2 Chronicles 13:1-7: a reflection

1In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah began to reign over Judah. 2He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Micaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. 3Abijah joined battle with an army of valiant men of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men; and Jeroboam set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, who were mighty men of valor. 4Abijah stood up on Mount Zemaraim, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, “Hear me, Jeroboam and all Israel: 5Ought you not to know that the LORD, the God of Israel, gave the kingdom over Israel to David forever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt? 6Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up, and rebelled against his lord. 7Worthless men were gathered to him, wicked fellows who strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tender hearted, and could not withstand them.

Facing an army twice his size, Abijah stands on the sureness of God's covenant with David, an unbreakable covenant of salt, rather than on his own strength. The LORD, the God of Israel, gave the kingdom over Israel to David forever, Abijah declares, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt. Abijah's army was greatly outnumbered; by the count of soldiers, his position looked weak. But Abijah did not rest his confidence on his own numbers or strength; he rested it on God's covenant, the sure and lasting promise God had made to David and his line, described as a covenant of salt, a lasting, unbreakable covenant. He stood on God's sure promise, not on his own strength. This shows standing on God's sure covenant rather than on our own strength. Stand on God's sure covenant and promise, not on your own strength. God's covenant is lasting and unbreakable, a covenant that holds. Do not rest your confidence on your own numbers or strength alone. Rest on God's sure promise, even when outnumbered or opposed.

Notice where Abijah placed his confidence. He was facing an army twice the size of his own; by every count of soldiers, his side was weaker, outnumbered, at a disadvantage. He might have rested his confidence on his own strength, but that strength was clearly insufficient against so large a force. Instead, Abijah rested his confidence elsewhere: on God's covenant. He reminded his enemies that God had given the kingdom to David and his line by a covenant of salt, a covenant that was lasting, binding, and unbreakable. His confidence was not in his own numbers, which were fewer, but in the sureness of God's covenant and promise, which does not fail. This holds a lesson about where to place our confidence. We too can find ourselves outnumbered, at a disadvantage, our own strength and resources clearly insufficient against what we face. In such times, if our confidence rests only on our own strength, we have little ground for hope. But God has made sure promises, a covenant that is lasting and unbreakable, on which we can rest our confidence, even when our own strength is insufficient. God's promises do not fail; his covenant holds. To stand on God's sure promise, rather than on our own strength alone, gives us solid ground even when we are outnumbered or opposed, for our confidence then rests not on what may fail, our own resources, but on what cannot fail, God's word. We do well to rest our confidence on God's sure covenant and promise, rather than on our own strength alone, even when outnumbered or opposed. Rest your confidence on God's sure covenant and promise, not on your own strength alone. God's promises are lasting and unbreakable; they do not fail. Do not despair when outnumbered; God's sure promise is solid ground. Stand on what cannot fail, God's word, not on what may.

That is worth taking to heart, for we do well to rest our confidence on God's sure covenant and promise rather than our own strength, as Abijah stood on God's covenant though outnumbered. We can rest our confidence on our own strength, which may be insufficient; but Abijah rested his on God's sure and lasting covenant, though his army was outnumbered. Stand on God's promise. When you are outnumbered or opposed and your own strength is insufficient, do not rest your confidence on it alone; rest it on God's sure covenant and promise, which do not fail. Rest your confidence on God's sure covenant and promise, which are lasting and unbreakable and do not fail, rather than on your own strength alone, even when outnumbered or opposed, as facing an army twice his size Abijah stood on the sureness of God's covenant with David, an unbreakable covenant of salt, declaring that God had given the kingdom to David and his sons by a covenant of salt; for Abijah's army was greatly outnumbered and by the count of soldiers his position looked weak, but he did not rest his confidence on his own numbers or strength but on God's covenant, the sure and lasting promise God had made to David described as a covenant of salt, a lasting, unbreakable covenant, standing on God's sure promise and not on his own strength, which holds a lesson about where to place our confidence, since we too can find ourselves outnumbered and at a disadvantage with our own strength clearly insufficient against what we face, and in such times if our confidence rests only on our own strength we have little ground for hope, but God has made sure promises, a covenant lasting and unbreakable, on which we can rest our confidence even when our own strength is insufficient, God's promises not failing and his covenant holding, so that to stand on God's sure promise rather than our own strength alone gives us solid ground even when outnumbered, our confidence then resting not on what may fail but on what cannot fail, God's word, and we do well to rest our confidence there.

Lord, facing an army twice his size, Abijah stands on the sureness of your covenant with David, an unbreakable covenant of salt, rather than on his own strength. The LORD, the God of Israel, gave the kingdom over Israel to David forever, Abijah declares, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt. Abijah's army was greatly outnumbered; by the count of soldiers, his position looked weak. But Abijah did not rest his confidence on his own numbers or strength; he rested it on your covenant, the sure and lasting promise you had made to David and his line, described as a covenant of salt, a lasting, unbreakable covenant. He stood on your sure promise, not on his own strength. Show me where Abijah placed his confidence. He was facing an army twice the size of his own; by every count of soldiers, his side was weaker, outnumbered. He might have rested his confidence on his own strength, but that strength was clearly insufficient. Instead, Abijah rested his confidence elsewhere: on your covenant. He reminded his enemies that you had given the kingdom to David and his line by a covenant of salt, a covenant that was lasting, binding, and unbreakable. His confidence was not in his own numbers, but in the sureness of your covenant and promise, which does not fail. This holds a lesson about where to place my confidence. I too can find myself outnumbered, at a disadvantage, my own strength clearly insufficient against what I face. In such times, if my confidence rests only on my own strength, I have little ground for hope. But you have made sure promises, a covenant that is lasting and unbreakable, on which I can rest my confidence, even when my own strength is insufficient. Your promises do not fail; your covenant holds. To stand on your sure promise, rather than on my own strength alone, gives me solid ground even when outnumbered. Take that to my heart. When I am outnumbered or opposed and my own strength is insufficient, keep me from resting my confidence on it alone; help me rest it, Lord, on your sure covenant and promise, which are lasting and unbreakable and do not fail, standing on what cannot fail, your word, rather than on what may.