18 Thus the Israelites were brought low at that time, and the people of JUDAH PREVAILED BECAUSE THEY RELIED UPON THE LORD, THE GOD OF THEIR FATHERS God. 2 Chronicles 13
Judah and Israel were constantly being attacked by enemies, but even worse, on this occasion they were fighting one another. The Body of Believers can often turn upon one another in times of difficulty. This is the worst possible outcome for believers, to turn upon a brother or sister and treat them as an enemy!
13 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam, Abijah (means ‘God is my Father’, a Revelation!) became king of Judah, 2 and he reigned in Jerusalem for three years.
Jeroboam became king of Israel, ten tribes, after Solomon died. He led all Israel into idolatry, by setting up two golden calves for the people to worship, instead of going up to Jerusalem. He was a bad king and left a terrible legacy for Israel.
There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. 3 Abijah went into battle with an army of four hundred thousand able fighting men, and Jeroboam drew up a battle line against him with eight hundred thousand able troops. (Judah was outnumbered 2:1)
8 ‘And now you plan to resist the kingdom of the Lord, which is in the hands of David’s descendants. You are indeed a vast army and have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made to be your gods.
Abijah whose very name was synonymous with, ‘God His Father’, took his stand under the one true God of his father David.
10 ‘As for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken him. The priests who serve the Lord are sons of Aaron, and the Levites assist them. 11 Every MORNING and EVENING they present burnt offerings and FRAGRANT INCENSE to the Lord. (Are there set times every day when we come before the Lord? Israel did and we have a better Covenant than them.)
Abijah goes on to warn Jeroboam not to fight against Judah because GOD WAS WITH THEM and they wouldn’t succeed. However Jeroboam tried to ambush Judah from the rear, but even though they were outnumbered and outmanoeuvred Judah still defeated Israel, inflicting 500,000 casualties.
18 The Israelites were subdued on that occasion, and the people of JUDAH WERE VICTORIOUS BECAUSE THEY RELIED ON THE LORD, the God of their ancestors.
This was a battle that should never have been fought, BETWEEN BROTHERS, but the larger had turned away from the God of their fathers to worshipping calf idols. God was with the smaller and gave them victory.
‘I’m a thousand times bigger on the inside than I am on the outside.’ Smith Wigglesworth
16 ‘Don’t be afraid,’ Elisha answered. ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ 2 Kings 6
Elisha prayed that his servant’s eyes would be opened to see the angel armies around them. We aren’t alone, though circumstances may appear overwhelming, God is with us!
God bless and keep you today.