2/21/2011 5:45:00 AM
SPIRITUAL DIARY
My Worship Time Focus: Abijah
Bible Reading
& Meditation Reference: 1Ki. 15:1-8; 2Chron. 13
Message
of the verses: “1 ¶
Now in the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, Abijam
became king over Judah. 2 He reigned
three years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Maacah the daughter of
Abishalom. 3 He walked in all the sins
of his father which he had committed before him; and his heart was not wholly
devoted to the LORD his God, like the heart of his father David. 4 But for David’s sake the LORD his God gave
him a lamp in Jerusalem, to raise up his son after him and to establish
Jerusalem; 5 because David did what was
right in the sight of the LORD, and had not turned aside from anything that He
commanded him all the days of his life, except in the case of Uriah the
Hittite. 6 There was war between
Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life. 7 Now the rest of the acts of Abijam and all
that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of
Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam. 8 And Abijam slept with his fathers and they
buried him in the city of David; and Asa his son became king in his place.”
“1
¶ In the eighteenth year of King
Jeroboam, Abijah became king over Judah. 2
He reigned three years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Micaiah
the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. Now there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.
3 Abijah began the battle with an army
of valiant warriors, 400,000 chosen men, while Jeroboam drew up in battle
formation against him with 800,000 chosen men who were valiant warriors. 4 Then Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim, which is
in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, "Listen to me, Jeroboam and all
Israel: 5 "Do you not know that the
LORD God of Israel gave the rule over Israel forever to David and his sons by a
covenant of salt? 6 "Yet Jeroboam
the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up and rebelled
against his master, 7 and worthless men
gathered about him, scoundrels, who proved too strong for Rehoboam, the son of
Solomon, when he was young and timid and could not hold his own against them.
8 "So now you intend to resist the
kingdom of the LORD through the sons of David, being a great multitude and
having with you the golden calves which Jeroboam made for gods for you. 9 "Have you not driven out the priests of
the LORD, the sons of Aaron and the Levites, and made for yourselves priests
like the peoples of other lands? Whoever comes to consecrate himself with a
young bull and seven rams, even he may become a priest of what are no gods.
10 "But as for us, the LORD is our
God, and we have not forsaken Him; and the sons of Aaron are ministering to the
LORD as priests, and the Levites attend to their work. 11 "Every morning and evening they burn to
the LORD burnt offerings and fragrant incense, and the showbread is set on the
clean table, and the golden lampstand with its lamps is ready to light every
evening; for we keep the charge of the LORD our God, but you have forsaken Him.
12 "Now behold, God is with us at
our head and His priests with the signal trumpets to sound the alarm against
you. O sons of Israel, do not fight against the LORD God of your fathers, for
you will not succeed."
“13 ¶ But Jeroboam had set an
ambush to come from the rear, so that Israel was in front of Judah and the
ambush was behind them. 14 When Judah
turned around, behold, they were attacked both front and rear; so they cried to
the LORD, and the priests blew the trumpets. 15
Then the men of Judah raised a war cry, and when the men of Judah raised
the war cry, then it was
that God routed Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. 16 When the sons of Israel fled before Judah,
God gave them into their hand. 17 Abijah
and his people defeated them with a great slaughter, so that 500,000 chosen men
of Israel fell slain. 18 Thus the sons
of Israel were subdued at that time, and the sons of Judah conquered because they trusted in the
LORD, the God of their fathers. 19
Abijah pursued Jeroboam and captured from him several cities, Bethel
with its villages, Jeshanah with its villages and Ephron with its villages.
20 Jeroboam did not again recover
strength in the days of Abijah; and the LORD struck him and he died. 21 But Abijah became powerful; and took fourteen
wives to himself, and became the father of twenty-two sons and sixteen
daughters. 22 Now the rest of the acts
of Abijah, and his ways and his words are written in the treatise of the
prophet Iddo.”
Today’s
SD begins a new chapter in Warren Wiersbe’s commentary on 1Kings and
2Chronicles, and he entitles it “Kings on Parade.” He divides the chapter into different
sections by different kings. This is a
very long section and so I will try and finish it tomorrow morning.
1&2
Kings speak mostly about the acts of the Northern tribes of Israel, while
1&2 Chronicles speaks of the kings of Judah and I suppose that is why Dr. Wiersbe
has decided to combine the books of 1Kings and 2Chronicles into one of his “Be”
books.
Tuesday Feb. 22, 2011: If one only reads the account of Abijah in
the book of 1Kings and not read it in 2Chronicles they will miss some important
truths about this man. Although in the
1Kings account it does not look like he was a good king, and probably that is
the overall picture of his life, however on this one battle he did trust in the
Lord, and the Lord gave victory to him over the tribes of Israel in the North. It was an act of faith that was used by the
Lord to give victory to Abijah and the rest of the men from Judah. The battle was similar to the battle of
Jericho in that there was shouting and the blowing of the trumpets and great
trust in the Lord.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: Trusting the Lord in difficult situations
takes a lot of faith in the Lord to work out the situation for His glory and
for my good. Abijah did this, and so
must I as I continue to seek the Lord to show me the right church to attend in
Kauai, and also what my purpose is here.
It became clear in Aruba why the Lord sent us there, and my prayer is
that it will also become clear why he sent us here to Kauai.
My Steps of
Faith for Today:
1.
Trust the Lord to direct my steps.
2.
Trust the Lord to continue to teach me contentment.
3.
Give myself to the Lord for worship and service.
4.
Remember that I am in a battle and in need of the
spiritual armor.
2/22/2011 5:47:04 AM
No comments:
Post a Comment