Asa’s Obedience to The Lord
August 18, 2020
Commentary
After approximately two decades of apostasy in Judah, a dedicated worshiper of God took the Throne. Asa, son of Abijah, occupied the Davidic throne for 41 years. He led the first of five great reformations in Judah. He was assessed as a generally good ruler who destroyed pagan objects of worship and urged compliance with the covenant of the Lord. He removed the cult prostitutes and wooden idols from the land (I Kings 5:9-13). Despite growing up in a palace dominated by an idolatrous grandmother and a hypocritical father, Asa did that which was right in the eyes of God. Unfortunately, toward the end of his reign this good king experienced a failure of faith.
God blessed Judah with ten years of peace and prosperity which Asa attributed to the reformation. During these years he built fortified cities and strengthened his army. Spear men from Judah numbered 300,000, while bowmen from Benjamin numbered 280,000 (vv. 1-8). About 900 B.C. Judah was Invaded by a vast group from Ethiopia (vv. 9-15). Asa turned to the Lord in urgent prayer and was granted a smashing victory. He confessed total dependence on God and asked for help for He was the only one who could help him. The prayer concluded with the appeal “let not man prevail against you” (vv. 9-11). The armies of Judah pursued the Ethiopians as far as Gerar, five miles north of Gaza. When Asa got there, he plundered Gerar and the surrounding villages and returned to Jerusalem in triumph, with plunder that included many animals as well as material goods.
Application
Asa was a man of prayer and called on God to go before him before he went into battle. I must always recognize my need for God before I go into the battles of life.
2 Chronicles 14:1– 15 (NET)
1 (13:23) Abijah passed away and was buried in the City of David. His son Asa replaced him as king. During his reign the land had rest for ten years.
2 (14:1) Asa did what the Lord his God desired and approved. 3 He removed the pagan altars and the high places, smashed the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles. 4 He ordered Judah to seek the Lord God of their ancestors and to observe his law and commands. 5 He removed the high places and the incense altars from all the towns of Judah. The kingdom had rest under his rule.
6 He built fortified cities throughout Judah, for the land was at rest and there was no war during those years; the Lord gave him peace. 7 He said to the people of Judah: “Let’s build these cities and fortify them with walls, towers, and barred gates. The land remains ours because we have followed the Lord our God; we have followed him, and he has made us secure on all sides.” So they built the cities and prospered.
8 Asa had an army of 300,000 men from Judah, equipped with large shields and spears. He also had 280,000 men from Benjamin who carried small shields and were adept archers; they were all skilled warriors. 9 Zerah the Cushite marched against them with an army of 1,000,000 men and 300 chariots . He arrived at Mareshah, 10 and Asa went out to oppose him. They deployed for battle in the Valley of Zephathah near Mareshah.
11 Asa prayed to the Lord his God: “O Lord, there is no one but you who can help the weak when they are vastly outnumbered. Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on you and have marched on your behalf against this huge army. O Lord, you are our God; don’t let men prevail against you!” 12 The Lord struck down the Cushites before Asa and Judah. The Cushites fled, 13 and Asa and his army chased them as far as Gerar. The Cushites were wiped out; they were shattered before the Lord and his army. The men of Judah carried off a huge amount of plunder. 14 They defeated all the towns surrounding Gerar, for the Lord caused them to panic. The men of Judah looted all the towns, for they contained a huge amount of goods. 15 They also attacked the tents of the herdsmen in charge of the livestock. They carried off many sheep and camels and then returned to Jerusalem.