II Chronicles 13  Rehoboam dies and his son Abijah becomes king.  In I Kings 15 we are told that his name is Abijam and that he walked in the sins of his father Rehoboam, but that for David's sake, the Lord " gave him a lamp in Jerusalem".   Here in II Chronicles we see a different side of Abijah.  There was a war between Abijah and Jeroboam.  Jeroboam came with 800,000 valiant warriors.  He set up some in front of Judah and an ambush behind them.  Judah had half as many soldiers, 400,000.

Abijah addressed Jeroboam and his army.  He reminded them of the covenant that David had with the Lord God of Israel.  He proclaimed that Judah was being faithful to the Lord, while Israel had turned to the idols that Jeroboam had made.  He made these professions:

"But as for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken Him."  ( v. 10)

".. for we keep the charge of the Lord our God, but you have forsaken Him." (v11)

"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." ( v12)

When Israel came against Judah, Judah "cried to the Lord and the priests blew the trumpets.... then it was that God routed Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah." ( v14-15)  Judah slaughtered 500,000 of Israel's men and captured Jeroboam.

Abijah only ruled in Jerusalem for 3 years.  This account in II Chronicles tells us that Jeroboam "did not again recover strength in the days of Abijah; and the Lord struck him and he died."  But in I Kings 15:25 we are told that "Nadab the son of Jeroboam became king over Israel in the second year of Asa.."   So, there must have been several years where Jeroboam lived in captivity before his death or perhaps Nadab was not ready to take the position yet.

So whether or not Abijah continued to seek the Lord after this victory or turned away... we don't know.  But this we do know... after him Asa, his son, became king and " he did good and right in the sight of the Lord his God." ( 14:2)


We may not know what happened in Abijah's final days before his death or his final destination.  But, we do know that at some point in his life, Abijah trusted in the Lord.  Abijah's speech to Israel was a warning for them to turn back to the One True God.  This one statement in verse 8 stands out, " So now you intend to resist the kingdom of the Lord...." 

This is the heart of rebellion, isn't it?  To resist the kingdom of the Lord... to forsake Him, to  ignore His Word and His promises, to break the covenant that has been sealed for eternity.  The Lord God of Israel,  the King of Heaven and earth and eternity... reigns.  His kingdom has come to us through Jesus Christ and His covenant is eternal.  The writer of Hebrews quoting the prophet Jeremiah tells us of the new covenant, the "better covenant" that we have through Christ, " ... I will put My laws into their minds, and I will write them upon their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. and they shall not teach everyone his fellow citizen, and everyone his brother, saying Know the Lord, for all shall know Me, from the least to the greatest of them.  For I will be merciful to their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more." (Hebrews 8: 10b-12)

This new covenant was not sealed with salt, but with the blood of Christ, once for all.  It is a promise of a "new and living way".  It is a promise of complete cleansing " having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water."  (Heb. 10: 22)  It is a promise that we enter into by faith,  holding "fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful."  ( v23)


Father in heaven, how precious are Your promises to us who hold on to them in Christ Jesus the Lord.
You are faithful and true.  Deepen our understanding of this wonderful Word.  Draw us nearer to Your heart.  Let Your Kingdom come and Your will be done I pray.  Blessed Jesus, thank You for being our Savior and Lord,  our Intercessor and Friend. amen