2 Chronicles 13:1-12
Contrary to the instructions of the Word (Deuteronomy 21:15-17) Rehoboam installed Abijah as his heir and successor, the son of his favourite wife, Michaiah (or Maachah, see 2 Chronicles 11:20-21), who was also a worshipper of idols (2 Chronicles 15:16). Only a bad reign could come of such unfaithfulness. And yet the brief story of this king contains one good passage. It is omitted from the book of Kings but our book of grace could not let it go unnoticed. It concerns the war which breaks out between Abijah and Jeroboam. According to Luke 14:31, it was madness on the part of the king of Judah to go to war with fewer than half the soldiers of his enemy. However Abijah had some trump cards which in his eyes made up for his lack of numbers. He discloses them in his speech to the army of Israel. Judah was still in the royal line of David; Judah still had the true form of worship with sacrifices, as well as the presence of the LORD. Abijah pretends that he has not forsaken Him (v. 10), proof that he does not know himself. Finally there was a totally effective secret weapon – and we will see tomorrow the decisive role which it is going to play: the loud-sounding trumpet (v. 12).