Bible Study Notes 9/9/2025
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Abijah
(1 Kgs. 15:1-8 and 2 Chr. 13)
Rehoboam’s on, Abijah (who is called Abijam) reigns from 913 to 910 BC and continues in the sins of his father (1 Kgs. 15:1-7) and is negatively contrasted with his ancestral father David, for “his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father” (1 Kgs. 15:3).
- Yet he is preserved in fulfillment of God’s promise to raise up a son for David, “setting up his son after him, and establishing Jerusalem, because David did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and did not turn aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite” (1 Kgs. 15:4-5). (David had Uriah the Hittite killed to cover his sin with Bathsheba.)
During Abijah’s reign, there is war between his kingdom and Jeroboam’s kingdom in the north (2 Chr. 13) and Abijah enters the battlefield with an army half the size of Jeroboam’s chosen men.
- He reminds Jeroboam and his army that God has given kingship to David and his descendants and that it will never be destroyed (2 Chr. 13:5).
- Although Abijah’s army is ambushed by Jeroboam’s vastly superior sized force, they trust in God and are victorious and Jeroboam, with his golden calves, is defeated.
- Thousands in the north are killed and Jeroboam never recovers from the defeat.
ASA
(1 Kgs. 15:8-24 and 2 Chr. 14-16)
Abijah dies and his son, Asa reigns for more than forty years (910-869 BC).
He is the first southern king who does what is good and right in the sight of God, removing foreign altars and high places, tears down the pillars, cuts down the Asherim (2 Chr. 14:2-3), and removes the idols and male cult prostitutes (1 Kgs. 15:12-13; cf. Deut. 23:17).
Asa commands Judah to seek the LORD and to keep his law and commandments (2 Chr. 14:4), and fortifies the cities of Judah and strengthens his army.
His reign begins a period of religious reform and “the kingdom had rest under him” (2 Chr. 14:5-6).
Asa is attacked by a military leader named Zerah and his Ethiopian army (2 Chr. 14:8-15).
He is clearly outnumbered by the Ethiopians, but in the midst of the battle, he cries out to God, saying: READ 2 Chr. 14:11.
Of course, God is delighted to answer such a prayer, when those who have no strength cry out to him and put their trust in him – Asa’s army was delivered by God even though the Ethiopian army greatly outnumbered Asa’s army.
God sends a prophet, Azariah, to tell the king and the people that “the LORD is with you while you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you” (2 Chr. 15:2).
- Reading vss. 3 and 4 we see that while Israel was without the true God for a long time, with no teaching priest and without law, when in distress, they turned to the LORD and sought him and He answered them.
Asa renovates the temple in Jerusalem, removes the idols, and re-establishes worship.
He even cuts down, crushes, and burns an Asherah deity that his own mother had made (2 Chr. 15:16).
Asa assembles all Judah and Benjamin in Jerusalem, and even some northerners who have defected join them, for they realize that God is with Asa.
- The people sacrifice to God and enter into “a covenant to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and with all their soul
(2 Chr. 15:12).
- Even though the high places are not fully removed, Asa establishes major religious reforms in Judah.
A number of years later, the northern king Baasha wages war against Jerusalem (1 Kgs. 15:17-22; 2 Chr. 16:1-10).
- Asa enters into a treaty with Ben-hadad, king of Aram, asking him to break his alliance with Baasha.
- As a result, Baasha withdraws, but God is not pleased with Asa because he has sought help from the Aramean king Ben-hadad instead of trusting in the LORD.
God sends Hanani the prophet to confront Asa and Hanani announces to the king that because he has not trusted God, he will have continual wars.
- Hanani the prophet declares that God will indeed strengthen those whose hearts are his: “for the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him” (2 Chr. 16:9).
The Israelites are often outnumbered in battle because God wants them to learn to rely on him, rather than trusting in their own strength or military might.
- The Exodus from Egypt impresses this reality on Israel’s history from the very beginning.
- The Israelites, as slaves, with no army, weapons, chariots, or horses, defeats the most powerful army in the world at that time because “The LORD is a man of war; the LORD is his name” (Exod. 15:3).
- This declaration is a powerful reminder that God is fighting on Israel’s behalf – the battle is His, not theirs.
God’s people are to trust solely in Him, even when the odds are against them.
- God does not want us to rely on our own strength or abilities, but on him alone – He looks to and fro throughout the earth to strengthen and support those who put their trust in him, which shows God that they truly believe that the LORD is God.
But Asa is not willing to receive God’s word of rebuke through Hanani the prophet, but rather, is enraged and puts Hanani in prison.
- Soon after, Asa becomes sick and even in his disease he did not seek the LORD, but sought help from physicians” (2 Chr. 16:12).
- Asa needed to turn back to the LORD and repent, but did not – his heart has not changed, even in his sickness, and two years later he dies.
Asa began well, as the first southern king who does what is good and right in the eyes of God, carrying out major religious reforms, yet toward the end of his life, he fails to trust in God.
- Rather, he relies on a political alliance with a foreign king, and even when sick, he does not seek God but trusts in physicians without acknowledging God.
