There are many paths we can take in life. I chose this one in Big Trees State Park in Calaveras County California. Beautiful!
In Judah Rehoboam was king, while in Israel Jeroboam was king. The Levites all over Israel sided with Rehoboam in Judah and moved there. The people all over Israel who followed God went with them to Judah. Rehoboam had 18 wives and 60 concubines, 28 sons and 60 daughters. Rehoboam set apart his son, Abijah as chief prince to become king when he died.
Shishak the king of Egypt attacked Jerusalam in Rehoboam's 5th year as king. Shishak carried off the treasures of the temple. God wanted to teach the people a lesson, that just as they had abandoned Him, He abandoned them. Then Rehoboam turned to God and replaced items in the temple and God stopped being angry with Judah, so they weren't totally destroyed.
Abijah became king of Judah when Rehoboam died. He went to war with Jeroboam of Israel. Abijah addressed the Israelites and reminded them of the covenant made with God that a descendant of David would rule the Israelites. He told them that the Levite priests whom they had rejected made offerings morning and night and remembered God, but the Israelites had rejected Him. In time, the Judites realized they were being attacked from the front and the rear and they prayed to God to deliver them. They raised the battle cry and the priests blew the trumpets and God routed Jeroboam and his army. In all, 500,000 Israelites died by the sword, because the Judites had trusted God. Jeroboam died without regaining power. Abijah grew in strength. He married 14 wives and had 22 sons and 16 daughters. Abijah died and his son, Asa became king of Judah.
Chapters 14 & 15 give a lot of detail about Asa. He worshiped God and cleaned out all the altars and Asherah poles from Judah. He commanded Judah to worship God and there was peace. He fortified cities and built up the army. Eventually they were attacked by the Cushites and they prayed to God for help and got it. They plundered the towns and herds of animals, and went home to Jerusalem.
The spirit of the Lord came upon Azariah and he spoke to Asa. He told him to seek the Lord and he would find Him. Asa took these words to heart and was committed to God all his life. He assembled all Judah and sacrificed 700 head of cattle and 7,000sheep and goats from the plunder they had brought back.
Tomorrow read 2Chronicles 16-20:13
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