2 Chronicles 14-16
SEEK THE LORD
[1 Kings 15:9-24]
God is not limited. Though usually God brings revival during times of apostasy and tragedy, He can also bring revival during times of reformation and prosperity. The revival in the fifteenth year of the Judean King Asa was during a prosperous time. [The revival was a result of his personal seeking of God and leading the nation to seek God.]
This great awakening did not follow a period of religious decline but a period of restoration. This revival did not come in the midst of national adversity and despair but after a season of increase and prosperity, after a time of great national victory and deliverance.
Asa and the people brought about this revival by actively pursuing all that was good and right in the sight of the Lord. Then even against incredible odds they continued to trust God and rely on His intervention and by God’s grace defeated their enemy. So God granted national victory in the face of overwhelming odds which in their own strength would have been certain defeat. The people then became even more zealous to seek the Lord and abide by His Word. It was the goodness of God that encouraged them to seek His will for their nation and individual lives. The goodness of God should bring us to repentance and as God gives grace, revival (Rom. 2:4). [Walter Kaiser, Jr. Revives Us Again. Broadman & Holman Publ. Nashville, TN. 1999. p. 90-92.]
I. Seeking the Lord Brings Peace; 14:1-8
II. Seeking the Lord Brings Prevailing; 14:9-15
III. Seeking the Lord Brings Provision, 15:1-19
IV. Seeking the Lord Brings Providence, 16:1-14
In verse 1 of chapter 14 we find a new King, Asa a man of faith, begins to reign and God honors him with peace. So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in city of David, and his son Asa became king in his place. The land was undisturbed for ten years during his days.
Fortunately for the nation of Judah the reigns of the wicked Kings, Rehoboam and Abijah were comparatively short (20 years total) and were followed by the godly reigns of Asa, 41 years and his son Jehosaphat, 25 years. It is said that “the land was undisturbed for” the first ten years of Judah’s third monarch’s reign. What brought about this time peace? The following paragraph tell us that obedience to God leads to peace with God which can lead to peace with others.
Verse 2 gives God’s assessment of the King Asa. “Asa did good and right in the sight of the Lord.”
This doing good and right displayed itself in the removal of such pagan elements as altars, high places (sites of heathen worship) sacred stones and Asherah poles (v 3). The latter two objects were related to sexually immoral fertility cults. Though attending worship is good, it is not enough. Like Asa we must also remove anything that is offensive to God from us.
Verse 4 speaks to the positive actions Asa took. He encouraged his people to seek the Lord and to keep all the covenant requirements. He also rebuilt the fortified cities because the dividend of internal peace and external rest allowed them to do so. Note the three uses of the term undisturbed (14:1,5,6). It was due to Asa’s reign of faithfulness to God, that strengthening, fortifying and training occurred during this time of security.
This ten year respite from war (14.1) gave Asa the opportunity to build up his military strength. He mustered 300,000 men from Judah and 280,000 from Benjamin, all brave well-trained and equipped. They maintained a high state of military readiness but as verse 7 says “the land is still ours because we have sought the Lord our God.” The most sophisticated weaponry on earth is only sufficient if the nation has sought righteousness, justice, mercy and walked humbly with the one true God.
II. SEEKING THE LORD BRINGS PREVAILING, 14, 9-15.
Because they truly sought the Lord during peace when disaster came stalking they found what they needed in God to prevail. It was essential that they had prepared themselves in the peaceful time because as we read in verse 9 the enemy is always preparing another attack. “Now Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men and 300 chariots, and he came to Mareshah.” Okorkon I, King of Egypt (914-874 B.C.) hired the mercenary Army of Zerah the Ethiopian who marched against Judah with a million man army. Before the Cushites could arrive in Judah proper, Asa’s army meet them near Mareshah, one of Judah’s outlying fortified cities (11:8ff) about 25 miles southwest of Jerusalem.
We too should prepare our spiritual defenses before the enemy attacks. In the heat of battle or temptation is not the best time for a battle plan.
In verse 11 we hear Asa cry out in utter dependency on God to defend them and maintain His promised faithfulness. This climatic verse reads: Then Asa called to the LORD his God and said, “LORD there is no one besides You to help in the battle between the powerful and those who have no strength; so help us, O LORD our God, for we trust in You and in Your name have come against this multitude. O LORD, You are our God; let not man prevail against You.
The testimony of one who seeks the Lord with all his heart and trusts in Him is Lord there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. The incomparable God exceeds everything known to men or women for those who rely or trust in Him. All other trusts or reliances pale into insignificance when compared to the Lord God who exceeds everything we can think or imagine (Eph. 3:20). He brings aid even to the powerless. God will never abandon His people who rely on His name, meaning His character and His integrity. Numbers and strength make no difference to Him. For God the humanly impossible is nothing (Gen. 18:14). So Asa in absolute surrender committed himself to YHWH, and expected the impossible.
If you are facing battles you feel you can’t possibly win, don’t give up. In the face of vast hordes of enemy soldiers, Asa prayed for God’s help, recognizing his powerlessness against such a might army. The secret of victory is first to admit the futility of unaided human effort and then to trust God to save. His power works best through those who recognize their limitations (2 Corinthians 12:9). It is those who think they can do it all on their own who are in the greatest danger.
Verse 12 reports the outcome. “So the Lord routed the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah, and the Ethiopians fled.”
The Lord intervened and the Ethiopian army was crushed. Judah’s victory was decisive and they pursued the Cushites 20 miles southwest to Gerar. The enemy fell everywhere and Gerar and its surrounding towns yielded their spoils to Asa’s army. Even the nomadic herdsmen surrendered their sheep, goats, and camels to the Judeans (6:15), probably for having given aid to the enemy.
