Ten Minute Bible Talks Devotional Bible Study - Who Holds the Power? | The Writings | 2 Chronicles 13

Episode Date: March 20, 2024

Looking to political leaders, countries, and CEOs for power is easy. But who is truly all-powerful? In today's episode, Jensen discusses 2 Chronicles 13 and how God is always faithful to bring about his plans. Sign up here to receive the "Our Good King" Holy Week Devotional beginning on Palm Sunday, March 23rd, 2024. Read the Bible with us in 2024! This year, we’re tackling a group of Old Testament books traditionally known as “The Writings”— Psalms, Chronicles, Proverbs, Daniel, Ruth and more! Download your reading plan now. Your support makes TMBT possible. Ten Minute Bible Talks is a crowd-funded project. Join the TMBTeam to reach more people with the Bible. Give now. Like this content? Make sure to leave us a rating and share it so that others can find it, too. Use #asktmbt to connect with us, ask questions, and suggest topics. We'd love to hear from you! To learn more, visit our website and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter@TenMinuteBibleTalks. Don't forget to subscribe to the TMBT Newsletter here. Passages: 2 Chronicles 13

Welcome to 10-minute Bible Talks, where we connect the Bible to your life. And the time it takes to get to work. I'm Jensen Holt McNair. Compared to his father, Rea Bowen, and his son, Aza, King Abijah is given significantly less real estate in Second Chronicles. And yet, compared to the short eight verses we have about him in First Kings, the author of Chronicles gives us significantly more time learning about King Abijah. In First Kings, we read eight verses that don't let us know much more other than the fact that Abijah's heart was not wholly devoted to God, but that he walked in the sins of his father, and that he had a war with Jeroboam of the northern kingdoms. The lack of attention and lack of positive things to say leave us to the conclusion that Abijah wasn't a super awesome king.

And yet, the author of Chronicles decides to expand upon the narrative. of his life. He doesn't contradict what is said in First Kings. Instead, he opens the door to shed light only on the war that Abijah had with Jeroboam. Knowing that his audience would have knowledge of what First Kings says about Abijah, the chronicler is not really trying to tell us anything more about King Abijah. If he had wanted to, he would have included more than just one single narrative about one specific instance in his life. Instead, the chronicler's choice in narrative is communicating to us about who God is. So let's jump into the story and see what we can uncover from this instance in the war between Abijah and Jeroboam. The chapter opens, telling us that there's a war happening

between these two kings, and Abijah brings his army of 400,000 out to meet Jeroboam. But Jeroboam comes with 800,000 men. It does not look great for Abijah. Abijah has half the men of Jeroboam. And yet, he still calls out and speaks to the armies of Jeroboam saying, Jeroboam and all Israel, listen to me. Don't you know that the Lord, the God of Israel, has given the kingship of Israel to David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt? Yet Jeroboam, son of Nabot, the official of Solomon, son of David, rebelled against his master. Some worthless scoundrels gathered around him and opposed Rehoboam, son of Solomon, when he was young and indecisive and not strong enough to resist them.

So Abijah begins by calling out the northern kingdom, Israel, for rebelling against God's established line. He points out that the man they follow is not a king appointed by God. and he continues. 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 Jerobo made to be your gods. But didn't you drive out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron and the Levites, and make priests of your own as the peoples of other lands do? Whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven Rams may become a priest of what are not. not gods. So here, Abijah is calling out their religion. They may have vast numbers and feel strong

because they have golden calves made by their king. But what kind of protection is that? They drove out the true prophets of the true God. Instead, anyone can buy their way into priesthood in Israel. He continues by contrasting their false religion with the faithful worship happening in the temple in Jerusalem. him. And he ends, saying, We are observing the requirements of the Lord our God, but you have forsaken him. God is with us. He is our leader. His priests with their trumpets will sound the battle cry against you. People of Israel, do not fight against the Lord, the God of your ancestors, for you will not succeed. So Abijah implores the people of Israel not to fight against us.

God. This God has made an unbreakable, everlasting covenant with the Davidic line. He is present in his temple. He is with the people of Judah, the line of David. They have not forsaken him and he will not abandon them. Now, while we know that Abijah's heart was not wholly devoted to the Lord, his speech here is a good moment for him. He recognizes that the true leader of Judah is God, that God is sustaining the Davidic line and that to oppose Abijah is to oppose God. But the people of Israel do not listen. While Abijah is speaking to them, they're sneaking around behind him to surround and ambush his armies, hoping to bring a swift defeat.

