I Kings 15:1-8
“Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah. Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom. And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father.” (I Kings 15:1-3)
A few months after Rehoboam’s death, and eighteen years after Solomon’s, Abijam was anointed king. During his three years as king, he followed the pattern his father and grandfather had set. Having grown up with that example, it was only natural that he would think that was the right way, unless something happened to make him question it.
“Nevertheless for David's sake did the LORD his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem: Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.” (I Kings 15:4-5)
Although Solomon, Rehoboam, and Abijam had turned their backs on God, Because of his promise to David for his obedience, in everything but his affair with Uriah’s wife and having him killed, God would not wipe out Solomon’s family. Contrary to what they probably believed, Solomon, Rehoboam and Abijam retained power because of David’s obedience to God, not their own political or economic skills. I suspect the reason the USA is still surviving is because of previous generations that served God, not our present leaders’ political skills.
“And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life. Now the rest of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam. “ (I Kings 15:6-7)
When Israel split over Rehoboam’s financial policies, Rehoboam had wanted to attack and destroy Jeroboam, but God had forbidden it in I Kings 12:21-24. “And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.
But the word of God came unto Shemaiah the man of God, saying, Speak unto Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the remnant of the people, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is from me. They hearkened therefore to the word of the LORD, and returned to depart, according to the word of the LORD.”
Rather than admit that Israel had split over his own Actions, Rehoboam blamed Jeroboam and for seventeen years tried to discredit and overthrow Jeroboam. When he died, Abijam, also known as Abijah continued the feud, convinced that they were right in trying to conquer them. II Chronicles 13:3-12 describes his efforts and his viewpoint. “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.
And Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim, which is in mount Ephraim, and said, Hear me, thou Jeroboam, and all Israel; 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?
Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, is risen up, and hath rebelled against his lord. 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.
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 you golden calves, which Jeroboam made you for gods. 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.
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: And they burn unto the LORD every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense: the showbread 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. 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.”
Abijam was convinced the reason Israel had broken away was that Jeroboam took advantage of Rehoboam’s inexperience and that because they had openly turned away from God, God would defeat them. He was convinced that he and Judah were still serving God, despite God’s statements to the contrary. After all, he was doing just what his father and grandfather had done.
“But Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind them: so they were before Judah, and the ambushment was behind them. And when Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind: and they cried unto the LORD, and the priests sounded with the trumpets. Then the men of Judah gave a shout: and as the men of Judah shouted, it came to pass, that God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.
And the children of Israel fled before Judah: and God delivered them into their hand. And Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men. Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon the LORD God of their fathers.”( II Chronicles 13:13-18)
When they were outmaneuvered by Jeroboam, Abijam and the men of Judah called on the Lord for help, and the Lord answered because they put their faith in him, despite their sin. Judah became the dominant country as a result.
“And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethel with the towns thereof, and Jeshanah with the towns thereof, and Ephrain with the towns thereof. Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah: and the LORD struck him, and he died.” (II Chronicles 13:19-20)
As a result of defeating Jeroboam, Judah was able to recapture the land of Benajmin,, although a large part of the Benjamites had sided with Rehoboam when the nation split. Jeroboam never recovered from his defeat. “But Abijah waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters. And the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings, are written in the story of the prophet Iddo.” (II Chronicles 13:21-22)
Abijah copied Solomon in marrying a lot of wives, but he only reigned about three years, and never got the chance to marry as many.
“And Abijam slept with his fathers; and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead.” (I Kings 15:8)
“Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah. Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom. And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father.” (I Kings 15:1-3)
A few months after Rehoboam’s death, and eighteen years after Solomon’s, Abijam was anointed king. During his three years as king, he followed the pattern his father and grandfather had set. Having grown up with that example, it was only natural that he would think that was the right way, unless something happened to make him question it.
“Nevertheless for David's sake did the LORD his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem: Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.” (I Kings 15:4-5)
Although Solomon, Rehoboam, and Abijam had turned their backs on God, Because of his promise to David for his obedience, in everything but his affair with Uriah’s wife and having him killed, God would not wipe out Solomon’s family. Contrary to what they probably believed, Solomon, Rehoboam and Abijam retained power because of David’s obedience to God, not their own political or economic skills. I suspect the reason the USA is still surviving is because of previous generations that served God, not our present leaders’ political skills.
“And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life. Now the rest of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam. “ (I Kings 15:6-7)
When Israel split over Rehoboam’s financial policies, Rehoboam had wanted to attack and destroy Jeroboam, but God had forbidden it in I Kings 12:21-24. “And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.
But the word of God came unto Shemaiah the man of God, saying, Speak unto Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the remnant of the people, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is from me. They hearkened therefore to the word of the LORD, and returned to depart, according to the word of the LORD.”
Rather than admit that Israel had split over his own Actions, Rehoboam blamed Jeroboam and for seventeen years tried to discredit and overthrow Jeroboam. When he died, Abijam, also known as Abijah continued the feud, convinced that they were right in trying to conquer them. II Chronicles 13:3-12 describes his efforts and his viewpoint. “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.
And Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim, which is in mount Ephraim, and said, Hear me, thou Jeroboam, and all Israel; 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?
Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, is risen up, and hath rebelled against his lord. 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.
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 you golden calves, which Jeroboam made you for gods. 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.
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: And they burn unto the LORD every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense: the showbread 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. 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.”
Abijam was convinced the reason Israel had broken away was that Jeroboam took advantage of Rehoboam’s inexperience and that because they had openly turned away from God, God would defeat them. He was convinced that he and Judah were still serving God, despite God’s statements to the contrary. After all, he was doing just what his father and grandfather had done.
“But Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind them: so they were before Judah, and the ambushment was behind them. And when Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind: and they cried unto the LORD, and the priests sounded with the trumpets. Then the men of Judah gave a shout: and as the men of Judah shouted, it came to pass, that God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.
And the children of Israel fled before Judah: and God delivered them into their hand. And Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men. Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon the LORD God of their fathers.”( II Chronicles 13:13-18)
When they were outmaneuvered by Jeroboam, Abijam and the men of Judah called on the Lord for help, and the Lord answered because they put their faith in him, despite their sin. Judah became the dominant country as a result.
“And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethel with the towns thereof, and Jeshanah with the towns thereof, and Ephrain with the towns thereof. Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah: and the LORD struck him, and he died.” (II Chronicles 13:19-20)
As a result of defeating Jeroboam, Judah was able to recapture the land of Benajmin,, although a large part of the Benjamites had sided with Rehoboam when the nation split. Jeroboam never recovered from his defeat. “But Abijah waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters. And the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings, are written in the story of the prophet Iddo.” (II Chronicles 13:21-22)
Abijah copied Solomon in marrying a lot of wives, but he only reigned about three years, and never got the chance to marry as many.
“And Abijam slept with his fathers; and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead.” (I Kings 15:8)
There is so much we can learn from the examples of the good and bad kings about the consequences of disobedience and the rewards of obedience. Thanks as always for the great post, & God bless!
ReplyDeleteLaurie
Thanks, Laurie
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