We Need Spiritual Discernment Part 1
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We Need Spiritual Discernment Part 2
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Isa 55:6-9
6 Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
This is salvation.
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
So many times we have problems in our lives, and we pray to the Lord and he doesn’t answer our prayers the way thought he would.
His timing isn’t our timing, and we don’t know what’s going on.
Until we get that hide sight.
Did we realize that he was pretty smart on how he answer the prayer?
Then he tells us in the next verse why his are better.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
What he is saying is that he’s not coming down to our level.
Solomon was King David son.
When Solomon died the kingdom was split.
There was the northern kingdom called Israel, Jeroboam was king and a wicked man.
It was already prophesy that he was going to be king, but he kept the people from going to Jerusalem to worship, fearing he would lose the people, and not be king.
He believed in God and even knew his name, but he never accepted him in his heart.
And the southern kingdom called Judea, which the king there was Rehoboam.
After Rehoboam died, his son Abijah became king, Jeroboam was still king in Israel.
When the bible speaks about a good King it compares them to King David.
When the bible speaks about a wicked King it compares them to King Jeroboam.
2 Chron 13
1 Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah.
2 He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.
God’s people are fighting against each other.
Sounds like our religions.
Instead of fighting each other we should be fighting the temptations of the devil and the world.
3 And Abijah set the battle in array with an army of valiant men of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men: Jeroboam also set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, being mighty men of valour.
So we see it’s 2 against 1 doesn’t look to good does it.
4 And Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim, which is in mount Ephraim, and said, Hear me, thou Jeroboam, and all Israel;
Here we see that the king that is out number is going to start preaching to the king and his army
We can learn from that.
5 Ought ye not to know that the Lord God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David for ever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt?
He is telling them that God had a covenant of salt with king David, which means it’s unbreakable, it’s almost like blood covenant, it’s a preservative one like we have with the Lord,
It’s everlasting, if you ate salt with someone it was like becoming blood brothers, and they couldn’t kill each other, so if you wanted to kill someone you wouldn’t eat salt with them.
You don’t go up against family.
6 Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, is risen up, and hath rebelled against his lord.
He saying that the king as turned from your fathers. (it says lord)
7 And there are gathered unto him vain men, (lost men) the children of Belial, and have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tenderhearted, and could not withstand them.
Vain men meaning useless, worthless.
8 And now ye think to withstand the kingdom of the Lord in the hand of the sons of David; and ye be a great multitude, and there are with you golden calves, which Jeroboam made you for gods.
He’s talking like he’s the one with the 800,000 soldiers, he’s speaking that way because he knows that God is on his side,
Jeroboam has his own gods, because he had golden calves made for the men to worship.
You think these statures are going to help you, like there some kind of gods?
He is speaking with boldness, saying telling them you dare to go up against the God of king David.
9 Have ye not cast out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made you priests after the manner of the nations of other lands? so that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a priest of them that are no gods.
He really starts to lay it on them, saying you have kick out the priests of the Lord, and have made lost men like other nations to become your priest.
You let anyone who comes and sacrifice these animals to become priest to so-called gods of yours.
10 But as for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken him; and the priests, which minister unto the Lord, are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites wait upon their business:
11 And they burn unto the Lord every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense: the shewbread also set they in order upon the pure table; and the candlestick of gold with the lamps thereof, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of the Lord our God; but ye have forsaken him.
Then he tells them that they haven’t left their God, and still have the priest that God had appointed them.
We still do it Gods way, we have not left him like they have.
12 And, behold, God himself is with us for our captain, and his priests with sounding trumpets to cry alarm against you. O children of Israel, fight ye not against the Lord God of your fathers; for ye shall not prosper.
What he is saying is do you really want to go into battle with us and the Lord?
Because if you do, you will not win.
He’s giving them a pretty strong warning on what they are doing.
This is some bold witnessing, but then that’s the way God said to do it.
Acts 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.
When they heard Peter and John they realized that they weren’t men with college or seminary training.
They were surprise at their boldness, and they listen to what they had to say.
Drop down to verse.
Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
After listening to Peter and John the people prayed together to the Lord, filled with the Holy Spirit, and they went out witnessing with boldness. Amen.
You would think that after this kind of preaching that they would listen?
But we’re going to see that they responded the way many people do today?
