 In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah began to reign over Judah. 2 He reigned for three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Micaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah.
Now there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. 3 Abijah went out to battle, having an army of valiant men of war, 400,000 chosen men. And Jeroboam drew up his line of battle against him with 800,000 chosen mighty warriors. 4 Then Abijah stood up on Mount Zemaraim that is in the hill country of Ephraim and said, “Hear me, O Jeroboam and all Israel! 5 Ought you not to know that the Lord God of Israel gave the kingship over Israel forever to David and his sons by a covenant of salt? 6 Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, a servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up and rebelled against his lord, 7 and certain worthless scoundrels gathered about him and defied Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and irresolute and could not withstand them. 8 “And now you think to withstand the kingdom of the Lord in the hand of the sons of David, because you are a great multitude and have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made you for gods.9 Have you not driven out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and made priests for yourselves like the peoples of other lands? Whoever comes for ordination with a young bull or seven rams becomes a priest of what are not gods.10 But as for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken him. We have priests ministering to the Lord who are sons of Aaron, and Levites for their service. 11 They offer to the Lord every morning and every evening burnt offerings and incense of sweet spices, set out the showbread on the table of pure gold, and care for the golden lampstand that its lamps may burn every evening. For we keep the charge of the Lord our God, but you have forsaken him. 12 Behold, God is with us at our head, and his priests with their battle trumpets to sound the call to battle against you. O sons of Israel, do not fight against the Lord, the God of your fathers, for you cannot succeed.” 13 Jeroboam had sent an ambush around to come upon them from behind. Thus his troops were in front of Judah, and the ambush was behind them. 14 And when Judah looked, behold, the battle was in front of and behind them. And they cried to the Lord, and the priests blew the trumpets. 15 Then the men of Judah raised the battle shout. And when the men of Judah shouted, God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. 16 The men of Israel fled before Judah, and God gave them into their hand.17 Abijah and his people struck them with great force, so there fell slain of Israel 500,000 chosen men. 18 Thus the men of Israel were subdued at that time, and the men of Judah prevailed, because they relied on the Lord, the God of their fathers. 19 And Abijah pursued Jeroboam and took cities from him, Bethel with its villages and Jeshanah with its villages and Ephron with its villages.20 Jeroboam did not recover his power in the days of Abijah. And the Lord struck him down, and he died. 21 But Abijah grew mighty. And he took fourteen wives and had twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. 22 The rest of the acts of Abijah, his ways and his sayings, are written in the story of the prophet Iddo. Meditation God is faithful when we are faithless (2 Timothy 2:13) because of His covenant love, a relationship established by God and guaranteed by His word. Jesus seals the New Covenant in His blood (1 Corinthians 11:25) so we can be secure in His steadfast love. In 1 Kings 15:1-6 Abijah is described in a fully negative way, specifically that “his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God.” Abijah was not faithful! But today’s reading reveals that God was faithful to him and the people of Judah. This is amazing grace. Abijah sets his 400,000 men in direct opposition with Israel’s 800,000 men (2b-3), astounding numbers for any battle. Abijah’s long speech (4-12) covers what Israel should know of Israel’s God. The Lord gave kingship to David’s line (5-7) and now, as Israel has forsaken the Lord for golden calves (8-9), God has not forsaken Judah (10-11). The Lord is with Judah as their head (12) and Israel could not succeed (13). As the battle raged, “God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah” (15). God does not affirm the rebellion of Abijah through His faithfulness to give victory. Rather, God communicates He is faithful to His covenant promises whether His people are faithful or not. Like the prodigal son, God stands ready to welcome any who desire to return to Him (Luke 15:11-32). God is love and will not condemn those who turn to Christ, trusting His grace to give ground for us to stand and see God’s faithfulness. Richly Dwelling -Do you trust God to be faithful even when you are faithless? Why or why not? -Which Abijah do you identify with more, the description in 1 Kings 15 or today’s reading? Why? -God stands ready to forgive and freshly reveal His faithfulness. In what area of your heart and life do you need to return home to Him? Key Verse 15 Then the men of Judah raised the battle shout. And when the men of Judah shouted, God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah Comments are closed.
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