Year 9, Day 313: 2 Chronicles 13

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Abijah is a great politician.  He was a king, after all.  What makes Abijah a great politician?  He gets none of the facts right but still manages to be in power and hold sway over the people.

On a side note, how telling is that last statement about my belief in the ability for human beings to govern other human beings?  Honestly, who trusts a single politician these days?

Back to the text.  This is another chapter that sounds awesome on the surface.  Israel and Judah march out to war.  Abijah makes a great speech, God fights for Judah and Judah triumphs even though they are the smaller force.  Impressive and the way it should be, right?

On the surface, that seems like a great summary.  Diving deeper, though, it can be seen that it couldn’t be farther from the truth.  Take a deeper look:

• Notice that Abijah corrupts the covenant of salt.  Originally the covenant of salt was between the Lord and the priests.  Abijah has taken that covenant and made it apply to him and the Davidic king’s right to rule.
• Notice that Abijah misrepresents Jeroboam.  He calls Jeroboam a rebel and says that Rehoboam was young and irresolute.  That couldn’t be further from the truth!  Jeroboam came and was willing to serve until Rehoboam refused to listen and told them that he was going to work the people to death!
• Then, Abijah says that the people of Judah are walking with he Lord.  Again, this is a misrepresentation.  We heard last chapter about how the Lord brought Egypt to teach the people of Judah a lesson.  The priests were faithful for only a short time! 
• Furthermore, in the next chapter, it will say that Abijah’s son is righteous because he tore down all the places of false worship to false gods.  If the people are faithful under Abijah, where are these fake places of worship coming from?

In the end, Judah may carry the day.  I have to wonder how much of that fact is because God was pleased with the people of Judah or that Go didn’t want His people fighting amongst themselves so he sent the usurper back home?  Is the victory actually a show of support for Abijah or is it really a comment against Jeroboam?

As I said in the beginning.  Abijah makes a great politician.  He says a bunch of words.  They sound all pretty when read together.  But the beauty of the words is only on the surface.  He shouldn’t be trusted.  There isn’t truth within them.  The message is not focused on the truth but on a truth that Abijah believes.  That’s a problem.

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