13 But Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind them: so they were before Judah, and the ambushment was behind them.
After a sermon like that, you would think you would change your mind on what you’re about to do?
As we see here the enemy is sneaky, and has no fear.
Prov 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Also in verse
29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord:
14 And when Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind: and they cried unto the Lord, and the priests sounded with the trumpets.
Get the picture; you’re out number 2 to 1 and you’re surrounded.
You can’t even run, and looks like you’re definitely going to be defeated.
What do we do when we don’t see any way out of a situation we might be in?
I’m speaking about all kind of enemy armies that might be in our lives.
Do we get discourage?
What did Abijah do, he cried onto the Lord. Amen.
15 Then the men of Judah gave a shout: and as the men of Judah shouted, it came to pass, that God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.
This is just like what happen at Jericho, in the book of Joshua 6:5 “all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat”.
16 And the children of Israel fled before Judah: and God delivered them into their hand.
17 And Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men.
Abijah and his army inflicted heavy losses on them; 500,000 of Israel's select troops were killed that day.
18 Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon the Lord God of their fathers.
The reason they had victory was because relied on the God of their fathers, Jehovah.
Notice it didn’t say believed, it said relied, the scriptures will show us more on that later.
19 And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethel with the towns thereof, and Jeshanah with the towns thereof, and Ephrain with the towns thereof.
20 Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah: and the Lord struck him, and he died.
So Abijah in the reign of him being King, Jeroboam was not thought of as a might king.
When you go against the Lord, you’re taking a chance of being struck down and dying, that’s what happens here; it says “the Lord struck him, dead.”
21 But Abijah waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters.
This is not showing that it’s ok to have many wives.
We’re going to find out that he wasn’t a man of God, even thought he gave a great sermon.
Let’s look at:
1 Kings 15:1-5 9, 11
1 Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah.
We just read why he reigned over him.
2 Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.
3 And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father.
It says he was a sinful man, and that his heart was like his father David, when David took his eyes off the Lord for a while.
It doesn’t say he was a godly man like David.
4 Nevertheless for David's sake did the Lord his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem:
So now we’re seeing that he wasn’t a man of God?
What have I told you about wolves in sheep clothing?
We’re seeing that just because the Lord answers someone prayer and gives them a blessing, that doesn’t mean that they’re a man of God.
This is why I gave you the verses at the beginning in:
Is 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
So why did God give him victory?
Because David the man of God, and he was a man of God which we’ll see in the next verse.
God gave this wolf a wicked man who was just religious, as we heard he knew all about his father God that’s why he was able to give such a good message.
It was because of his grandfather he gave him victory.
The same goes for sickness, you might have it because of your parents, grandparents, and so on.
Remember King David son die because of what he did.
5 Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.
David was a very Godly man, it says he obeyed God all his life, except for the weakness of a women.
Before he even became King it says in:
1 Sam 13:14 But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee.
Now back to verse 4 it says;
To give his son to be king after him in Jerusalem.
We see that God wanted the Abijah son to reign over Jerusalem, and we’ll see who that son was in verse:
9 And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah.
And the reason God wanted him to be King is in verse:
11 And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, as did David his father.
When God compares you to King David that’s a pretty big compliment.
Back to 2Chron 13:22
22 And the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings, are written in the story of the prophet Iddo.
Don’t let this confuse you, we know that all scripture is inspiration of God, 2Tim 3:16
This is just saying that a prophet Iddo wrote more about Abijah in other book.
If it’s not in the bible then it was of no importance to us, because if it was God would have put in the bible.
Chapter 14
1 So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead. In his days the land was quiet ten years.
2 And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God:
3 For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves:
He didn’t just say he was a believer, he showed it in his works.
4 And commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.
When a man of God is put as the head of whatever, his responsibly is to command.
Make sure we see the word “do” many of us fail at that.
Asa not a president, he’s King, and you better obey, or else.
As we see that the Lord doesn’t tolerate religious views, it’s his way or the highway.
2 Chron 15:13 That whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.
Ex 22:20 He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the Lord only, he shall be utterly destroyed.
2 Chron 15:16 And also concerning Maachah the mother of Asa the king, he removed her from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove: and Asa cut down her idol, and stamped it, and burnt it at the brook Kidron.
