BECAUSE THEY RELIED ON THE LORD
2 Chronicles 13:1-22
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chapter 13
1. In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam, Abijah became king of Judah,
2. and he reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother’s name was Maakah, a daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.
3. Abijah went into battle with an army of four hundred thousand able fighting men, and Jeroboam drew up a battle line against him with eight hundred thousand able troops.
4. Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim, in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, "Jeroboam and all Israel, listen to me!
5. Don’t you know that the LORD, the God of Israel, has given the kingship of Israel to David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt?
6. Yet Jeroboam son of Nebat, an official of Solomon son of David, rebelled against his master.
7. Some worthless scoundrels gathered around him and opposed Rehoboam son of Solomon when he was young and indecisive and not strong enough to resist them.
8. "And now you plan to resist the kingdom of the LORD, which is in the hands of David’s descendants. You are indeed a vast army and have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made to be your gods.
9. But didn’t you drive out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and make priests of your own as the peoples of other lands do? Whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams may become a priest of what are not gods.
10. "As for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken him. The priests who serve the LORD are sons of Aaron, and the Levites assist them.
11. Every morning and evening they present burnt offerings and fragrant incense to the LORD. They set out the bread on the ceremonially clean table and light the lamps on the gold lampstand every evening. We are observing the requirements of the LORD our God. But you have forsaken him.
12. God is with us; he is our leader. His priests with their trumpets will sound the battle cry against you. People of Israel, do not fight against the LORD, the God of your ancestors, for you will not succeed."
13. Now Jeroboam had sent troops around to the rear, so that while he was in front of Judah the ambush was behind them.
14. Judah turned and saw that they were being attacked at both front and rear. Then they cried out to the LORD. The priests blew their trumpets
15. and the men of Judah raised the battle cry. At the sound of their battle cry, God routed Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.
16. The Israelites fled before Judah, and God delivered them into their hands.
17. Abijah and his troops inflicted heavy losses on them, so that there were five hundred thousand casualties among Israel’s able men.
18. The Israelites were subdued on that occasion, and the people of Judah were victorious because they relied on the LORD, the God of their ancestors.
19. Abijah pursued Jeroboam and took from him the towns of Bethel, Jeshanah and Ephron, with their surrounding villages.
20. Jeroboam did not regain power during the time of Abijah. And the LORD struck him down and he died.
21. But Abijah grew in strength. He married fourteen wives and had twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.
22. The other events of Abijah’s reign, what he did and what he said, are written in the annotations of the prophet Iddo.
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1. Abijah, king of Judah went to war with Jeroboam of Israel. Judah’s army of 400,000 men fought Jeroboam’s 800,000 men. Abijah stood up and told Jeroboam and his army that God had promised the kingship to David’s house, and Israel was rebelling against God. He called out Jeroboam’s idol worship and their false priests to serve their idols. Abijah spoke of Judah’s faithfulness to God and His commands. He warned them not to fight against God. Ignoring Abijah’s warning, Jeroboam had secretly surrounded the army of Judah by sending an ambushing force behind Abijah’s army. Abijah was now out-manned and out-maneuvered. In that seemingly hopeless situation, Abijah cried out to God for help. God was with Judah and gave them victory over the army of Jeroboam because they relied on him. Abijah was able to take control of a few of Jeroboam’s cities, including Bethel. Jeroboam unable to rebuild the strength of Israel during his reign.
2. When God’s power is at work in a situation, human plans and strategies are meaningless. God can tip the balance of power and give victory to those who rely on him. Our prayer and reliance on God can rally the armies of heaven behind our cause. .
Prayer: Lord, you are with us when we rely on you and cry out earnestly to you. Lord, help me to cry out to you and rely on you today.
One Word: God is our victory