2 Chronicles 14 - 16
In summary:
Asa serves as a good example of devotion to Yahweh… and as a warning against depending on economic power rather than on Yahweh.
Asa serves as a good example of devotion to Yahweh… and as a warning against depending on economic power rather than on Yahweh.
In more detail:
In his narrative of Asa’s reign, the Chronicler again mentions some of his favorite topics like the building of cities (2 Chronicles 14:6-7) and the arrival of many Israelites who have abandoned their cities to live in Jerusalem and Judah (2 Chronicles 15:9). But he highlights another favorite topic – the humble prayer of the anointed of David’s house to Yahweh: “And Asa cried to the LORD his God, ‘O LORD, there is none like you to help, between the mighty and the weak. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. O LORD, you are our God; let not man prevail against you’” (2 Chronicles 14:11). In response, Yahweh again gives His people victory over a superior enemy force: “So the LORD defeated the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah, and the Ethiopians fled” (2 Chronicles 14:12). Just as Solomon had
requested at the dedication of the temple, Yahweh listens and responds gloriously to the prayer of His anointed.
And how does Asa respond to this favor? With even more devotion: “They were gathered at Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa… And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and with all their soul, but that whoever would not seek the LORD, the God of Israel, should be put to death, whether young or old, man or woman. They swore an
oath to the LORD with a loud voice and with shouting and with trumpets and with horns (2 Chronicles 15:10, 12-14). Once again, just as Solomon had prayed during its dedication, the temple has become a place where the righteous vows of the people are
established.
Therefore, we’re surprised with Asa’s lack of trust in Yahweh decades later in 2 Chronicles 16. He is saved from his enemies once again, but at a high price and without
consulting Yahweh. We read these events in 1 Kings 15:17-22, but now with their prophetic reproof: “Because you relied on the king of Syria, and did not rely on the LORD your God, the army of the king of Syria has escaped you” (2 Chronicles 16:7). His lack of faith is scandalous when it is seen in light of the earlier victory granted against the Ethiopians and Libyans (2 Chronicles 16:8). He has forgotten that he always must
exercise authority in submission to Yahweh: “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars” (2 Chronicles 16:9).
In response, Asa shows that his heart has hardened spiritually during decades of peace: “Then Asa was angry with the seer and put him in the stocks in prison, for he was in a rage with him because of this (2 Chronicles 16:10). Instead of repentance, Asa
reacts by trying to silence the ministry of Yahweh’s word.
From Asa’s double-mindedness, we can observe that our devotion to Yahweh is in
movement always: we either are growing closer to Him through more repentance, more humility, more devotion to His word and more joy in His salvation, or we are distancing ourselves from Him with more pride, more self-confidence in our own plans and projects and more impatience with Yahweh’s people and His word. It is worthwhile to pause and reflect: Am I moving closer to Yahweh today or am I drifting away from Him?
In his narrative of Asa’s reign, the Chronicler again mentions some of his favorite topics like the building of cities (2 Chronicles 14:6-7) and the arrival of many Israelites who have abandoned their cities to live in Jerusalem and Judah (2 Chronicles 15:9). But he highlights another favorite topic – the humble prayer of the anointed of David’s house to Yahweh: “And Asa cried to the LORD his God, ‘O LORD, there is none like you to help, between the mighty and the weak. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. O LORD, you are our God; let not man prevail against you’” (2 Chronicles 14:11). In response, Yahweh again gives His people victory over a superior enemy force: “So the LORD defeated the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah, and the Ethiopians fled” (2 Chronicles 14:12). Just as Solomon had
requested at the dedication of the temple, Yahweh listens and responds gloriously to the prayer of His anointed.
And how does Asa respond to this favor? With even more devotion: “They were gathered at Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa… And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and with all their soul, but that whoever would not seek the LORD, the God of Israel, should be put to death, whether young or old, man or woman. They swore an
oath to the LORD with a loud voice and with shouting and with trumpets and with horns (2 Chronicles 15:10, 12-14). Once again, just as Solomon had prayed during its dedication, the temple has become a place where the righteous vows of the people are
established.
Therefore, we’re surprised with Asa’s lack of trust in Yahweh decades later in 2 Chronicles 16. He is saved from his enemies once again, but at a high price and without
consulting Yahweh. We read these events in 1 Kings 15:17-22, but now with their prophetic reproof: “Because you relied on the king of Syria, and did not rely on the LORD your God, the army of the king of Syria has escaped you” (2 Chronicles 16:7). His lack of faith is scandalous when it is seen in light of the earlier victory granted against the Ethiopians and Libyans (2 Chronicles 16:8). He has forgotten that he always must
exercise authority in submission to Yahweh: “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars” (2 Chronicles 16:9).
In response, Asa shows that his heart has hardened spiritually during decades of peace: “Then Asa was angry with the seer and put him in the stocks in prison, for he was in a rage with him because of this (2 Chronicles 16:10). Instead of repentance, Asa
reacts by trying to silence the ministry of Yahweh’s word.
From Asa’s double-mindedness, we can observe that our devotion to Yahweh is in
movement always: we either are growing closer to Him through more repentance, more humility, more devotion to His word and more joy in His salvation, or we are distancing ourselves from Him with more pride, more self-confidence in our own plans and projects and more impatience with Yahweh’s people and His word. It is worthwhile to pause and reflect: Am I moving closer to Yahweh today or am I drifting away from Him?
