Year 1, Week 49, Day 2 Bible Reading Observations

Year 1, Week 49, Day 2

I have a brief observation for today’s reading of 1 Kings 15; 2 Chronicles 13.

Today’s reading consists of two passages that record parallel historical accounts. Both 1 Kings 15 and 2 Chronicles 13 begin with the reign of Abijah over the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Abijah (also called Abijam) was a son of Rehoboam. 1 Kings 15 provides an assessment of Abijah: “He reigned for three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom. And 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” (1 Kings 5:2-3). And then the historical account in Kings quickly so on to more details concerning Asa, the next King of Judah: “And Asa did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, as David his father had done. He put away the male cult prostitutes out of the land and removed all the idols that his fathers had made” (1 Kings 15:11-12). However, the Chronicler devotes more attention to events that occurred during the reign of Abijah: “there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam” (2 Chronicles 13:2b).

One of the things that struck me from today’s reading was the special focus that the Chronicler gives to the war between the Northern Kingdom and the Southern Kingdom: “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” (2 Chronicles 13:3). Abijah and the Southern Kingdom, though outmanned, would be victorious. It is intriguing that the Chronicler would record this victory during the reign of Abijah, for the Chronicler significantly withholds much description for those kings that were evil.

Jeroboam not only had Abijah outmanned, he also had him outmaneuvered: “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. And when Judah looked, behold, the battle was in front of and behind them” (2 Chronicles 13:13-14a). It would appear that the outcome of this battle would be in favor of Jeroboam. It would appear that Abijah’s defeat would simply go down as the loss was reckoned to an evil king. However, there is a surprising twist: “Abijah and his people struck them with great force, so there fell slain of Israel 500,000 chosen men. Thus the men of Israel were subdued at that time, and the men of Judah prevailed” (2 Chronicles 13:17-18a). The Chronicler wanted to show that though Judah was small and outsmarted, might and victory in battle does not come from military prowess and strategy.

Abijah and Judah are victorious because they were reliant: “they relied on the LORD, the God of their fathers” (2 Chronicles 13:18b). The LORD was the true victor: “The men of Israel fled before Judah, and God gave them into their hand” (2 Chronicles 13:16). The instrument of the victory was prayer: “And they cried to the LORD, and the priests blew the trumpets” (2 Chronicles 13:14b). Abijah is used to give testimony of the LORD and to confront Jeroboam as to his errors. First, Abijah testifies of the LORD’s faithfulness: “Hear me, O Jeroboam and all Israel! 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?” (2 Chronicles 13:4b-5). The rightful line of kings belonged to David and his house, for the LORD had promised that (the reference of a covenant of salt probably suggests the permanence of the covenant with David). Even though some of the Davidic Kings, such as Abijah himself, will prove unfaithful, the LORD would always prove faithful to His promises. Abijah also confronts Jeroboam concerning his idolatry and ill treatment of the Levitical priests: “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. 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?” (2 Chronicles 13:8-9a). The LORD had prescribed how He was to be worshipped, and Jeroboam had violated the worship of God. Thus, Abijah declares his certainty that the LORD will prove to be the victor: “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” (2 Chronicles 13:12).

The Chronicler breaks with his pattern of not devoting much space to evil kings, for he wishes to make a clear point about the LORD: if an evil king like Abijah humbly cried out to God on the basis of God’s promises and was heard, how much more would the LORD hear any of His people, if they humbly cried out to him? The Chronicler illustrates a much more important point by focusing attention on Abijah. Reliance upon the LORD is greater than mere military might. Even an evil king can show us that.

What struck you in today’s reading? What questions were prompted from today’s reading?

Pastor Joe