You may say, that’s not honoring you parents, yes but.
The Lord comes before your parents, especially when their breaking the Ten Commandments.
5 Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the images: and the kingdom was quiet before him.
6 And he built fenced cities in Judah: for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years; because the Lord had given him rest.
As being head he took away their shrines or status, hope you heard that, and because he did those things, God gave him and his nation rest.
7 Therefore he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us; because we have sought the Lord our God, we have sought him, and he hath given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered.
This is what happens when you’re living for the Lord.
I’m not saying it was perfect, I’m sure they had some problems, but they gave them to the Lord and he took care of them and it says that they prospered.
8 And Asa had an army of men that bare targets and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin, that bare shields and drew bows, two hundred and fourscore thousand: all these were mighty men of valour.
When an army has this many men, some them are not so brave, but God said that these 580,000 men where all John Wayne’s, that a pretty good army.
9 And there came out against them Zerah (Z-rod) the Ethiopian with an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; (1,000,000) and came unto Mareshah. (mayor-ah- shaw)
10 Then Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah (Zep-ba-saw) at Mareshah. (mayor-ah- shaw)
Did Asa run in fear?
11 And Asa cried unto the Lord his God, and said, Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O Lord our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O Lord, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee.
I would say this is a pretty spiritual prayer;
He cried out to the Lord, and said there nothing you can’t handle,
Just like the Lord’s prayer in Matt. He starts by praising him as God.
Then he tells God “we trust in you”
And he says; we are going in the power of your name.
Abijah did the same thing and cried out to the Lord, but the Lord answer his prayer for because it said for Davids sake, and to establish Jerusalem.
We’re going to see that he answers Asa prayer for a different reason.
He says; “O Lord you are our God” this is why God answers his prayer, because Asa really lived for the Lord.
He’s going against a 1,000,000 men, it really doesn’t look good, but who is he depending on?
Question, do we really live like God is in charge of our lives?
And man cannot come up against you.
Let’s see what happens when we trust in the Lord.
12 So the Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled.
13 And Asa and the people that were with him pursued them unto Gerar: (ger-rar) and the Ethiopians were overthrown, that they could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed before the Lord, and before his host; and they carried away very much spoil.
14 And they smote all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear of the Lord came upon them: and they spoiled all the cities; for there was exceeding much spoil in them.
15 They smote also the tents of cattle, and carried away sheep and camels in abundance, and returned to Jerusalem.
Is this a fairy tale story? No this is for real, and this is the way the Lord can be in your life, if you let him.
Chapter 15
1 And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded:
2 And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The Lord is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.
Azariah went out to meet King Asa as he was returning from the battle.
And he says: "Listen to me, Asa!" he shouted. "Listen, all you people, The Lord will stay with you as long as you stay with him! Whenever you seek him, you will find him. But if you leave him, he will no longer protect you.
God sent Azariah to warn Abijah after he had this great victory.
Why do you think God did that?
Because a lot of times after we have a great victory in our lives, that’s when the sin of pride comes in.
3 Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law.
4 But when they in their trouble did turn unto the Lord God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them.
But whenever they were in trouble and repented for their backsliding they sought the Lord, and he was there to receive them back.
When things are going good, do we really need the Lord, but as soon as we get into trouble, what do we do?
5 And in those times there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the countries.
When Israel was not walking with the Lord, whether in battle in a war or just living life, they found themselves in trouble all the time, because they were in darkness.
6 And nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city: for God did vex them with all adversity.
It says that God allowed all these troubles to come upon them.
7 Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded.
He’s telling Judah to stay strong in him, and he will reward them. Amen.
8 And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim, and renewed the altar of the Lord, that was before the porch of the Lord.
Now when the Lord gives us a word of encouragement, it gives reason to revive (right here it uses the word renew) us like when we first founded the Lord.
I know it says when he first took over what they did, but little by little we start going back to our old ways, and it’s so little we don’t recognize it.
9 And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the Lord his God was with him.
10 So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa.
11 And they offered unto the Lord the same time, of the spoil which they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep.
These other cities here were in Israel, and because Asa was walking with the Lord and the Lord was blessing them, many of them crossed over to Judah to live.
This is a man of God, he faced a 1,000,000 men.
