Daily Devotional for Thursday, April 3

Abijah, the Fighter

“O children of Israel, fight ye not against the Lord God of your fathers; for ye shall not prosper,” 2 Chronicles 13:12.

God has a purpose for every life. Some men are born to be soldiers. Some men are born to lead soldiers. Such was the case in the life of King Abijah, who reigned over the Southern Kingdom of Judah following the death of his father, King Rehoboam. 

            The wars between the two nations had been continual since their division. Three years into Abijah’s reign, he gathered an army of four hundred thousand valiant men to face King Jeroboam and his army of eight hundred thousand equally valiant men. In terms of sheer numbers, the odds were not in their favor. However, Abijah and Judah had the greatest advantage; one that Jeroboam and the Northern Kingdom did not enjoy. God was on their side!  

            Before the battle began, Abijah pronounced the evils of Jeroboam and the Northern Kingdom for all to hear. Jeroboam had established idol worship, ordained his own false priesthood, instituted his own substitute for the feasts, and introduced devil worship (1 Kings 12:25-33). Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim in the hills of Ephraim, and said, “God himself is with us for our captain, and his priests with sounding trumpets to cry alarm against you” (2 Chronicles 13:12). That day the children of Judah slew five hundred thousand men and prevailed against Israel because “they relied upon the Lord God of their fathers” (verse 18).

            Even though God used a brave king and a valiant army to defeat evil that day, let us not miss the true hero of this battle. When the people were surrounded by their enemies, they cried unto the Lord (verse 14) When the men of Judah shouted for victory in Jehovah, God smote their enemies (verse 15): “But as for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken him” (verse 10).

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

God is the victor in every battle! Who is on the Lord’s side?

Karen Meigs