I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 2 Chronicles 11-14.

    When Jeroboam went to war against Rehoboam’s son, Abijah, he was able to field a much larger army than Abijah. The Bible accounts are unclear as to how this war started, but the timing suggests that Jeroboam sought to take advantage of an inexperienced, young king (although the location suggests that Abijah may have been the aggressor). At the start of the battle, Abijah reminded both sides that God had promised David that his descendants would hold the throne forever. Furthermore, he reminded them that Jeroboam had driven the priests and Levites out of Israel. While Abijah was speechifying, Jeroboam outmaneuvered his army and attacked them from the rear while engaging them on the front. Tactically, this was a great move which should have given Jeroboam a great advantage. However, the army of Judah (and perhaps that of Israel as well) had listened to Abijah’s speech and called out to God for help before engaging the enemy. Abijah won a great victory that day, leaving Jeroboam weakened for the rest of his reign. Abijah and his army won that day because they trusted God despite being outnumbered and outflanked. Let us remember to do the same when we face opposition to carrying out God’s will.

     When Asa, Abijah’s son, took the throne he ruled with an eye on serving God faithfully. King Asa destroyed the various pagan shrines put up by his predecessors AND he destroyed those throughout the entire land. He led the people of Judah to serve the Lord in all that they did. As a result, Judah had ten years of peace. At some point in his reign, Judah was attacked by an army of around 1 million from Ethiopia. When Asa with his army of 680,000 faced them he called on God for aid. The passage tells us that God defeated the Ethiopian army in the presence of Asa and the army of Judah. This suggests that the enemy army broke before battle was entered. Asa had been a good king, doing God’s will and leading his people to follow God. Yet he faced this overwhelming army. However, he did not throw up his hands and say, “Why did God allow this to happen?” No, he cried out to God, acknowledging that only God could save him and his nation against these overwhelming odds.