We get defeated when we face one?
12 And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul;
How do you get into a covenant with the Lord, you seek him “with all your heart and soul”
But a lot of us have fathers who worship the wrong God?
13 That whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.
This is how serious we should be when we live in a home that believes in God.
If you have to kick out someone in your family that lives with you, because they’re not living for the Lord, that’s what you do, and it’s the Christian thing to do.
14 And they sware unto the Lord with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets.
For the religious churches out there that have to do things in an orderly manner, right here it says to praise God with a loud voice and shouting, this is biblical.
15 And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and the Lord gave them rest round about.
We’re back to where we started:
Isa 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
16 And also concerning Maachah the mother of Asa the king, he removed her from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove: and Asa cut down her idol, and stamped it, and burnt it at the brook Kidron.
You may say that’s not honoring your father and mother like the 10 commandments say to do.
Only when they’re spiritually wrong, because the first commandment is “I am the Lord your God, you shall have no other gods before Me.”
And the second one is “You shall not make for yourself a carved image”
So even with his mother he put the Lord first.
What did he do with the statue? He stomped on it and burned it.
17 But the high places were not taken away out of Israel: nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.
Didn’t say sinless.
18 And he brought into the house of God the things that his father had dedicated, and that he himself had dedicated, silver, and gold, and vessels.
19 And there was no more war unto the five and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa.
The Lord gave him peace for 35 years from having to fight in any battles.
Chapter 16
1 In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and built Ramah, to the intent that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.
This king Baasha built a city called Ramah, it was a place were he could stop anyone from leaving or entering Judah.
Remember Israel been losing people for a while now.
2 Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of the Lord and of the king's house, and sent to Ben-hadad king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,
After Asa defeats 1,000,000 men, totally depending on the Lord, what happen?
3 There is a league between me and thee, as there was between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent thee silver and gold; go, break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.
4 And Ben-hadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel; and they smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abel-maim, and all the store cities of Naphtali.
5 And it came to pass, when Baasha heard it, that he left off building of Ramah, and let his work cease.
6 Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha was building; and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah.
7 And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the Lord thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand.
8 Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen? yet, because thou didst rely on the Lord, he delivered them into thine hand.
6 Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
This is salvation.
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
So many times we have problems in our lives, and we pray to the Lord and he doesn’t answer our prayers the way thought he would.
His timing isn’t our timing, and we don’t know what’s going on.
Until we get that hide sight.
Did we realize that he was pretty smart on how he answer the prayer?
Then he tells us in the next verse why his are better.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
What he is saying is that he’s not coming down to our level.
Solomon was King David son.
When Solomon died the kingdom was split.
There was the northern kingdom called Israel, Jeroboam was king and a wicked man.
It was already prophesy that he was going to be king, but he kept the people from going to Jerusalem to worship, fearing he would lose the people, and not be king.
He believed in God and even knew his name, but he never accepted him in his heart.
And the southern kingdom called Judea, which the king there was Rehoboam.
After Rehoboam died, his son Abijah became king, Jeroboam was still king in Israel.
When the bible speaks about a good King it compares them to King David.
When the bible speaks about a wicked King it compares them to King Jeroboam.
2 Chron 13
1 Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah.
2 He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.
God’s people are fighting against each other.
Sounds like our religions.
Instead of fighting each other we should be fighting the temptations of the devil and the world.
3 And Abijah set the battle in array with an army of valiant men of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men: Jeroboam also set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, being mighty men of valour.
So we see it’s 2 against 1 doesn’t look to good does it.
4 And Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim, which is in mount Ephraim, and said, Hear me, thou Jeroboam, and all Israel;
Here we see that the king that is out number is going to start preaching to the king and his army
We can learn from that.
5 Ought ye not to know that the Lord God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David for ever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt?
He is telling them that God had a covenant of salt with king David, which means it’s unbreakable, it’s almost like blood covenant, it’s a preservative one like we have with the Lord,
It’s everlasting, if you ate salt with someone it was like becoming blood brothers, and they couldn’t kill each other, so if you wanted to kill someone you wouldn’t eat salt with them.
You don’t go up against family.
6 Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, is risen up, and hath rebelled against his lord.
