RING THE BELLS!

On Easter morning, 1799, the people of the little Austrian city of Feldkirch awakened to find their peaceful community surrounded by the invading army of Napolean. The city leaders knew they could not defend against an army the size of Napolean’s so they quickly called a meeting to decide if they should raise the white flag of surrender.

A pastor of one of the city churches was the first to rise and speak to the quiet and somber crowd. “This is Easter Day, the day of our King’s resurrection,” the pastor said. “We must have one moment of triumph! Let us at least ring the church bells and then if the town falls, it falls. But we must ring the bells of Easter!”

After much discussion the counsel of the pastor prevailed and soon, from the church towers, the bells began to ring out their joyful sound. The hills and valleys surrounding the village were filled with the joyful bells of Easter, the celebration song of resurrection.

Napolean’s army was camped not far from the town and the sound of the bells ringing out stunned and confused them. Why on earth could the people be celebrating? The generals of the invading army concluded that the town had secured help, that the Austrian army had arrived during the night to fight beside the townspeople against the French. The confounded French army immediately broke camp and turned in full retreat before the bells of Easter stopped ringing.

This legendary story reminds me of what happened in 2 Chronicles 20 when Judah was attacked by an overwhelming force of enemy armies. At first, King Jehoshaphat responded in fear and then he began to seek the face of God for an answer. The king called the people of the nation together to fast, pray and ask God for help.

Jehoshaphat’s prayer is summed up in this statement: “For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you” (20:12, NIV). The king and the people acknowledged that in the natural there was no hope, but their confidence was in the Lord.

In response to their heartfelt prayer, God answered by sending His spirit to “clothe Himself” with one of the Levitical choir members who then began to prophesy (2 Chronicles 20:15-17). The essence of the word of the Lord was, “Do not be afraid. It doesn’t matter how big the attacking force is. You will not need to fight in this battle. Follow My directions, stand still, and see the deliverance I will bring. Do not fear, because I am with you.”

The king responded to the prophecy in humility, bowing his face to the ground and worshipping the Lord (v. 18). The priestly tribe of the Levites joined in the response of worship by standing to praise the Lord “with voices loud and high” (v. 19, NKJV).

The next morning the people of Judah did as they were instructed. As the nation faced its enemy, the king encouraged the people. “Listen to me, Judah . . . Have faith in the Lord your God and you will stand firm; have faith in the word of the Lord and you will be successful” (v. 20, my paraphrase).

Then the king did something many in the church of today do not understand—he appointed singers to sing to the Lord and praise Him for the splendor (beauty) of His holiness. The singers were positioned closest to the enemy in front of the warriors of Judah and began to sing and praise the Lord.

What happened next is difficult to conceive in the natural.

“The king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the Lord and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang:

‘Give thanks to the Lord;
his faithful love endures forever!’

“At the very moment they began to sing and give praise, the Lord caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves.

“The armies of Moab and Ammon turned against their allies from Mount Seir and killed every one of them. After they had destroyed the army of Seir, they turned on each other. So when the army of Judah arrived . . . there were dead bodies lying on the ground as far as they could see. Not a single one of the enemy had escaped” (2 Chronicles 20:21-24, NLT).

Our enemy hates worship and will go to extreme lengths to keep God’s people from worshipping “in spirit and in truth.” He hates worship because he knows what it does to him and to his armies. The enemy knows that God responds to the praise and worship of His people and He comes to be with them when they worship. Worship causes the enemy and his army to be confounded and to fight among themselves. Worship causes the weaponry of the enemy—anxiety, fear, sickness, poverty—to retreat and in many cases destroys them outright.

The church of today is under attack by a powerful enemy. Anyone who thinks that is not true has his or her head deeply buried in the sand.

God’s instructions to us are the same as they were to Judah and are mirrored by the little city in Austria. It’s time to ring the bells of Easter! It’s time to sing and declare the celebration song of resurrection—Jesus Christ is risen and He is Lord of all!