EROBOAM paid no heed to the words of Abijah king of Judah but set an ambush behind his army and when Judah looked back they saw the battle was before and behind. Then they cried to the Lord; the priests sounded the trumpets and the men of Judah gave a shout. It came to pass that the Lord smote Jeroboam and there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand men. Abijah and his men gained a great victory because they relied upon the Lord God of their fathers.
The shout and the trumpets make us think of the time when the walls of Jericho fell down flat. It was the same God, mighty in purpose, doing wonders for His people, and yet angry with the wicked every day. We read that the Lord struck Jeroboam, and he died.
Jeroboam was the first king of the ten tribes and this kingdom lasted about two hundred and fifty years. But in all that time they never had a king who fully honored the Lord in departing from the false worship that Jeroboam had set up. This shows us that it requires far more spiritual energy and devotion to depart from that which is false after it has been once set up, than to continue in the simple path of dependence. The associations formed in this way have such a hold upon our hearts.
In chapter 14 we read that Abijah died and was buried in the city of David. His son Asa became king of Judah and the land was quiet for ten years. How good to read that "Asa did that which was good and right in the sight of the Lord." He took away the altars of the strange gods and the high places and images. It seems strange that the people could worship images when they had the beautiful temple which Solomon had built. But this they did, and as we read this history it is amazing to see how a people brought so near to God in intelligence and blessing could continually turn to false gods. How often they turned aside from what God had established, a perfectly beautiful order of worship, to invent some folly for themselves. But if we know our own hearts, we shall find that we are just as prone to go after other things, or ways other than where the Lord would lead us. Riches, position, power, all can become false gods to us. Any of those things that can come between the heart and God are idols to us, if we love them and in seeking to obtain them we leave God out. The Apostle John says, "Little children, keep yourselves from idols," 1 John 5:21,21Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. (1 John 5:21) which shows us that even Christians can have idols. How very sad it is to think so!
How can little children keep themselves from idols? By keeping near the one true God and His Son Jesus Christ. In Psalm 16:88I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. (Psalm 16:8) it says, "I have set the Lord always before me: because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved." This is the path marked out for the Messiah as a man in the Psalms. He did not want a false object here, for his path of obedience led to something far better. It was the same with any poor Israelite. If he went up to the temple to pray, he would not want to go home and worship an image, nor would he set to work to make one for himself. But when God is forgotten, the heart of man looks around for a false object. And it is astonishing what foolish, worthless things man will be content with then, because Satan has many wiles and has had thousands of years of experience with the foolish hearts of mankind. It is pleasing to him when he sees us forgetting the Lord.
Messages of the Love of God 7/20/1958