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Abijah reigned over Judah for three years.  Abijah was an evil king.  He knew the things of God but demand or called out the wrong of Jeroboam.  In order to understand this chapter in its fullest, you must read 1 King Chapter 15.  Abijah calls out the sins of the northern tribe of Israel. (Jeroboam)Jeroboam did not take kindly to the things that was being said about how he was running things. 

 Jeroboam ambushed Abijah after Abijah told him how he conducted the affairs of the Levites and priest differently from God's instructions to Moses for the children of Israel.  Jeroboam came with 800,000 soldiers to Abijah 400,000 soldiers. Because Jeroboam set an ambush, Abijah was caught in the middle and was unable to fight him without support.  Abijah could have given thought  to the foolishness he allowed in Jerusalem, he could have tried to run, he could have pleaded guilty of the wrong he was guilty of, he could surrendered and so on.  But, Abijah needed God's help and he called upon the Lord. 

 The Lord heard him and delivered him.  Abijah had 400,000 thousand soldiers and he killed 500,000 of the soldiers with Jeroboam. He killed more soldiers than he had fighting for him.  God intervened and the war was won.  

We can learn from Abijah.  First, Abijah did not fully follow God's plan. How can I be different?  To fully follow God is to stay in his word morning and evening.  Read the word intentionally.  Make it a priority.  It is amazing what you will do differently simply by sitting and hearing what God says on matters of life.  It cannot be explained; you must try it. (taste and see, the Lord is good).  Abijah knew the plan of God.  When we know God's plan, we are happy when we do God's plan.  Thirdly, Abijah told the truth of the error of others.  We must be extremely careful when we know what others must do and neglect in our own lives the missing components.   However, Jesus said when you are corrected by those who need correcting, do as they say and not as they do.

 When we speak truth of others, they need to hear it.  However, we must not see so much wrong in someone else's life that we are not aware we are wrong as well.  There is nothing wrong with showing me what I should do differently.  A person who wants to do better will appreciate that correction.  Make sure you can except correction as well when given. Even if I am corrected, I must not try to correct you because you need it too, I should be glad you want me to be a better person and I should rejoice because you saw something I could do better.  This is not the time for throwing stone for stone.  Someone else may be the persons God will use to show you what you need to change.

This chapter helped me to see something hidden sins in my own life and God revealed it and now I am better because I know what to look out for in this area of my life.  I truly die daily.

Judah’s King Abijah

13 In the eighteenth year of Israel’s King Jeroboam, Abijah[a]became king over Judah, 2 and he reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Micaiah[b] daughter of Uriel; she was from Gibeah.

There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. 3 Abijah set his army of warriors in order with four hundred thousand fit young men. Jeroboam arranged his mighty army of eight hundred thousand fit young men in battle formation against him. 4 Then Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, “Jeroboam and all Israel, hear me. 5 Don’t you know that the Lord God of Israel gave the kingship over Israel to David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt? 6 But Jeroboam son of Nebat, a servant of Solomon son of David, rose up and rebelled against his lord.7 Then worthless and wicked men gathered around him to resist Rehoboam son of Solomon when Rehoboam was young, inexperienced, and unable to assert himself against them.

8 “And now you are saying you can assert yourselves against the Lord’s kingdom, which is in the hand of one of David’s sons. You are a vast number and have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made for you as gods.[c] 9 Didn’t you banish the priests of the Lord, the descendants of Aaron and the Levites, and make your own priests like the peoples of other lands do? Whoever comes to ordain himself with a young bull and seven rams may become a priest of what are not gods.

10 “But as for us, the Lord is our God. We have not abandoned him; the priests ministering to the Lord are descendants of Aaron, and the Levites serve at their tasks. 11 They offer a burnt offering and fragrant incense to the Lordevery morning and every evening, and they set the rows of the Bread of the Presence on the ceremonially clean table. They light the lamps of the gold lampstand every evening. We are carrying out the requirements of the Lord our God, while you have abandoned him. 12 Look, God and his priests are with us at our head. The trumpets are ready to sound the charge against you. Israelites, don’t fight against the Lord God of your ancestors, for you will not succeed.”

13 Now Jeroboam had sent an ambush around to advance from behind them. So they were in front of Judah, and the ambush was behind them. 14 Judah turned and discovered that the battle was in front of them and behind them, so they cried out to the Lord. Then the priests blew the trumpets, 15 and the men of Judah raised the battle cry. When the men of Judah raised the battle cry, God routed Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. 16 So the Israelites fled before Judah, and God handed them over to them. 17 Then Abijah and his people struck them with a mighty blow, and five hundred thousand fit young men of Israel were killed. 18 The Israelites were subdued at that time. The Judahites succeeded because they depended on the Lord, the God of their ancestors.

19 Abijah pursued Jeroboam and captured some cities from him: Bethel, Jeshanah, and Ephron,[d] along with their surrounding villages. 20 Jeroboam no longer retained his power[e] during Abijah’s reign; ultimately, the Lord struck him and he died.

21 However, Abijah grew strong, acquired fourteen wives, and fathered twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. 22 The rest of the events of Abijah’s reign, along with his ways and his sayings, are written in the Writing of the Prophet Iddo.