When enemies attack, do we stand firm in the Lord, looking to Him for victory? Let’s look at 2 Chronicles 13.
Did Abijah only reign a short time in Judah? Did he wage war against Israel?
In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah became king over Judah. He reigned three years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Micaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. Now there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. And Abijah began the battle with a military force of mighty men, 400,000 chosen men, while Jeroboam arranged them all for battle against him with 800,000 chosen men who were mighty men of valor. (2 Chr 13:1-3 LSB)
What did Abijah shout from Mount Zemaraim to Jeroboam and Israel? Was Jeroboam a strong or weak leader?
Then Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, “Listen to me, Jeroboam and all Israel: Do you not know that the Lord God of Israel gave the rule over Israel forever to David and his sons by a covenant of salt? Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up and rebelled against his master, and worthless men gathered to him, wicked men, who proved too strong for Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, when he was young and timid and could not hold his own against them. (2 Chr 13:4-7 NASB)
How did Abijah insult the idols that Jeroboam had constructed?
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. 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. (2 Chr 13:8-9 NIV)
What did Abijah say about Judah’s faith in the Lord?
But as for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken Him; and the priests who minister to the Lord are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites attend to their duties. And they burn to the Lord every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense; they also set the showbread in order on the pure gold table, and the lampstand of gold with its lamps to burn every evening; for we keep the command of the Lord our God, but you have forsaken Him. Now look, God Himself is with us as our head, and His priests with sounding trumpets to sound the alarm against you. O children of Israel, do not fight against the Lord God of your fathers, for you shall not prosper! (2 Chr 13:10-12 NKJV)
Did God give Abijah a miraculous victory over Jeroboam of Israel?
Meanwhile, Jeroboam had secretly sent part of his army around behind the men of Judah to ambush them. When Judah realized that they were being attacked from the front and the rear, they cried out to the Lord for help. Then the priests blew the trumpets, and the men of Judah began to shout. At the sound of their battle cry, God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel and routed them before Abijah and the army of Judah. (2 Chr 13:13-15 NLT)
Apart from a great victory, did Abijah also take villages from Israel?
The children of Israel fled before Judah, and God delivered them into their hand. Abijah and his people killed them with a great slaughter, so five hundred thousand chosen men of Israel fell down slain. Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied on Yahweh, the God of their fathers. Abijah pursued Jeroboam, and took cities from him: Bethel with its villages, Jeshanah with its villages, and Ephron with its villages. (2 Chr 13:16-19 WEB)
Did Jeroboam regain power after defeat? Did Abijah grow strong?
Jeroboam failed to regain power during the time of Abijah. The Lord finally struck him down, and he died. Abijah, however, grew strong. He married fourteen wives; he had twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. The rest of Abijah’s deeds, what he did and what he said, are written in the account of the prophet Iddo. (2 Chr 13:20-22 CEB)
Where do we put our trust, in military might or in God above?
Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright. (Psalm 20:7–8 ESV)
Should we too stand firm in the Lord, knowing who our God is?
God is wonderful and glorious. I pray that his Spirit will make you become strong followers and that Christ will live in your hearts because of your faith. Stand firm and be deeply rooted in his love. (Eph 3:16-17 CEV)
When enemies attack, do we stand firm in the Lord, looking to Him for victory? You decide!