He saying that the king as turned from your fathers. (it says lord)
7 And there are gathered unto him vain men, (lost men) the children of Belial, and have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tenderhearted, and could not withstand them.
Vain men meaning useless, worthless.
8 And now ye think to withstand the kingdom of the Lord in the hand of the sons of David; and ye be a great multitude, and there are with you golden calves, which Jeroboam made you for gods.
He’s talking like he’s the one with the 800,000 soldiers, he’s speaking that way because he knows that God is on his side,
Jeroboam has his own gods, because he had golden calves made for the men to worship.
You think these statures are going to help you, like there some kind of gods?
He is speaking with boldness, saying telling them you dare to go up against the God of king David.
9 Have ye not cast out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made you priests after the manner of the nations of other lands? so that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a priest of them that are no gods.
He really starts to lay it on them, saying you have kick out the priests of the Lord, and have made lost men like other nations to become your priest.
You let anyone who comes and sacrifice these animals to become priest to so-called gods of yours.
10 But as for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken him; and the priests, which minister unto the Lord, are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites wait upon their business:
11 And they burn unto the Lord every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense: the shewbread also set they in order upon the pure table; and the candlestick of gold with the lamps thereof, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of the Lord our God; but ye have forsaken him.
Then he tells them that they haven’t left their God, and still have the priest that God had appointed them.
We still do it Gods way, we have not left him like they have.
12 And, behold, God himself is with us for our captain, and his priests with sounding trumpets to cry alarm against you. O children of Israel, fight ye not against the Lord God of your fathers; for ye shall not prosper.
What he is saying is do you really want to go into battle with us and the Lord?
Because if you do, you will not win.
He’s giving them a pretty strong warning on what they are doing.
This is some bold witnessing, but then that’s the way God said to do it.
Acts 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.
When they heard Peter and John they realized that they weren’t men with college or seminary training.
They were surprise at their boldness, and they listen to what they had to say.
Drop down to verse.
Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
After listening to Peter and John the people prayed together to the Lord, filled with the Holy Spirit, and they went out witnessing with boldness. Amen.
You would think that after this kind of preaching that they would listen?
But we’re going to see that they responded the way many people do today?
13 But Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind them: so they were before Judah, and the ambushment was behind them.
After a sermon like that, you would think you would change your mind on what you’re about to do?
As we see here the enemy is sneaky, and has no fear.
Prov 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Also in verse
29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord:
14 And when Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind: and they cried unto the Lord, and the priests sounded with the trumpets.
Get the picture; you’re out number 2 to 1 and you’re surrounded.
You can’t even run, and looks like you’re definitely going to be defeated.
What do we do when we don’t see any way out of a situation we might be in?
I’m speaking about all kind of enemy armies that might be in our lives.
Do we get discourage?
What did Abijah do, he cried onto the Lord. Amen.
15 Then the men of Judah gave a shout: and as the men of Judah shouted, it came to pass, that God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.
This is just like what happen at Jericho, in the book of Joshua 6:5 “all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat”.
16 And the children of Israel fled before Judah: and God delivered them into their hand.
17 And Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men.
Abijah and his army inflicted heavy losses on them; 500,000 of Israel's select troops were killed that day.
18 Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon the Lord God of their fathers.
The reason they had victory was because relied on the God of their fathers, Jehovah.
Notice it didn’t say believed, it said relied, the scriptures will show us more on that later.
19 And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethel with the towns thereof, and Jeshanah with the towns thereof, and Ephrain with the towns thereof.
20 Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah: and the Lord struck him, and he died.
So Abijah in the reign of him being King, Jeroboam was not thought of as a might king.
When you go against the Lord, you’re taking a chance of being struck down and dying, that’s what happens here; it says “the Lord struck him, dead.”
21 But Abijah waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters.
This is not showing that it’s ok to have many wives.
We’re going to find out that he wasn’t a man of God, even thought he gave a great sermon.
Let’s look at:
1 Kings 15:1-5 9, 11
1 Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah.
We just read why he reigned over him.
2 Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.
3 And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father.
It says he was a sinful man, and that his heart was like his father David, when David took his eyes off the Lord for a while.
It doesn’t say he was a godly man like David.
4 Nevertheless for David's sake did the Lord his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem:
So now we’re seeing that he wasn’t a man of God?
What have I told you about wolves in sheep clothing?
