2 Chronicles 13:1-22
As Abijah succeeds Rehoboam and began his reign in Judah, he was confronted by Jeroboam king of Israel in the North. Abijah with an army of 400,000 men faced Jeroboam with an army of 800,000 men. However, Abijah was not intimidated by Jeroboam and the odds against him because he saw other factors as more important. In a speech to Jeroboam he referenced God’s covenant promise to David and how he employed with worthless wicked me to rebel (5-7). Abijah also references their reliance on the flesh and their corrupted forms of worship: “…being a great multitude and having with you the golden calves which Jeroboam made for you as gods. Have you not driven out the priests of the LORD,…….and made for yourselves priests like the peoples of other lands? (8c – b). Abijah’s faith was not in the size of his army but in Judah’s reliance and relationship with God: “But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not abandoned Him;………..Every morning and evening they burn to the LORD burnt offerings and fragrant incense, and the show bread is set on the clean table, and the golden lampstand with its lamps is ready to light every evening;…” (11a, b). Worship God in the face of overwhelming odds!