"Now behold, God is with us at our head and His priests with the signal trumpets to sound the alarm against you. O sons of Israel, do not fight against the Lord God of your fathers, for you will not succeed." (verse 12)
Message: The Folly of Fighting the Lord
Time: 2 Chronicles, like 1 Chronicles has a mystery writer and was separated into 2 books in 200 BC when the Septuagint was translated. This book focuses on Judah from 971-586 BC. The chronicler focused on the blessings God bestowed when leaders were faithful to His law. It covers Solomon's ascension to the throne to Judah finally carried into exile in Babylon.
What the Lord is Saying: Abijah is king of the south (Judah) and Jeroboam is king of the north (Israel). Abijah reigned 3 years. Abijah had 400,000 men and Jeroboam, 800,000 (though the actual numbers are believed to be 40,000 and 80,000). Abijah appeals to Jeroboam in an outcry that the Lord God gave the rule over Israel to David and his descendants (verse 5) - and thus he believes he is aligned more correctly than Jeroboam. Jeroboam abandoned God by setting up his own means of worship and sacrifice and a different form of priesthood. Abijah also mentions a covenant signified with salt - a necessary part of a sacrifice and part of the covenant renewal between God and man. Jeroboam rebelled (verse 6) though Solomon had previously put him in charge of the labor force. Jeroboam was aided by wicked men (verse 7). Good or bad, you can always find enough men and women to rally around you.
In verse 8, Abijah now confronts this coalition, that they would have the gall to resist the kingdom of David, even with their larger numbers of military prowess, coming to David with man-made gods. Jeroboam believed that he could make human appointment for sacrifices. The problem with Jeroboam is he believed he was doing right, and he changed the way of worship to fit himself and help him be comfortable. He wasn't one that necessarily promulgated a different God. He simply wanted to change the manner of worship and sacrifice, not appealing to God but instead to what made sense to him.
In verse 10-12, by him doing this, he has forsaken the Lord. My guess is Jeroboam didn't agree and my guess is he thought he was doing right because this is what most people think. They believe that their way of doing things is not only just as good, but often better. He might have called Abijah's ways the old way of doing things. Abijah even says in verse 12, "Do not fight against the Lord God of your fathers."
Jeroboam had a good plan of action in confronting and coming against Abijah, attacking them "both front and rear." But in the end God honored Judah and the victory was given to them as "Abijah and his people defeated them" (verse 17). Why? "Because they trusted in the Lord, the God of their fathers" (verse 18). "Jeroboam did not again recover strength....and the Lord struck him and he died" (verse 20).
Abijah followed what Solomon and David had done in taking many wives and fathered many children (v. 21).
To me, this text is sort of scary. Yes, God prevails over those that try to set up alternative forms of worship, but I don't believe Jeroboam was trying to not worship God. He was simply wanting to do it in his way believing that he now had a better way of doing it. But he also went to fight Judah. His focus was self and what he thought was right rather than looking to God for assistance and guidance.
Summary: Abijah and Jeroboam engage in war with Abijah/Judah prevailing because God was on their side.
Promise: God is on the side of those who rightly praise His name and seek His honor.
Prayer: God, there is a danger in this text and that is going after God in one's own way, thinking that there is an easier way. I wonder at times if I practice the way of Jeroboam while believing I am still part of the favored way of David. Give me guidance and wisdom to know what is right and what is wrong. Help me to seek You always. For those that are in the way of Jeroboam, may they repent and remove their pride so that they can truly see their right place before You.
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