When you hear the name Abijah, it doesn’t carry the same instant recognition as names like Moses, David, or Paul. Yet, it’s a name that shows up in multiple places throughout Scripture. So, when someone asks, “Who is Abijah?” you can’t answer without a little clarification. You see, Abijah wasn’t just one person; there were several biblical figures who bore this name. So, with that framework in mind, let’s see how we can answer the question of who Abijah was.
The name Abijah means “My Father is Yahweh.” What’s unique about this name is that it was given to both men and women in the Bible. Now, that might not sound strange to us today. After all, we live in a time in which names like Jordan, Tracy, or Cameron can fit comfortably on a boy or a girl. But in biblical times, that was far from common. While it did not happen often, there were some other names that this applied to in the Bible.
Take Athaliah, for example. Athaliah was the name of one of Jeroham’s sons (1 Chr. 8:26), but it was also the name of the queen of Judah (2 Ki. 11:1). Then there’s Michaiah, a prophet who boldly confronted King Ahab (2 Ki. 22). Yet ironically, Michaiah is the name of King Abijah’s mother (2 Chr. 13:2). While names today don’t always carry a deeper meaning, in biblical times, the names often had a deeper meaning, and the name Abijah reminds us that God is our Father.
Our focus in this article will primarily be on King Abijah, but here are the other Abijah’s mentioned in the Bible.
Abijah, the son of Jeroboam (1 Ki. 14:1)Abijah, the mother of Hezekiah (2 Chr. 29:1)Abijah, the wife of Hezron (1 Chr. 2:24)Abijah, a priestly division head (He was mentioned in 1 Chr. 24:10 and was also referenced in Luke.)Abijah, a son of Samuel (1 Sam. 8:1-2)Abijah, a descendant of Benjamin’s son Beker (1 Chr. 7:8)When people think of Abijah, the one that may first come to mind is the King of Judah. In the history of the kings of Israel and Judah, there were some righteous kings (a few) and some evil kings (a lot), and then there was Abijah. The Bible describes him as a man with a divided heart. Consider this verse about this king:
"He committed all the sins his father had done before him; his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his forefather had been" (1 Kings 15:3).
It is no doubt that Abijah was familiar with the legacy of his forefather David. After all, that was his great-grandfather. He knew how David had walked upright before the Lord. Yet, knowing all this, Abijah chose not to fully walk in those ways. The Bible's statement about his lack of full devotion reveals something about Abijah's character. Abijah gave only part of his heart to the Lord. He was aware of the right way to live before the Lord, yet he did not want to give up the sins required to live righteously before the Lord. Here he followed in the footsteps of his father Rehoboam.
Abijah’s life presents another level of complexity and conflict. It was as if he had selective righteousness and knew the right cards to play when he needed them. We see this tension play out most clearly during his war with Jeroboam found in 2 Chronicles 13. Listen to the words he spoke when he confronted Jeroboam:
“As for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken him…God is with us; he is our leader. His priests with their trumpets will sound the battle cry against you. People of Israel, do not fight against the Lord, the God of your ancestors, for you will not succeed” (2 Chron. 13:10a; 12).
On the surface, Abijah spoke boldly about God’s covenant with David and the unfaithfulness of Israel under Jeroboam. Yet, there was hypocrisy in his words because his own life didn’t reflect full devotion and trust in God.
How do you label a king like Abijah? On the good side, when you read his confrontation with Jeroboam, you realize Abijah knew how he should be living. On the bad side, you know he didn’t commit to living that way. Abijah's lack of wholehearted devotion to God disqualifies him as a good king. He was a king who knew better, but didn’t do better. His story is a sobering reminder that knowing the truth is not enough if it doesn’t translate into action. A life of faith requires not just words, but a heart fully devoted to walking in obedience to God.
We are all in a war
The conflict of Abijah’s heart reflects the conflict we all face. We live in an ongoing battle between our flesh and our spirit. God’s Spirit is pulling us in one direction, and our flesh is pulling us in the opposite direction. When this happens, which side will rule in your heart? Because Abijah only had partial devotion, he followed the sinful desires of his heart. If our hearts aren't fully devoted to the Lord, Abijah's choice shouldn't surprise us, because we would probably do the same.
Abijah lived like a carnal Christian
If I had to place a label on Abijah, I would say that he represents the modern-day equivalent of a carnal Christian. This person knows the right way to live and may even desire to live rightly; however, the draw of sin and the pleasures of this life overshadow that desire. Jesus said it this way:
"The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful" (Mt. 13:22).
Abijah trusted God in the war against Jeroboam and even won the victory, but there was no mention of him ever turning away from sin. This was the unfruitful part of his life. Abijah was the classic case of the person who looks to God when they are in trouble, but the moment the trouble subsides, they return to their old ways. That’s why his life reflects a modern-day carnal Christian.
Recently, I was listening to the story of a person who had been through some life-threatening health issues. During this time of health challenges, they knew to pray and look to God for help. However, once they were past those critical moments and it seemed like they would survive, they went right back to their old way of living. This seems to be Abijah.
As you think about Abijah’s life, let’s make this more personal. Is your heart fully devoted to the Lord, and how can you know? While there may be many ways that come to mind, allow me to offer one: What are you willing to give up in order to follow the Lord completely?
From what we read in Kings, Abijah was not willing to give up the sins of his father. He committed those same sins as Rehoboam, leading the people into idolatry and sexual immorality. Full devotion would have required tearing down the idols and committing to live a life of purity before the Lord. Abijah did not do this because he could not give his heart fully to the Lord. The question for today is: what about you and what about me?
If we pay close attention to the story of Abijah, we recognize that divided devotion is no devotion at all. God is not interested in half of your heart; he wants it all, and honestly, he deserves it all. However, full devotion requires hard choices and the question we must ask ourselves is, are we willing to make them? Abijah clearly wasn’t. And maybe that’s the most important lesson for all of us. Knowing about God is one thing, but choosing to walk wholeheartedly in his ways is something entirely different.
Clarence L. Haynes Jr. is a speaker, Bible teacher, and co-founder of The Bible Study Club. He is the author of The Pursuit of Purpose which will help you understand how God leads you into his will. His most recent book is The Pursuit of Victory: How To Conquer Your Greatest Challenges and Win In Your Christian Life. This book will teach you how to put the pieces together so you can live a victorious Christian life and finally become the man or woman of God that you truly desire to be. Clarence is also committed to helping 10,000 people learn how to study the Bible and has just released his first Bible study course called Bible Study Basics. To learn more about his ministry please visit clarencehaynes.com.
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