17/01/2012 - RESPECT THE DIVINE INSTITUTIONS

• 
• 
• 
• 

But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken Him; and the priests who minister to the LORD are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites attend to their duties.

II Chronicles 13:10

After  the revolt led by Jeroboam, when Israel split into two kingdoms  - the northern kingdom, which continued under the name of Israel, and the kingdom of the South (Judah), that had lost ten tribes and was made up of the remaining tribes of Judah and Benjamin – there was a bloody battle that claimed the lives of many. Some time later, after Rehoboam had died, his son Abijah succeeded him. Soon afterwards he waged war against the rebellious Northern kingdom that was constantly attacking the Southern one.

Before the battle, king Abijah raised his voice and gave a chance to the tribes of the North, reminding them that Judah had decided to keep the Lord as their God, which the rebels of Israel did not do (I Chronicles 13:10-11). He also made reference to the parts of the Scriptures in which the Almighty had granted David and their children dominion over Israel (I Chronicles 13:5; II Samuel 7:12-13 and 16). However, Abijah’s arguments did not avail much. Then, with 400,000 men, he marched to fight Jeroboam, who went against him with twice as many soldiers. 

Abijah tried to get the rebels to recognize that they would not succeed because the kingdom belonged to David’s family, and that due to having forsaken the Lord they would be defeated. It was one of the major battles that ever took place on Earth. Jeroboam, an expert on war, devised a plan: he laid siege on Judah, which seemed to secure him the victory. But Abijah and his people cried out to the Almighty who heard them and smote Israel. The death toll was too big: 500,000 valiant men.

What happened that day is an example to all those who are of God. No matter the amount of enemy soldiers that are hurled against us, those who truly serve the Almighty and do not deny His lordship will never perish because God Himself fights for them. Abijah tried to persuade them not to continue in their stubbornness. In his admonition, he reminded them of the priesthood established by the Lord through which the sons of Aaron and the Levites did the work, but Israel deemed it all insignificant. As a result, they missed out on the Lord and without Him, they got weak and were defeated in war.

The lesson we learn from this is that those who stand against the ones who were raised by God to accomplish His work are actually in rebellion against the divine will. Now the sin of rebellion is equal to that committed by those who practice witchcraft (I Samuel 15:23). All those who rise up against the divine commandments will be defeated. Only those who have the Lord on their side and keep His commandments will be blessed (John 14:21).

No one should forget that the work of God, as the preposition “of” implies, has the Lord as its command. He who lets himself be carried away by the devil of dissension will surely be ashamed and defeated for he will be fighting against the Commander of the heavenly hosts.

In Christ with love,

R. R. Soares