READ: 1 Kin. 15:1-8 … Abijam … walked in all the sins of his father … his heart was not loyal to the Lord his God … Nevertheless, for David’s sake the Lord his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem … And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life … And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam …
Abijah knew nothing but war throughout his life. The war began with the division between Jeroboam, king of the ten tribes, and Rehoboam, king of Judah, and it continued during Abijah’s reign .
That had everything to do with how he walked in the same sinful ways of his father. His heart was not devoted to the Lord. His sinful attitude toward the service of the Lord stood at the center of his life. Yes, he maintained the temple service, and he even boasted of this to Jeroboam, who had introduced calf worship. In 2 Chronicles 13:10ff, he openly said to Jeroboam and his army:
“As for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken Him. The priests … burn burnt offerings to the Lord every morning and every evening … We keep the charge of the Lord our God, but you have forsaken Him.”
So Abijah allowed the temple service to continue. But he was not completely faithful to the Lord. He was tolerant. The high places and other places of sacrifice remained, together with tolerated immorality. He too had many wives (2 Chron. 13:21).
Verse 3 says: “His heart was not loyal to the Lord his God, as the heart of his father David.” David was not perfect either, but he fled to God and confessed his sins. David showed faith, which was counted to him as righteousness (Rom. 4:22-24).
Still, the Lord continued with David’s line because of His covenant promise to David. Psalm 132:17 says: “There I will make a horn grow for David; I will prepare a lamp for My anointed one.”
In what respect does God ask us for intolerance?
Sing: Ps. 89:13