WEBVTT - 2 Chronicles 13

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<v Speaker 1>Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your

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<v Speaker 1>walk with Christ, please visit us at Bible Study Headquarters

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<v Speaker 1>dot com. You're listening to the Chapter a Day Audio Bible.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm John Stangi, and today we're in Second Chronicles, chapter thirteen,

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<v Speaker 1>and we'll be reading from the New English translation. In

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<v Speaker 1>the eighteenth year of the reign of King Jerobom, Abijah

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<v Speaker 1>became king over Judah. He ruled for three years in Jerusalem.

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<v Speaker 1>His mother was Makaiah, the daughter of Uriel from Gibeah.

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<v Speaker 1>There was war between Abijah and Jerobom. Abijah launched the

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<v Speaker 1>attack with four hundred thousand well trained warriors, while Jerobom

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<v Speaker 1>deployed against him eight hundred thousand well trained warriors. Abijah

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<v Speaker 1>ascended Mount Zemaraim in the Ephriamite hill country and said,

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<v Speaker 1>listen to me, Jeroboam and all Israel. Don't you realize

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<v Speaker 1>that the Lord God of Israel has given David and

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<v Speaker 1>his dynasty lasting dominion over Israel by a formal agreement. Jeroboam,

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<v Speaker 1>son of Nebat, a servant of Solomon son of David,

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<v Speaker 1>rose up and rebelled against his master, lawless, good for nothing.

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<v Speaker 1>Men gathered around him and conspired against Raeboam, son of Solomon,

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<v Speaker 1>when Raaboam was an inexperienced young man and could not

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<v Speaker 1>resist them. Now you are declaring that you will resist

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<v Speaker 1>the Lord's rule through the Davidic dynasty. You have a

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<v Speaker 1>huge army and bring with you the gold calves that

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<v Speaker 1>Jeroboam made for you as gods. But you banished the

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<v Speaker 1>Lord's priests, Aaron's descendants, and the Levites and appointed your

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<v Speaker 1>own priests, just as the surrounding nations do. Anyone who

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<v Speaker 1>comes to consecrate himself with a young bull or seven

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<v Speaker 1>rams becomes a priest of these fake gods. But as

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<v Speaker 1>for us, the Lord is our god, and we have

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<v Speaker 1>not rejected him. Aaron's descendants serve as the Lord's priests,

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<v Speaker 1>and the Levites assist them with the work. They offer

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<v Speaker 1>burnt sacrifices to the Lord every morning and every evening,

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<v Speaker 1>along with fragrant incense. They arrange the bread of the

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<v Speaker 1>presence on a ritually clean table and light the lamps

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<v Speaker 1>on the gold lampstand every evening. Certainly, we are observing

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<v Speaker 1>the Lord, our God's regulations, but you have rejected him. Now. Look,

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<v Speaker 1>God is with us as our leader, His priests are

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<v Speaker 1>ready to blow the trumpets to signal the attack against you.

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<v Speaker 1>You Israelites, don't fight against the Lord, God of your ancestors,

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<v Speaker 1>for you will not win. Now. Jeroboam had sent some

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<v Speaker 1>men to ambush the Juhedite army from behind. The main

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<v Speaker 1>army was in front of the j Juhidite army, the

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<v Speaker 1>ambushers were behind it. The men of Judah turned around

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<v Speaker 1>and realized they were being attacked from the front and

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<v Speaker 1>the rear, so they cried out for help to the Lord.

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<v Speaker 1>The priests blew their trumpets and the men of Judah

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<v Speaker 1>gave the battle cry. As the men of Judah gave

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<v Speaker 1>the battle cry, the Lord struck down Jeroboam and all

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<v Speaker 1>Israel before Abijah and Judah. The Israelites fled from before

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<v Speaker 1>the Juhadite army, and God handed them over to the

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<v Speaker 1>men of Judah. Abijah and his army thoroughly defeated them.

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<v Speaker 1>Five hundred thousand well trained Israelite men fell dead that day.

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<v Speaker 1>The Israelites were defeated. The men of Judah prevailed because

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<v Speaker 1>they relied on the Lord, God of their ancestors. Abijah

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<v Speaker 1>chased Jerobom he seized from him. These cities Bethel and

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<v Speaker 1>its surrounding towns, Jeshinah and its surrounding towns, and Ephron

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<v Speaker 1>and its surrounding towns Ones. Jeroboam did not regain power

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<v Speaker 1>during the reign of Abaijah. The Lord struck him down

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<v Speaker 1>and he died. Abijah's power grew. He had fourteen wives

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<v Speaker 1>and fathered twenty two sons and sixteen daughters. The rest

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<v Speaker 1>of the events of Abijah's reign, including his deeds and sayings,

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<v Speaker 1>are recorded in the writings of the prophet Ido. Let's pray, Lord,

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<v Speaker 1>we thank you for your word and for the privilege

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<v Speaker 1>of being able to look at it today. And Lord,

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<v Speaker 1>as we see in this portion of scripture, we're shown

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<v Speaker 1>a group of people who have rejected you, and a

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<v Speaker 1>group of people who accept you and worship you and

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<v Speaker 1>are seeking to be faithful to the truth that you

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<v Speaker 1>had revealed to them in your word. Lord. We're grateful

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<v Speaker 1>for that example, and we pray that, by your grace

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<v Speaker 1>that we would realize that this is a pattern that

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<v Speaker 1>you want us to abide by as well. Lord. So

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<v Speaker 1>often we tend to put our preferences and our opinions

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<v Speaker 1>on a high pedestal than the teaching of your word.

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<v Speaker 1>But we pray Lord, that, by your grace that we

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<v Speaker 1>would value what you have communicated above our preferences and

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<v Speaker 1>our opinions. Lord, you invite us, as those who have

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<v Speaker 1>placed our trust in your son, Jesus Christ, to walk

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<v Speaker 1>by faith each and every day as we seek to

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<v Speaker 1>put you first in all areas of our lives. And Lord,

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<v Speaker 1>we pray that you would just empower us to continue

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<v Speaker 1>to follow you faithfully, not in our own strength, not

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<v Speaker 1>in our own wisdom, but in your strength and in

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<v Speaker 1>the wisdom that you supply. Lord. We're grateful for your

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<v Speaker 1>presence with us today, and we commit this day to

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<v Speaker 1>your care and pray this all in Jesus' name. Amen.