We’re seeing that just because the Lord answers someone prayer and gives them a blessing, that doesn’t mean that they’re a man of God.
This is why I gave you the verses at the beginning in:
Is 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
So why did God give him victory?
Because David the man of God, and he was a man of God which we’ll see in the next verse.
God gave this wolf a wicked man who was just religious, as we heard he knew all about his father God that’s why he was able to give such a good message.
It was because of his grandfather he gave him victory.
The same goes for sickness, you might have it because of your parents, grandparents, and so on.
Remember King David son die because of what he did.
5 Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.
David was a very Godly man, it says he obeyed God all his life, except for the weakness of a women.
Before he even became King it says in:
1 Sam 13:14 But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee.
Now back to verse 4 it says;
To give his son to be king after him in Jerusalem.
We see that God wanted the Abijah son to reign over Jerusalem, and we’ll see who that son was in verse:
9 And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah.
And the reason God wanted him to be King is in verse:
11 And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, as did David his father.
When God compares you to King David that’s a pretty big compliment.
Back to 2Chron 13:22
22 And the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings, are written in the story of the prophet Iddo.
Don’t let this confuse you, we know that all scripture is inspiration of God, 2Tim 3:16
This is just saying that a prophet Iddo wrote more about Abijah in other book.
If it’s not in the bible then it was of no importance to us, because if it was God would have put in the bible.
Chapter 14
1 So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead. In his days the land was quiet ten years.
2 And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God:
3 For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves:
He didn’t just say he was a believer, he showed it in his works.
4 And commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.
When a man of God is put as the head of whatever, his responsibly is to command.
Make sure we see the word “do” many of us fail at that.
Asa not a president, he’s King, and you better obey, or else.
As we see that the Lord doesn’t tolerate religious views, it’s his way or the highway.
2 Chron 15:13 That whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.
Ex 22:20 He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the Lord only, he shall be utterly destroyed.
2 Chron 15:16 And also concerning Maachah the mother of Asa the king, he removed her from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove: and Asa cut down her idol, and stamped it, and burnt it at the brook Kidron.
You may say, that’s not honoring you parents, yes but.
The Lord comes before your parents, especially when their breaking the Ten Commandments.
5 Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the images: and the kingdom was quiet before him.
6 And he built fenced cities in Judah: for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years; because the Lord had given him rest.
As being head he took away their shrines or status, hope you heard that, and because he did those things, God gave him and his nation rest.
7 Therefore he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us; because we have sought the Lord our God, we have sought him, and he hath given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered.
This is what happens when you’re living for the Lord.
I’m not saying it was perfect, I’m sure they had some problems, but they gave them to the Lord and he took care of them and it says that they prospered.
8 And Asa had an army of men that bare targets and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin, that bare shields and drew bows, two hundred and fourscore thousand: all these were mighty men of valour.
When an army has this many men, some them are not so brave, but God said that these 580,000 men where all John Wayne’s, that a pretty good army.
9 And there came out against them Zerah (Z-rod) the Ethiopian with an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; (1,000,000) and came unto Mareshah. (mayor-ah- shaw)
10 Then Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah (Zep-ba-saw) at Mareshah. (mayor-ah- shaw)
Did Asa run in fear?
11 And Asa cried unto the Lord his God, and said, Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O Lord our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O Lord, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee.
I would say this is a pretty spiritual prayer;
He cried out to the Lord, and said there nothing you can’t handle,
Just like the Lord’s prayer in Matt. He starts by praising him as God.
Then he tells God “we trust in you”
And he says; we are going in the power of your name.
Abijah did the same thing and cried out to the Lord, but the Lord answer his prayer for because it said for Davids sake, and to establish Jerusalem.
We’re going to see that he answers Asa prayer for a different reason.
He says; “O Lord you are our God” this is why God answers his prayer, because Asa really lived for the Lord.
He’s going against a 1,000,000 men, it really doesn’t look good, but who is he depending on?
Question, do we really live like God is in charge of our lives?
And man cannot come up against you.
Let’s see what happens when we trust in the Lord.
12 So the Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled.
13 And Asa and the people that were with him pursued them unto Gerar: (ger-rar) and the Ethiopians were overthrown, that they could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed before the Lord, and before his host; and they carried away very much spoil.
