It’s not an English word you’ll find in the ESV Old Testament. But here it is repeatedly in the CSB as I read 2 Chronicles 13-16. And it stands out. Because it sounds unfamiliar to this longtime ESV reader? Perhaps. Or, maybe because the Spirit determines to massage it into the heart of this newly CSB reader? More likely, I’m thinking.

If there’s anything I think I’m to take away from the stories of these two kings of Judah, Abijah and Asa, it’s that God wants His people to be dependent.

Chapter 13, King Jeroboam of Israel comes against King Abijah of Judah who, in terms of military might, out numbers him 2 to 1 — 800,000 “fit young men” against 400,000 “fit young men.” But this king who had broken from the ways of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David, worshipping gods of his own making, didn’t factor in that on the other side of the battlefield was a king who rested on the promises made to David and believed in the power of the God he had faithfully determined to worship. So even when Jeroboam surrounded Abijah with his army, Abijah’s prayer prevailed and “God routed Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah . . . God handed them over to them.”

Judah’s secret weapon? Their super power? They were dependent.

The Israelites were subdued at that time. The Judahites succeeded because they depended on the LORD, the God of their ancestors.

(2Chronicles 13:18 CSB)

Chapter 14, King Asa of Judah and his 580,000 men from Judah and Benjamin are challenged by Zerah the Cushite and his “army of one million men and three hundred chariots.” But Asa, who was also outnumbered almost 2:1, marches out against the Cushites and lines up in battle formation. First strategic move? Pray!

Then Asa cried out to the LORD his God, “LORD, there is no one besides You to help the mighty and those without strength. Help us, LORD our God, for we depend on You, and in Your name we have come against this large army. LORD, You are our God. Do not let a mere mortal hinder You.”

(2Chronicles 14:11 CSB)

The outcome? “So the LORD routed the Cushites before Asa and before Judah” (14:12).

But, after a reign under which he led a revival in the things of God in the land and the land had known peace for an extended period of time, Asa doesn’t finish as well as he started. After 20 yeas of no war in Judah, King Basha of Israel decides to take a run at King Asa. And this time, instead of depending on God and praying, Asa ends up depending on himself and paying — paying a neighboring king to attack Basha and deflect him from laying siege to Judah. Mission accomplished, but Asa is rebuked.

At that time, the seer Hanani came to King Asa of Judah and said to him, “Because you depended on the king of Aram and have not depended on the LORD your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from you. Were not the Cushites and Libyans a vast army with many chariots and horsemen? When you depended on the LORD, He handed them over to you. For the eyes of the LORD roam throughout the earth to show Himself strong for those who are wholeheartedly devoted to Him. You have been foolish in this matter.”

(2Chronicles 16:7-9a CSB)

Bottom line? God is looking to show Himself strong on behalf of those who are dependent. Those who are wholeheartedly devoted to Him.

He wants His people to lean on Him. He wants those with burdens beyond their bearing to rely on Him, to literally rest against Him as their support.

Oh, how counter-cultural is dependence in our hyper-individualized age? Even as we seek to walk in wholehearted obedience to our God, how quick we are to look to our own resources rather submit ourselves to Him with wholehearted dependence? How I need to be less self-reliant and more mindful that my Father wants to hear me pray, “I depend on You!”

Dependent.

Only by His grace. Always for His glory.