When the people of Judah realize what has happened, they call out to God for help. The priests blow their trumpets, and in verse 15 we read, And when the men of Judah shouted, God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. The men of Israel fled before Judah and God gave them into their hand. Abijah and his people struck them with great force, so there fell slain of Israel 500,000 chosen men. Thus the men of Israel were subdued at that time, and the men of Judah prevailed because they relied on the Lord, the God of their fathers. despite being outnumbered two to one, the men of Judah prevail. How? Not because they defeated Jeroboam and all Israel. We read because God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel, and he gave them into their hands.

The chronicler is clear here who it is that has the power. It is not the nation of Israel or Judah. it is God. He ends this chapter letting us know that Jeroboam is struck down by God and dies, and that Abijah grew mighty, had a lot of wives and kids, and that if we want to know more, we can read about it elsewhere. See, in the telling of this narrative, our author is clear. His focus is on God. We learn that God has been and will always continue to be faithful to the line of David. and because of this, he will move powerfully to protect and sustain that line. For the chronicler's original audience, this story would have been incredibly encouraging. In their current condition, they're waiting for a Messiah, their nation is a fraction of what it once was, they have no king on the throne.

They are encouraged to remember the power and might and faithfulness of the one who promised to send them a king who would rule forever. But what does it say to us? We know that God fulfilled his promise, that he sent his son Jesus, fully God, fully man, to live a sinless life, to take the punishment of death for the sins and brokenness of the world and to rise to life again, conquering the curse of Genesis 3

and fulfilling the covenant between God and his people. Jesus is the true king, the promised king, his kingdom will reign forever. And in Romans 8, we read some of the best news we could ever hear. For those who were led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slave so that you live in fear again. Rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, Abba, Father.

The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now, if we are children, then we are heirs, heirs of God and co-ares with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory. So those who are filled with the Holy Spirit, who have put their faith in Jesus Christ, live in freedom because we have been adopted as children of God. We are co-ares with Christ. We share in His sufferings and also in His glory. As adopted sons and daughters of God, we find ourselves in the family of the Davidic line. We are members of the kingdom of God, not just as citizens like the citizens of Judah, but as children, beloved children, known, loved, and called by the king. To God is faithful to his promises. Where he is, he works powerfully to accomplish his plans. That same God, the God who defeated Jeroboam, who enabled Abijah to prevail despite incredible

odds is the same God that you and I follow. Now let's be careful not to conclude that this means that God will enable us to win and succeed to whatever ends we desire because we love him and are his children. See, an important distinction must be made. That same God is fighting for the good of his children, for our good to advance his kingdom, to establish his love, justice, and mercy over all of creation, to bring glory to Christ, not to accomplish our goals, but to fulfill his promises. God is with those who find refuge in his family and put their hope in his promises. Romans 8 tells us that that will include suffering. Jesus lived a life homeless, persecuted, outcast, and eventually put to death by the government as a criminal. He suffered by our standards. But he also

lived the most beautiful and fulfilled life of any human before or after him. He lived in perfect communion and peace with God the Father and with the Spirit. He accomplishes the will of his father and established his kingdom. This God who can defeat armies with half the men in order to be faithful to his promises is the same God who will be faithful to call you his child, to make you a co-air with Christ. This God who can defeat armies with half the men in order to be faithful to his promises is the same God who will be faithful to call you his child, to make you a co-air with Christ and who will give you an inheritance.

sharing, yes, in his suffering, but also in his glory. This one incident in the kingship of Abijah should give us hope that a big and powerful God is working on our behalf to accomplish all that he has promised us. He will not leave us hopeless slaves to sin. Through his spirit, he will bring us into his family, and one day we can be sure he will return and do what may seem impossible to us now. We may be surrounded by brokenness, by political leaders who lie and fail to restore justice. But God has promised to one day rid the earth of evil, to establish his physical kingdom here on earth, to rule as our faithful king forever, to restore creation to its natural beauty, to give new eternal bodies to his children, ones that will not grow weary or break down or decay,

but can forever worship and bring glory to their good king and creator. our God can and will do it. He can accomplish the impossible. He sent the long-awaited Messiah when all seemed lost, and through him he brought freedom and redemption to the whole world. Then so, we wait with expectant hope to share in the glory of Christ as children of God.