Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb20070318.htm

1 AND 2 CHRONICLES: GAINING DIRECTION OUT OF THE AIMLESSNESS OF APOSTASY
Part V: Gaining Direction From God's Work In The Rest Of Judah's Davidic Dynasty, 2 Chronicles 13-36
A. Learning To Trust In God And His Word To Handle Great Opposition From Errant Brethren
(2 Chronicles 13:1-22)
  1. Introduction
    1. We believers generally are aware that to respond well to unsaved foes, we must trust God and His Word.
    2. However, when strongly opposed by errant fellow believers, we can fail to be sure just how to respond!
    3. Nevertheless, responding well to such formidable opposition takes the same trust in God and His Word that is needed for responding well to unsaved foes, a fact verified in the life of king Abijah (as follows) :
  2. Learning To Trust In God And His Word To Handle Great Opposition From Errant Brethren.
    1. The author of 2 Chronicles sought to focus on the importance of the kingdom of David in God's program, so he gave the history of Judah's kings and mentioned only those Northern Kingdom kings of Israel when their actions affected the Davidic dynasty of Judah, cf. Bible Knowledge Commentary, O. T., p. 631.
    2. So, after Rehoboam's death, the author reports that Abijah came to Judah's throne, 2 Chronicles 13:1-2b.
    3. In his days, Abijah came to face humanly overwhelming opposition from errant fellow Hebrews, 13:2c-3:
      1. Abijah faced war with his father's old enemy, Jeroboam of Israel, 2 Chronicles 12:15b with 13:2c.
      2. This conflict came to a head when Abijah faced a humanly overwhelming opposition in Jeroboam's forces of fellow Hebrews from the Northern Kingdom of Israel, 2 Chronicles 13:3:
        1. Abijah came to face Israel in battle where 400,000 of his men faced 800,000 men from Israel, 13:3.
        2. Both sides consisted of valiant warriors, making Abijah's position humanly very hazardous, 13:3!
    4. Yet, Abijah realized from Scripture that God wanted to protect the Davidic dynasty of Judah, so, before the battle, he addressed Jeroboam's men, using Scripture to try to discourage them from fighting, 13:4-12:
      1. Abijah stood upon Mount Zemaraim near the border of Judah and Israel to address the troops of Israel in an effort to dissuade them from fighting his forces of Judah, 2 Chron. 13:4; Ryrie St. Bib., KJV , ftn.
      2. He appealed to Scripture's promise where God had given the kingdom of Israel to David and to his sons forever as a permanent covenant, or "a covenant of salt," 2 Chronicles 13:5; Ibid., ftn.
      3. Based on this divine promise, Abijah reminded his hearers that Jeroboam had rebelled against David's line and thus opposed God's will when Rehoboam followed errant advisers, 13:6-7; 10:1-19.
      4. Indeed, Abijah noted Jeroboam's forces had only strengthened themselves by their numbers against God's rule in the hands of David's sons, and that by trusting in Jeroboam's false calf idols, 13:8.
      5. Abijah also noted Jeroboam had replaced God's true Aaronic priests and Levites with false priests, and yet he still thought he could defeat the forces of Judah that were aligned with the Lord and that still faithfully worshiped God and kept His charge at the Jerusalem temple of the Lord, 2 Chron. 13:9-11.
      6. Abijah then warned that God was with Judah and His priests with them that sounded the trumpets to summon God's help for Judah against Israel in accord with God's Scripture promise found in Numbers 10:9. Abijah thus urged Israel not to fight against his forces from Judah, 2 Chronicles 13:12.
    5. Jeroboam refused to heed this appeal, but set an ambush against Abijah's smaller force, 2 Chron. 13:13.
    6. However, Abijah's men cried out in faith unto God, and He gave them a great victory, 13:14-19, 20-22:
      1. When Abijah's men saw the ambush, they cried out to God for help while the godly priests blew the trumpets to summon divine assistance in faith in the promise of Numbers 10:9, cf. 2 Chronicles 13:14!
      2. God rewarded this faith in Him and His Word by motivating the men of Judah to give an aggressive war cry, and causing Israel to lose in conflict to Judah. In the battle, Israel lost 500,000 of their 800,000 valiant warriors to Judah's 400,000 men, 2 Chronicles 13:15-16, 17-18.
      3. Abijah's forces captured several cities of Israel, but Jeroboam never recovered from his defeat, but was even slain by God and was dishonorably left unburied, 2 Chronicles 13:19-20 with 1 Kings 14:11-13.
      4. Yet, in sharp contrast to Jeroboam's end, Abijah grew even stronger, 2 Chronicles 13:21-22.
Lesson: Regardless of the humanly overwhelming ambush of his ungodly fellow Hebrews of Israel, Abijah's and Judah's faith in God and His Word was rewarded with a remarkable victory over Israel.

Application: Even if facing great and conspiring opposition from fellow errant believers, trusting and heeding God and His Word will be rewarded by God's deliverance and blessing.