For the Sake of My Servant

We begin to enter a period of 2 Chronicles where the testimony of Israel's past seems to be whitewashed concerning the kings of Judah, the southern kingdom of Israel. Where the books of 1 & 2 Kings reveal spiritually dark times, the Chronicler finds the light still shining. The first example of this is the reign of Abjiah (In 1 Kings he's named Abijam).

2 Chronicles 13:1 (ESV) In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah began to reign over Judah.

One of Abijah's first experiences is a war with the North under Jeroboam. And in the midst of dark prospects, Abijah stands up to address the nation. 

2 Chronicles 13:4–8 (ESV) 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.

He goes on to speak about Jeroboam's immoral ways, casting out the priests and ordaining the ordinary Israelites into the service of his pagan temples to worship those things that are not gods (see verse 9). 

Then he speaks of the sacrificial system still alive in Judah:
2 Chronicles 13:10–11 (ESV) 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.

And finally, Abijah calls on the northern Israelites to stop the fighting because they fight against the Lord himself.
2 Chronicles 13:12 (ESV) 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.”

It's interesting how 2 Chronicles presents Abijah. The book of 1 Kings reminds us of his sins:
1 Kings 15:3 (ESV) he walked in all the sins that his father did before him, and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father.

What gives? Why the two accounts? Well, for one, Abijah stands not on his own but on the principles laid down in holy scripture regarding sacrifices and offerings. In spite of his sin, he is going to trust the Word of God over the posturing of his enemies. Second, Abijah turned to worship. With Jeroboam's army bearing down in front and behind, Abijah calls for the nation to shout and praise the Lord. 

2 Chronicles 13:14–15 (ESV) 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.

What does this story reveal? It shows us that God is faithful when we are faithless. It reminds us that our sins will be many but we must not abandon the Lord who called us when we are in trouble. The account in 1 Kings sheds more light on this:
1 Kings 15:4 (ESV) Nevertheless, for David’s sake the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, setting up his son after him, and establishing Jerusalem,

And the final refrain of this moment is in verse 18:
2 Chronicles 13:18 (ESV) 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.

It was not for the sake of Abijah's righteousness but God's promises to David. David was God's chosen king and in Jesus, we have the true Son of David as our King. We fight with Him and through Him and win because of Him. 

Amen.

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