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Speaker 1: I'm John Stangi, and today we're in Second Chronicles, chapter thirteen,
Speaker 1: and we'll be reading from the New English translation. In
Speaker 1: the eighteenth year of the reign of King Jerobom, Abijah
Speaker 1: became king over Judah. He ruled for three years in Jerusalem.
Speaker 1: His mother was Makaiah, the daughter of Uriel from Gibeah.
Speaker 1: There was war between Abijah and Jerobom. Abijah launched the
Speaker 1: attack with four hundred thousand well trained warriors, while Jerobom
Speaker 1: deployed against him eight hundred thousand well trained warriors. Abijah
Speaker 1: ascended Mount Zemaraim in the Ephriamite hill country and said,
Speaker 1: listen to me, Jeroboam and all Israel. Don't you realize
Speaker 1: that the Lord God of Israel has given David and
Speaker 1: his dynasty lasting dominion over Israel by a formal agreement. Jeroboam,
Speaker 1: son of Nebat, a servant of Solomon son of David,
Speaker 1: rose up and rebelled against his master, lawless, good for nothing.
Speaker 1: Men gathered around him and conspired against Raeboam, son of Solomon,
Speaker 1: when Raaboam was an inexperienced young man and could not
Speaker 1: resist them. Now you are declaring that you will resist
Speaker 1: the Lord's rule through the Davidic dynasty. You have a
Speaker 1: huge army and bring with you the gold calves that
Speaker 1: Jeroboam made for you as gods. But you banished the
Speaker 1: Lord's priests, Aaron's descendants, and the Levites and appointed your
Speaker 1: own priests, just as the surrounding nations do. Anyone who
Speaker 1: comes to consecrate himself with a young bull or seven
Speaker 1: rams becomes a priest of these fake gods. But as
Speaker 1: for us, the Lord is our god, and we have
Speaker 1: not rejected him. Aaron's descendants serve as the Lord's priests,
Speaker 1: and the Levites assist them with the work. They offer
Speaker 1: burnt sacrifices to the Lord every morning and every evening,
Speaker 1: along with fragrant incense. They arrange the bread of the
Speaker 1: presence on a ritually clean table and light the lamps
Speaker 1: on the gold lampstand every evening. Certainly, we are observing
Speaker 1: the Lord, our God's regulations, but you have rejected him. Now. Look,
Speaker 1: God is with us as our leader, His priests are
Speaker 1: ready to blow the trumpets to signal the attack against you.
Speaker 1: You Israelites, don't fight against the Lord, God of your ancestors,
Speaker 1: for you will not win. Now. Jeroboam had sent some
Speaker 1: men to ambush the Juhedite army from behind. The main
Speaker 1: army was in front of the j Juhidite army, the
Speaker 1: ambushers were behind it. The men of Judah turned around
Speaker 1: and realized they were being attacked from the front and
Speaker 1: the rear, so they cried out for help to the Lord.
Speaker 1: The priests blew their trumpets and the men of Judah
Speaker 1: gave the battle cry. As the men of Judah gave
Speaker 1: the battle cry, the Lord struck down Jeroboam and all
Speaker 1: Israel before Abijah and Judah. The Israelites fled from before
Speaker 1: the Juhadite army, and God handed them over to the
Speaker 1: men of Judah. Abijah and his army thoroughly defeated them.
Speaker 1: Five hundred thousand well trained Israelite men fell dead that day.
Speaker 1: The Israelites were defeated. The men of Judah prevailed because
Speaker 1: they relied on the Lord, God of their ancestors. Abijah
Speaker 1: chased Jerobom he seized from him. These cities Bethel and
Speaker 1: its surrounding towns, Jeshinah and its surrounding towns, and Ephron
Speaker 1: and its surrounding towns Ones. Jeroboam did not regain power
Speaker 1: during the reign of Abaijah. The Lord struck him down
Speaker 1: and he died. Abijah's power grew. He had fourteen wives
Speaker 1: and fathered twenty two sons and sixteen daughters. The rest
Speaker 1: of the events of Abijah's reign, including his deeds and sayings,
Speaker 1: are recorded in the writings of the prophet Ido. Let's pray, Lord,
Speaker 1: we thank you for your word and for the privilege
Speaker 1: of being able to look at it today. And Lord,
Speaker 1: as we see in this portion of scripture, we're shown
Speaker 1: a group of people who have rejected you, and a
Speaker 1: group of people who accept you and worship you and
Speaker 1: are seeking to be faithful to the truth that you
Speaker 1: had revealed to them in your word. Lord. We're grateful
Speaker 1: for that example, and we pray that, by your grace
Speaker 1: that we would realize that this is a pattern that
Speaker 1: you want us to abide by as well. Lord. So
Speaker 1: often we tend to put our preferences and our opinions
Speaker 1: on a high pedestal than the teaching of your word.
Speaker 1: But we pray Lord, that, by your grace that we
Speaker 1: would value what you have communicated above our preferences and
Speaker 1: our opinions. Lord, you invite us, as those who have
Speaker 1: placed our trust in your son, Jesus Christ, to walk
Speaker 1: by faith each and every day as we seek to
Speaker 1: put you first in all areas of our lives. And Lord,
Speaker 1: we pray that you would just empower us to continue
Speaker 1: to follow you faithfully, not in our own strength, not
Speaker 1: in our own wisdom, but in your strength and in
Speaker 1: the wisdom that you supply. Lord. We're grateful for your
Speaker 1: presence with us today, and we commit this day to
Speaker 1: your care and pray this all in Jesus' name. Amen.