For We Rely on You

There was no more war until the thirty-fifth year of Asa’s [king of Judah] reign. (2 Chronicles 15:19, NIV 1984).

My Musings – When Asa succeeded his father as king of Judah, “the country was at peace for ten years. No one was at war with him during those years, for the Lord gave him rest.” (2 Chronicles 14:1, 6, NIV 1984). This is likely because “Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God. He commanded Judah to seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, and to obey his laws and commands.” (2 Chronicles 14:2, 4, NIV 1984).

Then war came. “Zerah the Cushite marched out against them with a vast army and three hundred chariots… Asa went out to meet him, and they took up battle positions… Then Asa called to the Lord his God and said, ‘Lord, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on you.'” (2 Chronicles 14:9-11, NIV 1984). And God delivered Asa and Judah from the Cushites.

Azariah son of Oded the prophet, “went out to meet Asa and said to him, ‘Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.'” (2 Chronicles 15:2, NIV 1984). As a result, “Asa’s heart was fully committed to the Lord all his life.” (2 Chronicles 15:17, NIV 1984).

But “in the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah. [So], 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. ‘Let there be a treaty between me and you,’ he said. ‘Now break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so he will withdraw from me.’ Ben-Hadad agreed with King Asa.” (2 Chronicles 16:1-4, NIV 1984). And Basha withdrew.

Seemingly, things turned out well. Except for the “but.” “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. 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. For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war.'” (2 Chronicles 16:7-9, NIV 1984).

The “foolish thing?” Rather than seeking the Lord, as he had done before, he sought an alliance with a sometimes enemy. “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.” (2 Chronicles 16:12, NIV 1984).

My Advice – The curious thing about Asa’s reign was that although he was “fully committed to the Lord all his life,” he did not fully rely on the Lord all his life. And the latter part of his reign was marred by war and disease.

“Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or seek help from the Lord.” (Isaiah 31:1, NIV 1984).

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6, NIV 1984).

Be fully committed while fully relying. “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7, NIV 1984).