14 And they smote all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear of the Lord came upon them: and they spoiled all the cities; for there was exceeding much spoil in them.
15 They smote also the tents of cattle, and carried away sheep and camels in abundance, and returned to Jerusalem.
Is this a fairy tale story? No this is for real, and this is the way the Lord can be in your life, if you let him.
Chapter 15
1 And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded:
2 And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The Lord is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.
Azariah went out to meet King Asa as he was returning from the battle.
And he says: "Listen to me, Asa!" he shouted. "Listen, all you people, The Lord will stay with you as long as you stay with him! Whenever you seek him, you will find him. But if you leave him, he will no longer protect you.
God sent Azariah to warn Abijah after he had this great victory.
Why do you think God did that?
Because a lot of times after we have a great victory in our lives, that’s when the sin of pride comes in.
3 Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law.
4 But when they in their trouble did turn unto the Lord God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them.
But whenever they were in trouble and repented for their backsliding they sought the Lord, and he was there to receive them back.
When things are going good, do we really need the Lord, but as soon as we get into trouble, what do we do?
5 And in those times there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the countries.
When Israel was not walking with the Lord, whether in battle in a war or just living life, they found themselves in trouble all the time, because they were in darkness.
6 And nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city: for God did vex them with all adversity.
It says that God allowed all these troubles to come upon them.
7 Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded.
He’s telling Judah to stay strong in him, and he will reward them. Amen.
8 And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim, and renewed the altar of the Lord, that was before the porch of the Lord.
Now when the Lord gives us a word of encouragement, it gives reason to revive (right here it uses the word renew) us like when we first founded the Lord.
I know it says when he first took over what they did, but little by little we start going back to our old ways, and it’s so little we don’t recognize it.
9 And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the Lord his God was with him.
10 So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa.
11 And they offered unto the Lord the same time, of the spoil which they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep.
These other cities here were in Israel, and because Asa was walking with the Lord and the Lord was blessing them, many of them crossed over to Judah to live.
This is a man of God, he faced a 1,000,000 men.
We get defeated when we face one?
12 And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul;
How do you get into a covenant with the Lord, you seek him “with all your heart and soul”
But a lot of us have fathers who worship the wrong God?
13 That whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.
This is how serious we should be when we live in a home that believes in God.
If you have to kick out someone in your family that lives with you, because they’re not living for the Lord, that’s what you do, and it’s the Christian thing to do.
14 And they sware unto the Lord with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets.
For the religious churches out there that have to do things in an orderly manner, right here it says to praise God with a loud voice and shouting, this is biblical.
15 And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and the Lord gave them rest round about.
We’re back to where we started:
Isa 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
16 And also concerning Maachah the mother of Asa the king, he removed her from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove: and Asa cut down her idol, and stamped it, and burnt it at the brook Kidron.
You may say that’s not honoring your father and mother like the 10 commandments say to do.
Only when they’re spiritually wrong, because the first commandment is “I am the Lord your God, you shall have no other gods before Me.”
And the second one is “You shall not make for yourself a carved image”
So even with his mother he put the Lord first.
What did he do with the statue? He stomped on it and burned it.
17 But the high places were not taken away out of Israel: nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.
Didn’t say sinless.
18 And he brought into the house of God the things that his father had dedicated, and that he himself had dedicated, silver, and gold, and vessels.
19 And there was no more war unto the five and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa.
The Lord gave him peace for 35 years from having to fight in any battles.
Chapter 16
1 In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and built Ramah, to the intent that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.
This king Baasha built a city called Ramah, it was a place were he could stop anyone from leaving or entering Judah.
Remember Israel been losing people for a while now.
2 Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of the Lord and of the king's house, and sent to Ben-hadad king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,
After Asa defeats 1,000,000 men, totally depending on the Lord, what happen?
3 There is a league between me and thee, as there was between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent thee silver and gold; go, break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.
4 And Ben-hadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel; and they smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abel-maim, and all the store cities of Naphtali.
5 And it came to pass, when Baasha heard it, that he left off building of Ramah, and let his work cease.
6 Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha was building; and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah.
7 And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the Lord thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand.
8 Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen? yet, because thou didst rely on the Lord, he delivered them into thine hand.