The Folly of Fighting God
O Sons of Israel, do not fight against the Lord, the God of your fathers, for you cannot succeed. (II Chron. 13:12)
II Chron. 13:4-12; Ps. 20:7, 8; Prov. 11:5; Matt. 26:39; Acts 5:30, 9-4-5; Jas. 4:7
What Is God Saying?
Lack of trust and fear triggered many conflicts between the Northern and Southern Kingdoms. One early confrontation was between Abijah, Rehoboam’s favorite son, the second King of Judah, and Rehoboam, who rode on the crest of Solomon’s greatness but, at the height of his popularity, abandoned the Lord. His last seventeen years were troubled because he followed a course that was not pleasing to the Lord. Better things were to come in the short reign of Abijah.
While he was not a knight in shining armor (I Kings 15:3), one positive thing was the strong speech he shouted at King Jeroboam when their armies met in the hill country of Ephraim. It was a long message that went into great detail. He was reminding his brothers across the way of the faithfulness of Judah vis-a-vis the idolatrous apostasy of Israel under Jeroboam. Abijah held his throne for a very short time and was not entitled to base his conclusion on his record, which was sadly flawed. Even so, a great truth rings out in his final words to Israel’s armies: ‘Do not fight against the Lord, the God of your fathers; for you cannot succeed’ (II Chr. 13:12).
How Does This Apply To Us?
That message shouted long ago still reverberates along the hills of time. In the hardness of our hearts, we still fight against the Lord. We ought to obey the Lord and fight evil. That is the road to peace. That is the climate of joy. That is the secret of power, but many of us do not follow that advice. The Serpent’s suggestion in the Garden was, ‘Don’t worry about God’s way; do it your way.’ We can see the truth in the shambles of a broken society, in dysfunctional families, and in the rootless and restless chaos of individuals who turn their backs on God to find only disorienting darkness. The irony is that when we fight against the Lord, we fight against ourselves.
Pray With Me
Fight against the Lord? Who would be that foolish? Stand in defiance against a hurricane, yes. Hold back the rushing tide, yes. Keep the sun from melting winter’s snow, yes. But fight against the Lord? How foolish to think of it! How doomed to failure is trying! Yet many call upon God, who allow themselves to be drawn into an adversarial relationship with the One who has His perfect plan for them. He who comes to set us free is seen as One who seeks to hem us in and hold us back. He, who becomes our truest friend, is seen as our most determined enemy. He who wants to lift us up is seen as One who tries to hold us down. Strangely, Lord, many fight against You. They resist Your grace and strike Your outstretched hand. They set themselves above You in ordering their lives. They exalt human wisdom and expediency over Your divine purpose. They turn their backs on kindly light and dare to say, ‘Not Thy will, but mine be done.’ Certainly, I am not among these! Indeed, not I? In word perhaps, but in my heart, Lord, I fight against You. Lead me into such calm, willing submission to You that I recover prosperity of soul and peace of mind, that I may surely know that I have victory in life and hope for eternity.
Through Jesus Christ, my Lord. Amen.
Moving On In The Life of Prayer
The familiar symbols or gestures of prayer are the folded hands, the bent knee, the lowered head, and the closed eyes. They all indicate submissiveness and receptivity concerning God’s will and grace. They say, ‘Have Thine own way, Lord, have Thine own way.’ But prayer is also a time of wrestling. Jacob wrestled all night, and in the morning, he was given a new name, Israel, meaning ‘he who strives with God’ (Gen. 35:10). Fighting against God, we cannot succeed. Striving with God for clear understanding and victory over our wayward desires is the path to victory.
