Last week we looked at the amazing reformation in the nation of Israel under the hand of King Asa, and the blessings received from God as a result of their cleansing their land of sinful idols, and turning their eyes to the Lord for help.
What is happening today in your life? Are you experiencing relational issues? Perhaps your struggle is with work or financial matters. Where have you looked for help? If God has not yet been your first and major resource for help, why not seek Him through His word? Whatever the area of struggle, God is well versed in handling what troubles you. Why not allow Him to help?
You will find God reliable and faithful. His ways are different from ours, and His help may look different than we envision, but God will prevail for us as we look to Him for help.
The rest of Asa’s story:
2 Chronicles 15:8-16:12
8 When Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Azariah son of Oded the prophet [to seek God], he took courage. He removed the detestable idols from the whole land of Judah and Benjamin and from the towns he had captured in the hills of Ephraim. He repaired the altar of the Lord that was in front of the portico of the Lord’s temple.
This is how God works in our lives. He leads us to repentance in one area of our lives, and then moves to do further “clean-up” work. Walking with God is a small step by step process, as we study His word, obey Him, thus He builds our relationship.
9 Then he assembled all Judah and Benjamin and the people from Ephraim, Manasseh and Simeon who had settled among them, for large numbers had come over to him from Israel when they saw that the Lord his God was with him.
People who love Jesus attract people who truly want to know Him. How are we making Jesus known to others? What sin might we need to repent of so that others can see the light of Christ, and make a personal commitment to Him?
10 They assembled at Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of Asa’s reign. 11 At that time they sacrificed to the Lord seven hundred head of cattle and seven thousand sheep and goats from the plunder they had brought back. 12 They entered into a covenant to seek the Lord, the God of their ancestors, with all their heart and soul. 13 All who would not seek the Lord, the God of Israel, were to be put to death, whether small or great, man or woman. 14 They took an oath to the Lord with loud acclamation, with shouting and with trumpets and horns. 15 All Judah rejoiced about the oath because they had sworn it wholeheartedly. They sought God eagerly, and he was found by them. So the Lord gave them rest on every side.
We have so much to learn from the eagerness, the wholehearted effort these men and women put into seeking God in action. We are so blessed to have Jesus be our sacrificial lamb, and that we don’t have to gather up live animals to show Him how much we love Him. Since He is the perfect sacrifice, we also don’t need to offer such sacrifices. But God still expects us to offer ourselves as “living sacrifices”, and to support our words of love and confession through the way we handle our lives. People should be able to “see” Jesus in the way we live.
Romans 12:1-2: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Asa’s story continues:
16 King Asa also deposed his grandmother Maakah from her position as queen mother [Consider the challenges in doing that!], because she had made a repulsive image for the worship of Asherah. Asa cut it down, broke it up and burned it in the Kidron Valley. 17 Although he did not remove the high places from Israel [Asa was king in Judah, not Israel, the northern kingdom of the Israelites. He wouldn’t have had authority to cleanse that part of the land, as another king ruled it.], Asa’s heart was fully committed to the Lord all his life. 18 He brought into the temple of God the silver and gold and the articles that he and his father had dedicated.
19 There was no more war until the thirty-fifth year of Asa’s reign.
16:1 In the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and fortified Ramah to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the territory of Asa king of Judah.
Now we have a problem. Where should we look for our help? To God! Where had Asa previously looked for help? To God! But something changed, and now, instead of looking to God, he dealt with the threat in his own understanding….that can be a great recipe for more problems. He went to the world (Ben-Hadad), instead of seeking the Lord.
2 Asa then took the silver and gold out of the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and of his own palace and sent it to Ben-Hadad king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus. 3 “Let there be a treaty between me and you,” he said, “as there was between my father and your father. See, I am sending you silver and gold. Now break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so he will withdraw from me.”
4 Ben-Hadad agreed with King Asa and sent the commanders of his forces against the towns of Israel. They conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel Maim and all the store cities of Naphtali. 5 When Baasha heard this, he stopped building Ramah and abandoned his work. 6 Then King Asa brought all the men of Judah, and they carried away from Ramah the stones and timber Baasha had been using. With them he built up Geba and Mizpah.
7 At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him: “Because you relied on the king of Aram and not on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand. 8 Were not the Cushites and Libyans a mighty army with great numbers of chariots and horsemen? Yet when you relied on the Lord, he delivered them into your hand.
God knows what we are doing, and because He loves us, He won’t let us get away with seeking help from the world, when we should be seeking Him. Sometimes it appears that we are getting away with it, but Godwill eventually address it.
9 For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. [What a tremendous promise from God for those who truly love Him!] You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war.” [Consequences of Asa’s failure to seek God.]
10 Asa was angry with the seer because of this; he was so enraged that he put him in prison. At the same time Asa brutally oppressed some of the people.
When we refuse to take responsibility for our own actions, we take it out on others. Asa did it physically, but sometimes we do it verbally.
11 The events of Asa’s reign, from beginning to end, are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 12 In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was afflicted with a disease in his feet. Though his disease was severe, even in his illness he did not seek help from the Lord, but only from the physicians.
How sad that this man, who experienced God in tremendous ways, failed to humble himself at the end of his life.
God’s blessings should always lead us to repentance according to Romans 2:4: “Or do you show contempt for the riches of His kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?”
We show God He is the most important person in our lives when we look to Him for help.
I believe Asa had a saving relationship with the Lord based upon 1 Chronicles 15:17b: “Asa’s heart was fully committed to the Lord all his life.” He lost intimacy with God, and that is always heartbreaking.
What have you learned from this brief look at Asa and his choices? How can you prevent loss of intimacy in your relationship with God? Where will you look first when you need help?
I’d be happy to talk with you about a relationship with Jesus, our great God and Savior! Please contact me at the email below.
Living for Jesus, Donna
P.S. If this has helped you, please feel free to share it with others!
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Copyright 2022 Donna Shappy
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