Fri.’s Devo - God Gives His People Victory

Read: 2 Chronicles 11:1-13:22; Romans 8:26-39; Psalm 18:37-50; Proverbs 19:27-29 Rehoboam rallied his troops to fight the rest of Israel but God sent Shemaiah, the prophet to instruct him not to fight against his own people. This division was the Lord’s doing. Rehoboam obeyed and took his army home. He fortified the tribes he had which were Benjamin and Judah. Jerusalem was in Judah and Rehoboam encouraged the priests to carry on their ministry. In Israel, Jeroboam erected golden calves for Israel to worship and had not allowed the Levites living in Israel to minister to the Lord. Theses priests, along with a lot of the people who wanted to serve the Lord, left Israel and defected to Judah. They lost their land and jobs in the process. God strengthened Rehoboam’s kingdom because he allowed the people to worship the Lord. When Rehoboam’s kingdom was established, he abandoned the Law of the Lord and led his people into sin. God raised up King Shishak of Egypt to attack Jerusalem. The prophet Shemaiah came to Rehoboam and told him that this was happening because he had abandoned the Lord. The king and his leaders humbled themselves before God so God relented on his judgment. Instead of destroying Jerusalem, he made Judah subjects of Shishak. He wanted them to know the difference between serving Him and serving earthly rulers. Shishak took all the gold from the temple and they had to replace it with bronze. Rehoboam was considered an evil king and when he died his son Abijah became the king. Abijah came to battle against Jeroboam of Israel and explained to Jeroboam why God had abandoned him and how God was still Lord in Judah. Jeroboam’s army had completely surrounded Abijah’s army but when the priests blew their trumpets and the men of Judah began to shout, the sound of their battle cry caused Israel to flee and Judah got a mighty victory. God eventually killed Jeroboam himself while Abijah of Judah grew more and more powerful. In Romans, we learn that the Spirit inside us pleads for us in agreement with God’s will. God knew us in advance and chose us to become like Jesus. He has given us justification and his glory. God is on our side so we will have overwhelming victory. When we go through trials and suffering, he is with us and turns everything for our good. God’s love for us is so powerful that nothing can take it away. Lord, thank you that you give great victories to your king and you show unfailing love to your anointed forever.