2 Chronicles 13:1-22
13:1-3 Jeroboam still reigned in Israel. Abijah became king after Rehoboam in Judah and reigned three years. Though the twelve tribes had begun as one people under God, they became a fragmented kingdom with tension between them. Jeroboam and Abijah built up armies against each other.
13:4-12 Abijah made an arrogant but in-part, truthful, speech to Israel and Jeroboam. The northern tribes of Israel had abandoned God in favor of idol worship. But Abijah seemed not to be so concerned about their faith as much as he was concerned with his own interests: strengthening his power and expanding the borders of it.
God had allowed Israel and Judah to split. Israel did not belong to Abijah; it was not stolen from his father. Each portion of the former collective body was corrupt in its own way. Israel did not acknowledge or obey God. Judah acknowledged God but did not obey Him and therefore did not have anything to boast about.
13:13-18 Jeroboam attacked Judah but was made to fail by God. Judah then attacked Jeroboam and was successful (Israel had strayed very far from God and perhaps He felt that a thump from its sibling, Judah, would be more effective than from a foreign nation).
Judah prevailed because they relied on God. Israel was unsuccessful because they relied on false idols and fake gods. From God only should we derive our instruction, our motive, our confidence and skill. Neither power, fame, nor wealth will provide us the victory we are hoping for in any situation.
13:19-20 Abijah took cities from Israel and Israel remained weakened for the rest of Jeroboam's reign. Jeroboam "did not recover is strength again" because he never recovered his faith. By God the weak are made strong; Jeroboam never allowed faith to make Him strong.
13:21-22 Abijah followed the footsteps of his father and married many women (a Deuteronomy 17:17 no-no). He loved to boast to Israel but he did not follow the instruction of God much better than they did. Believing in God is not enough, James 2:14-28; we must also listen to God, follow His instruction and His example. Why? Because He expertly, lovingly teaches us to be better: more productive and generous, secure and purposeful.
