Day 164, Chronological Bible Study Timeline. Map. Go to today’s Bible reading (use your browser arrow to return): 1Kings 14:29-31; 2Chronicles 12:15-16; 1Kings 15:1-8; 2Chronicles 13:1–15:19; 1Kings 15:9-15; 1Kings 14:19-20; 1Kings 15:25-31
The Keys to Victory
What are the keys to victory for a track team? Strategy, execution of the fundamentals, running a good race, getting a quick start, trusting your teammates? The keys to victory are all these things and more, but for those of us who know God in a personal way, there is a better answer to help us win in life’s race.
Victory is Not Won from Half-Hearted Commitments
If we are on any kind of team, we hate half-hearted commitments. Members may show up and be on our side, but passion is absent. By God’s grace, occasionally, we may win, but we know we could have done so much better.
When King Rehoboam of the southern kingdom of Judah died, his son Abijah ruled in his place, “and he reigned in Jerusalem three years. “There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam” [the king of the ten northern tribes of Israel] (1 Kings 14:31, NIV). Jeroboam relied on lifeless idols (calves fashioned from gold) and his military skill. The southern kingdom of Judah, however, remained, at least in name and religious practice, loyal to the one true God.
Victory is not Self-Reliance
King Jeroboam of Israel does not rely on the LORD; he relies on himself. In a battle with Judah, Abijah’s troops number 400, 000, while Jeroboam’s troops number 800,000— Israel outnumbers Judah two to one!
Although outnumbered, Abijah appeals to Jeroboam to reconsider his attack. He calls out to Jeroboam’s army,
God is with us; he is our leader. His priests with their trumpets will sound the battle cry against you. Men of Israel, do not fight against the LORD, the God of your fathers, for you will not succeed (2Chronicles 13:12, NIV).Jeroboam, however, knows he has an overpowering advantage and is not about to be swayed by brave religious talk. He does not care that he has deserted the true God for false idols. He does not care that he has ousted true priests of the LORD from his country and replaced them with unworthy men to serve false gods. He does not care about how the LORD has defended his people in past days. Jeroboam has an overwhelming number of troops and a good military strategy. He stages an ambush against the armies of Judah.
Now Jeroboam had sent troops around to the rear, so that while he was in front of Judah the ambush was behind them. Judah turned and saw that they were being attacked at both front and rear. Then they cried out to the LORD. The priests blew their trumpets and the men of Judah raised the battle cry. At the sound of their battle cry, God routed Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.
The Israelites fled before Judah, and God delivered them into their hands. Abijah and his men inflicted heavy losses on them, so that there were five hundred thousand casualties among Israel's able men. The men of Israel were subdued on that occasion, and the men of Judah were victorious because they relied on the LORD, the God of their fathers. (2Chronicles 13:13-18, NIV).
The key to victory for Abijah’s army was not numbers or military strategy—it was reliance on the LORD! The same can be true for us.
Abijah, like his father, Rehoboam, is not entirely devoted to the LORD. The LORD, however, is gracious in giving him victory and continuing the legacy of King David. Although Judah was far from being righteous, she still kept the required services to God and called out to him in her time of need.
Total Reliance on God
The next king of Judah was Asa. This king did what was “good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God.”
He removed the foreign altars and the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. He commanded Judah to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, and to obey his laws and commands. He removed the high places and incense altars in every town in Judah, and the kingdom was at peace under him (2Chronicles 14:2-5, NIV).Asa was passionate about God and totally committed to him. For this, God rewarded him.
Shortly after Asa begins his reign, God strikes Jeroboam down, and he dies (the Scriptures do not record the cause of his death). Nadab, Jeroboam’s son, succeeds him. Two years later, Baasha, a leader from the tribe of Issachar, assassinates Nadab. Then, he kills all of Jeroboam’s family and fulfills the prophecy of Ahijah, a judgment pronounced against Jeroboam for his betrayal.
After Israel’s defeat and the judgment upon Jeroboam’s family, Ethiopia (Cush) attacks Judah. King Asa calls out to God for help, and the LORD gives Judah the victory (2 Chronicles 14:11-12, NIV). Following the battle, a prophet of the LORD encourages Asa to continue in righteousness so that God will reward him.
Asa takes encouragement from these words. He makes a binding covenant with the nation of Judah and those who have deserted to him from Israel to seek the LORD wholeheartedly.
All Judah rejoiced about the oath because they had sworn it wholeheartedly. They sought God eagerly, and he was found by them. So the LORD gave them rest on every side.
King Asa also deposed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother, because she had made a repulsive Asherah pole. Asa cut the pole down, broke it up and burned it in the Kidron Valley. Although he did not remove the high places from Israel, Asa's heart was fully committed to the LORD all his life” (2Chronicles 15:15–17, NIV).
Abijah and Asa won victories because they relied on the LORD. Asa, however, went further in his total commitment and had more successes.
What do we want in our lives? A half-hearted commitment to God that may or may not lead to any success? To rely on ourselves and get no help from God? Or, will we choose a total commitment to the LORD that can lead to great success and rewards?
Like the prophet said to Asa, The LORD is with us when we are with him.
Discussion
What are the keys to victory in our life’s race?
How might a half-hearted commitment or self-reliance work against us?
Why and how is the focus verse, 2 Chronicles 15:2 also true for us?
Focus Verse
2Chronicles 15:2 (NIV) “He went out to meet Asa and said to him, ‘Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.’” (more…)
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A Look Ahead: In our Next Lesson, we learn more about leadership from the examples of the kings of Israel and Judah. Our topic is: What makes Leadership Good or Bad?
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