perfect action.
Often the genealogy is written down by the author in order to point at the particular ancestor, because this forefather is significant, he is a key person. In our case, this glorious ancestor is Asaph. In Hebrew – collector. He was king David’s contemporary and fellow. This Levite was the founder of the dynasty the sons of Asaph – bnei Asaf, who served as singers in the house of God and became the writers of 12 songs of the Book of Psalms. This very Asaph, together with David, created the regulations for the sacred rite and worship in the Temple. “For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chief of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God.” (Neh. 12:46)
The name of the Levite is Yakhazi-El, which means: He whom God looks at. As it is written: ” For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers “. Yahazi is a cognate to the word “khazon” – a vision, a prophecy (1Pt.3:12). If we read this genealogy of our Levite and decode the names, we get the following: the one whom God watches, the son of the One who brings the Memory of the Lord, the son of whom Adonai gave birth to, the son to whom God will Prepare the Calling, the son of the Gift of the Most High), a Levite from the sons of the Collector (of treasures). This is the Name of the Levite Yahaziel, who opened wide his mouth, and the Lord filled it. (2Chr.20:14)
The Bible Dictionary says about him: Jahaziel is a Levite who predicted the victory of Jehoshaphat. The point here is not only that he correctly predicted events.
With words from the Spirit of God, he changed the situation. He was filled with inspiration and his song had a powerful effect. His poetry created a victory on earth, that one he had already seen in heaven, as it is said: “Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven!” (Mth. 6:10)
The words of his prophecy created a new reality. He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.
You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you”. (2Chr.20:15,17)
What do we learn from all of this?
1. God knew us before we were conceived in our mother’s womb. He leads us through the generations.
2. He endows us with talents, creative gifts, expecting that we will answer “yes” to His call! But this is our choice. In the next part, we will see the development of this creative process, which gave birth to a new reality – the reality of victory.
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In the first part, we spoke about Jerusalem threatened by a huge army. Jehoshaphat King of Judah was in confusion. And there was no way – to be saved. Then the Levite – psalmist, rose up and said the words from the Spirit of God. And, as a seal of this heavenly message, he presents his name – Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph (2Chr.20:14).
God have seen him from the beginning. The Lord Remembered Him, who was Born, Called, Gifted and Prepared to be his servant from the beginning. Yahaziel the Levite is not a random person here. The Creator makes history together with man, through man and within man. God took care of everything in advance and gave him the grace to be filled with the Spirit; and the talent – to create a new Earthly reality by poetry and music from Heaven. A person’s willingness to follow the calling of the Lord, – his name and his dedication – are important for his predestination. Because the name of the artist, who is sent by the Almighty, is also an important part of the message and of his art work.
“To prevent people from gaining glory, do not take for yourself many soldiers! Three hundred will be enough, ”God said to Gideon. As about Yeoshafat, God says to him: “You don’t need warriors at all! Let the musicians rise up this time to show me even a greater glory.”
We see the development of the creative process: musicians, poets, singers take up the inspiration of the poet Yehaziel and “rejoice loudly” in their creative way. By their prophetic worship, altogether they create a victory. (2Chr.20:19) Korahites praised the LORD, God of Israel, with very loud voice” not because of fear. They did so according to the charter: joy should be loud. … Then David spoke to the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their relatives the singers, with instruments of music, harps, lyres, loud-sounding cymbals, to raise sounds of joy.
“And they rose early in the morning and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa; and when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, put your trust in the Lord your God, and you will be established. Put your trust in His prophets and succeed.” And he appointed those who sang to the Lord and those who praised [Him] in holy attire, as they went out before the army and said, “Give thanks to the Lord, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.” (2 Chr.20:20-21)
Yeoshaphat appointed singers to praise the Lord for the splendor of his holiness – le hadrat kodesh (2Chr.20:21) Just like at the throne of the Lord, the seraphim sing, crying out: “Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh Adonai Tzvaot! The whole earth is full of His glory! ” (Is.6:3)
So the Levites of Yeoshaphat brought to reality things happening in Heaven, at the throne of the Most High. As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.
The men of Ammon and Moab rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another. When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped. (2Chr.20:22-24)
Guided by the Spirit of Holiness (Ruach ha-Kodesh), singers and musicians brought heaven to earth with praise. And so they made victory together with the Lord. The Levites and their Arts totally belong to the Lord. As it is written: “After you have purified the Levites and presented them as a wave offering, … They are the Israelites who are to be given wholly to me. I have taken them as my own in place … God calls a person to holiness and to the ministry of creativity “in the hoy place.” As it is written: “For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy; for I am holy.” (Lev.11:44)
What shall we say?
God’s purpose here is to teach Israel to act by creative faith. For this, He invites them – to leave their shelter (the walls of Jerusalem) and remain completely defenseless. So He doesn’t leave them another way, than to trust in the mercy of God. They have to go out into the open area, towards a superior enemy. And then, in the sight of their enemies, to begin to rejoice loudly and to bless the Almighty. And to make victory with their joyful praise. They are called to serve God and to worship Him in holiness and in His presence, and together with Him to make a miracle of the new reality.
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