The Ways of Abijah

Bible Reading:  II Chronicles 13:13-22

Key Verse: Verse 22 – “And the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings, are written in the story of the prophet Iddo.”

Key Words: Abijah, and his ways

What exactly were the ways of Abijah?  In I Kings 15:3 we read in regard to Abijah, “And he walked in all the sins of his father [Rehoboam].”

Rehoboam is responsible for the division of the nation of Israel, because of his heavy taxation.  The Southern Kingdom (Judah) divided from the Northern Kingdom.  Not only was his heavy taxation a burden, he also warred against his own people (Judah).  He was also immoral in that he had eighteen wives and sixty concubines (II Chronicles 11:21).  So it was with his son, Abijah: divisive and immoral.

Speaking of being divisive: there are many in our churches today that are like Rehoboam and Abijah (divisive).

Ray Stedman said, "Some people for the sake of their point of view would destroy the unity of your church. How do you deal with them? Avoid them. We must keep our eye on them and turn away from them. In other words, we don’t listen to them. We’re never obligated to hear a person out when what they’re saying is not consistent with Christian speech. If they are tearing down the church, tearing down the pastor, tearing down the leaders or Sunday School teachers or any believer, we should not listen. Because even out of a misguided sense of courtesy, our listening to them would make it seem that we agree, while what we’re doing is giving them another chance to vent their verbal poison." 

Let me caution you: be careful who you listen to.  They may be a well-intentioned Rehoboam or Abijah.

                                                                                         Dr. Mike Rouse                                                                                               

What to do:  

✞Follow God’s ways, not man’s.