2 Chronicles 13:1 says, Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah. Jeroboam had been ruling in Israel for eighteen years when Abijah became king of Judah, after Rehoboam his father died. Kings and rulers will come and go in the world, but our King, Jesus Christ, rules forever. Verse two adds, He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. We are told who Abijah's mother was, but not much else about her, but in chapter 11, verse 20, she was said to be the daughter of Absalom, but also Samuel 14, verse 27 that she was likely Absalom's granddaughter, since even future generations were referred to as children of earlier ancestors. During the three years of his reign, Judah was at war with Israel. These were all supposed to be God's people, and they were at war with each other. We as Christians cannot afford to be fighting one another as I have said many times. Verse three continues, And Abijah set the battle in array with an army of valiant men of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men: Jeroboam also set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, being mighty men of valour. Abijah set four hundred thousand men of valor against Jeroboam's eight hundred thousand men. Abijah was greatly outnumbered, but if God was with him, it wouldn't have mattered. Matthew Henry says that although Rehoboam had been prevented by God from going to war with the rest of Israel that Jeroboam was likely the aggressor in this case, so God allowed Abijah to defend the people of Judah. We are not called to try to defeat other people, especially those who profess to be Christians, but we are called to defend the truth of God and those who really are His people. Verse four states, And Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim, which is in mount Ephraim, and said, Hear me, thou Jeroboam, and all Israel; Abijah first tried to reason with Jeroboam and the people of Israel, and we as followers of Christ should always try to reason with people who stand against us. Verse five adds, Ought ye not to know that the Lord God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David for ever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt? Abijah asked Jeroboam and the people of Israel if they didn't know that God had given all the kingdom of Israel to David and his descendants forever, and Jeroboam wasn't one of them. He was saying that they should come back under his rule. The fulfillment of the promise to David came with Jesus Christ, and He is the only one that it applies to. Verse six continues, Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, is risen up, and hath rebelled against his lord. Abijah told them that Jeroboam, the son of one of David's servants had rebelled against God and made himself king. If we try to establish ourselves as anything that is contrary to God's word as Christians, we do so in rebellion to Him. Verse seven says, And there are gathered unto him vain men, the children of Belial, and have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tenderhearted, and could not withstand them. Abijah added that Jeroboam had gathered vain men to himself and had strengthened themselves against Rehoboam when he was young and foolish. If God has placed someone in a position of leadership in the church today, if they are young and make mistakes, we need to support them and help correct them and not rebel against them. Verse eight adds, And now ye think to withstand the kingdom of the Lord in the hand of the sons of David; and ye be a great multitude, and there are with your golden calves, which Jeroboam made you for gods. Abijah asked them if the thought that they and their idols could stand against someone God had put in power. These were all part of God's chosen people, but most were going against God's word and worshipping idols. We can never defy God's word and be successful spiritually, no matter how many other people who call themselves Christians might. Verse nine continues, Have ye not cast out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made you priests after the manner of the nations of other lands? so that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a priest of them that are no gods. Abijah then said that the people following Jeroboam had cast out the true priests and allowed anyone who wanted to offer a sacrifice to their gods, who were no gods, to consecrate themselves and declare themself a priest. As a part of the priesthood of believers, we are free to come to God at any time, but at the time this was occurring, they were still to go through the priests appointed by God to come before Him. Verse ten states, But as for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken him; and the priests, which minister unto the Lord, are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites wait upon their business: Abijah said the people of Judah had not forsaken God's law and had the priests the sons of Aaron and the Levites to minister to God for them. We have an even greater priest, Jesus Christ, to stand before God for us. Verse eleven adds, And they burn unto the Lord every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense: the shewbread also set they in order upon the pure table; and the candlestick of gold with the lamps thereof, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of the Lord our God; but ye have forsaken him. Abijah then said that the people of Judah worshipped in accordance with God's laws, but the people of Israel had forsaken Him. No matter what goes on in the church today, we must make sure that everything is done in accordance with God's will and for His glory. Verse twelve continues, And, behold, God himself is with us for our captain, and his priests with sounding trumpets to cry alarm against you. O children of Israel, fight ye not against the Lord God of your fathers; for ye shall not prosper. Abijah said the Lord was on their side and said the people of Israel should not fight against Him. As long as God is on our side and we are following His leadership, we don't need to be concerned about the number or strength of those who oppose us.
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