Each southern king fails in some way, but God will raise up a righteous son of David – this King will not fail, as He will be obedient, even to the point of death, and God will establish his eternal kingdom according to his promise of old.
Jehoshaphat (872-848 BC; Co-Regency with Asa, 872-869 BC)
(1 Kgs. 15:24, 22:1-50, and 2 Chr. 17-20)
After Asa’s death, Jehoshaphat, his son, takes the throne as sole monarch; his reign continues until 848 BC.
When he comes to power, he removes the high places and Asherim, and he follows the commandments of God (2 Chr. 17:1-6).
God is with Jehoshaphat because, like King David before him, he does not seek the Baals (2 Chr. 17:3).
- Jehoshaphat instructs his officials and the Levites to teach the law of God in the cities of Judah.
- His kingdom is strengthened at this time, and even the Philistines and Arabians bring him tribute – the surrounding nations fear him.
BUT! Jehoshaphat allies himself with King Ahab of Israel, not only through a marriage alliance with one of Ahab’s daughters, but by agreeing to join Aha in a battle against the Arameans (2 Chr. 18).
- When Ahab asks Jehoshaphat to join min in war, he initially refuses bc he must inquire of the LORD.
- Ahab consults four hundred false prophets, who predict that he will have victory, yet Jehoshaphat asks whether there is a prophet of the LORD, that they may inquire of him (1 Kgs. 22:7).
- He is told that there is a prophet named Micaiah, although Ahab does not like him because he does not speak favorably of the king, but Micaiah stands in the council of God, and swears: “as the LORD lives, what the LORD says to me, that I will speak” (1 Kgs. 22:14).
- Micaiah predicts Ahab’s defeat, and with a powerful indictment of godless kingship, he says: “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountain as sheep that have no shepherd. And the LORD said, ‘These have no master; let each return to his home in peace’” (1 Kgs. 22:17).
- Many places in the Bible highlight the longing of God’s people to be shepherded by a righteous king (Ezek. 34:1-6; Zech. 10:2; cf. Matt. 9:36; John 10:1-18).
- Consequently, Ahab imprisons Micaiah, just as Asa had done to the prophet Hanani a few years earlier.
- Even with warning from Micaiah, Ahab goes to battle anyway, but disguises himself, but he is killed and the dogs lick up his blood from the chariot (1 Kgs. 22:29:40; cf. 2 Chr. 18:28-34).
- In the middle of the battle, the Arameans think Jehoshaphat is the king of Israel and so they pursue him, but the southern king cries out to God for help.
- God answers Jehoshaphat and his life is preserved, although the prophet Jehu later rebukes him for his alliance with King Ahab (2 Chr. 19:1-3).
We can see that suffering and rejection are essential parts of prophetic ministry, as the prophets will be persecuted for many years to come, because Israel is hard of heart and not willing to give heed to God’s voice through His messengers (2 Chr. 36:16) – This continues through the New Testament (READ Matt. 23:29-37; Acts 7:52) – Thus, God’s people reject not only the prophets, but God himself who has sent them.
After Jehoshaphat’s call to the LORD for help and his life is preserved, he establishes major religious reforms in Judah (2 Chr. 19).
- He appoints judges to provide righteous judgments according to God’s laws;
- He confirms the role of the Levites and priests to make decisions in matters pertaining to the LORD in Jerusalem.
After making the reforms, Jehoshaphat’s enemies wage war against him (2 Chr. 20), but again, the king prays to God: “O LORD, God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you” (2 Chr. 20:6).
When facing the enemy, Jehoshaphat acknowledges his weakness: “O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you” (2 Chr. 20:12).
- After praying, the Spirit of God comes upon Jahaziel (a prophet) with a word of encouragement: “Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great hoard, for the battle is not yours but God’s” (2 Chr. 20:15).
- Jehoshaphat and the people worship and praise God, as they receive his word.
- When they engage in battle the next day, the king exhorts the people of Judah to put their trust in God.
- The people sing and praise God before battle: “Give thanks to the LORD for his steadfast love endures forever” (2 Chr. 20:21).
- Upon singing and praising, “the LORD set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed: (2 Chr. 20:22) – God hears their cry and defeats their enemies.
- Jehoshaphat returns to Jerusalem in victory and praising God.
- God desires us to believe in Him, even in the midst of seemingly impossible circumstances and reminds us that “without faith, it is impossible to please him” (Heb. 11:6).
King Jehoshaphat is described as a king who ‘walked in the way of Asa his father and did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the LORD” (2 Chr. 20:32).
At the same time, the high places were not taken away because the “people had not yet set their hearts upon the God of their fathers” (2 Chr. 20:33).
Also, later, Jehoshaphat allies himself with Ahaziah, king of Israel, in order to make ships to find gold, but God raises up the prophet Eliezer to rebuke Jehoshaphat, and his ships come to ruin (2 Chr. 20:35-37).
Note: every king, even the best of them, fail in some way.
Jehoshaphat dies and Jehoram, his son and a co-regent, becomes sole king.
(Much gratitude is given to Dr. Carol Kaminski for her Old Testament Survey course at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and the study materials that accompany and inform this teaching.)