2 Chronicles 13:3-19 - Homilies By T. Whitelaw

A great war in a short reign.

I. THE CONTENDING ARMIES . ( 2 Chronicles 13:3 .)

1 . Their leaders. Of the army of Judah, Abijah; of the host of Israel, Jeroboam—both capable generals, and each the inspiring spirit of his troops.

2 . Their numbers. Of Judah, four hundred thousand men—one hundred thousand fewer than Joab numbered to Judah; of Israel, eight hundred thousand—exactly the number Joab counted to Israel ( 2 Samuel 24:9 ).

3 . Their quality.

(a) heroes of war, veterans experienced in former campaigns under Rehoboam, and

(b) chosen or picked men, literally, "men of youth," whose powers were at their best ( Jeremiah 18:1-23 :31).

(a) chosen men and

(b) mighty men of valour. Thus both armies were well matched.

4 . Their position. Over against each other, in the vicinity of Mount Zemaraim, near Bethel ( Joshua 18:22 )—"probably the large ruin Samrah, north of Jericho", and perhaps at that time the northern limit of Abijah's territory (Ewald); obviously so close to one another that to them the words of Shakespeare ('King Henry V.,' act

4 . chorus) may be fitly applied—

"From camp to camp, thro' the foul womb of night,

The hum of either army stilly sounds,

That the fix'd sentinels almost receive

The secret whispers of each other's watch:

Fire answers fire: and through their paly flames

Each battle sees the other's umber'd face:

Steed threatens steed, in high and boastful neighs

Piercing the night's dull ear; and from the tents,

The armourers, accomplishing the knights,

With busy hammers closing rivets up,

Give dreadful note of preparation."

II. THE SPEECH OF ABIJAH . ( 2 Chronicles 13:4-12 .)

1 . Whence spoken, From Mount Zemaraim, in Ephraim, as Jotham had formerly spoken to the Shechemites from Mount Gerizim ( 9:7 ).

2 . To whom addressed. To Jeroboam and all Israel. Generals commonly harangue their troops before going into action ( 1 Samuel 4:9 ; 2 Samuel 10:11 , 2 Samuel 10:12 ; 2 Chronicles 18:30 ; cf. 'King Henry V.,' act 4. sc. 3); Abijah directs his speech to his foes, as David did to Goliath ( 1 Samuel 17:45 ), and Rabshakeh to the envoys of Hezekiah ( 2 Kings 18:28-35 ; cf. 'Richard II .,' act 3. sc. 3).

3 . Of what composed. Of a long, earnest argument, dissuasive, and appeal, for the purpose of inducing Jeroboam and his warriors to desist from their mad enterprise of attempting to conquer Judah. According to Abijah they could not succeed, for a variety of reasons.

III. THE AMBUSHMENT OF JEROBOAM . ( 2 Chronicles 13:13 , 2 Chronicles 13:14 .)

1 . Skilfully prepared.

2 . Courageously met. Though surprised, the men of Judah were not thrown into panic. Realizing their danger, they confronted it:

IV. THE VICTORY OF JUDAH . ( 2 Chronicles 13:15-18 .)

1 . The source of it. God. Not Abijah or Judah, but Eiohim smote Jeroboam and all Israel. "Safety ['victory,' Revised Version] is of the Lord" ( Proverbs 21:13 ), and "it is he that giveth salvation [or, 'deliverance '] unto kings" ( Psalms 144:10 ). "Jehovah is a Man of war , " sang Miriam ( Exodus 15:3 ); while David owned, "He teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight" ( Psalms 18:34 ; Psalms 144:1 ).

2 . The time of it. "As the men of Judah shouted." So "the Lord is nigh unto all that call upon him" ( Psalms 145:18 ); and "whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be delivered" ( Joel 2:32 ; Acts 2:21 ; Romans 10:13 ), even while they are calling ( Isaiah 65:24 ). Cf. the rescue of Jehoshaphat at Ramoth-Gilead ( 2 Chronicles 18:31 ).

3 . The ground of it. "Because they relied upon the Lord God of their fathers' ( 2 Chronicles 13:18 ). That Jehovah should prove a Buckler to them that trusted in him accorded exactly with the representations of the Divine character furnished by Scripture ( Genesis 15:1 ; Deuteronomy 20:1 ; Joshua 1:9 ; Psalms 17:7 ; Psalms 115:9 ), and had frequently Been verified in the experience of both sections of the kingdom-Joshua's soldiers at Jericho ( Joshua 6:12 , etc.), and Gideon's at the well of Harod ( 7:1 , 7:21 ), because they trusted in the sword of Jehovah more than in their own weapons. So David prevailed over the Philistine ( 1 Samuel 17:45 ), Hezekiah over the Assyrian king, and the Philistines ( 2 Kings 18:5 , 2 Kings 18:8 ) and the Reubenites over the Hagarites ( 1 Chronicles 5:20 ). Confidence in God the strongest guarantee a Christian can have of emerging triumphantly from any moral or spiritual conflict ( Psalms 26:1 ; Psalms 33:20 , Psalms 33:21 ; Isaiah 12:2 ; 2 Corinthians 1:10 ; Romans 8:38 ).

4 . The extent of it.

LESSONS .

1. The sinfulness of unjustifiable rebellion.

2. The horrors of war.

3. The political value of religion.

4. The power of faith.

5. The reward of sin.—W.