We too in those spiritual warfare battles with our great and powerful enemy must find victory through the name of Jesus for the cause of Christ. Let the church that once flourished in Asia Minor, North Africa and Europe do so again. Let the “hidden peoples” of the world come to rejoice in Christ because we have reached them with the Gospel.
III. SEEKING THE LORD BRINGS PROVISION, 15:1-19
Not too long after Asa’s victory, in his 15th year (896 B.C.) “Azariah a prophet of the Lord” came with an affirming Word that the Lord was with Asa and his people. He said peace, prosperity, prevailing and provision would continue as long as the people were true to the Lord and kept on seeking Him (15:1f). He warned them not to repeat the mistakes of their fathers who forsook God, His ministers and His Word or God would forsake them also.
Encouraged by these words, Asa redoubled his efforts to rid the land of evil. He purged the idols and repaired the great bronze altar of sacrifice at the temple. Next Asa convened a great assembly consisting of all Judah, Benjamin and others from far and wide who desired to follow the Lord God (15:9). They held a great sacrifice and offered 700 oxen and 7,000 sheep to the Lord.
We too should act wisely like Asa and welcome people who have a close relationship with God. Keep in contact with people who are filled with God’s Spirit and listen to godly counsel.
Encouragement to keep up God’s good work is relayed in 15:7. “But you, be strong and do not lose courage, for there is reward for your work.” Recognition and reward by God should inspire and motivate us also. Living by God’s standards often results in earthly blessing. Yet the greatest blessing by far is the permanent recognition and reward awarded in the next life. So don’t get discouraged if you feel your faith in God is unrewarded here on earth. The best rewards are not in this life, but in the life to come. [Application Bible, Zondervan. 734]
Verse 15:12 reports the revival. “They entered into the covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and soul:
The service of renewed commitment to covenant relationship was enacted by the people pledging to seek the Lord wholeheartedly and to purge themselves of any who refused to do so (v13). Seeking YHWH is here used to define one who is a true member of God’s community of faith.
Seeking God involves (1) voluntarily and wholeheartedly turning to God, (2) an inner attitude of devotion to serve Him, (3) a decision to turn away from all evil, (4) a decision to fulfill His will, and (5) a commitment to go to Him in fervent prayer. Furthermore, it is the chief means of averting evil (Amos 5:4, 14), the evidence of true humility (Zeph. 2:3), and the basis for sensing the presence of God (Hos.5:15). All true repentance, communion with God, service for Him, prayer to Him, and spiritual growth in Him revolves around truly seeking the Lord. [Kaiser, 195]
The people’s sincere pledges of loyalty were met by the Lord’s acceptance and the blessing of His presence and His rest as is indicated in verse 15. “All Judah, rejoiced concerning the oath, for they had sworn with their whole heart and had sought Him earnestly, and He let them find Him. So the Lord gave them rest on every side.
The seriousness of this decision is reflected in Asa taking action against his own grandmother Maacah (she was Abijah’s mother). He deposed her as Queen mother because she had erected an Asherah, a stylized image of the fertility goddess. He replaced “the dedicated articles” for the temple His grandfather Rehoboam had delivered to Egypt (Schiskak) after the siege (12:9). As a result of this there was an absence of war until the 35th year of Asa’s reign or for 20 years (15:19).
Many people find it difficult to commit themselves to anything. Not these people. They shout their allegiance. These whole hearted commitment brought about peace not only for but within the nation. If you want to experience God’s peace, reaffirm your commitment to God. Peace is a by-product of a wholehearted commitment to God. [Application Bible, 735]
IV. SEEKING THE LORD BRINGS PROVIDENCE, 16:1-14.
Oh how I wish the story ended here at chapter 15 but unfortunately it doesn’t. Asa grew older and began to relax in all his success. He slowly forgets the pursuit of God and the lessons he had learned by walking with God throughout his life. Asa had a spiritual lapse that becomes evident in the 36th year of this reign and is still evident at his death five years later.
Faced with an unprovoked attack Asa felt so threatened that he immediately enter into treaty relations with Ben-Hadad the Aramean King of Damascus. Asa’s father had made such a treaty so he fell into the trap of simply following precedent or tradition instead of listening to God.
It is not sin to use human means to solve our problems, but it is sin to trust in them instead of trusting in God or to think our ways or solutions should be used instead of God’s ways and solutions. [Ibid.]
Ben Hadad accepted the silver and gold, severed ties with Israel and attacked certain Israelite cities in the north. This diverted Israel’s attention from fortifying Ramah in the south (vv. 4-5). Forced to withdraw from Ramah, Baasha King of Israel, could not continue his hostilities there. Asa, therefore moved in, tore down what had been built, and used the stones and timber to create his own fortifications at Geba, just east of Ramah, and Mizpah, between Ramah and Bethel. This would prevent Baasha from making a second effort to fortify Ramah.
Asa had used sound human judgment in effecting his kingdom’s relief from Israelite threat. But in doing this he had relied on a heathen nation, Damascus, instead of trusting in the Lord as he had previously done. Thus he lost the opportunity to defeat the Arameans themselves. This very people would return and wage war with Judah through the remaining years of Asa’s reign (vv. 7-9).
Often what makes good sense logically is not always good theological sense, especially if it is not in keeping with God’s Word. Hanani the seerer rebuked Asa for his lack of faith in God and prophesied wars for Asa and his people instead of the security and prosperity God would have preferred continuing. The army of the king of Syria has escaped you (v.7) suggests that Asa could have conquered Syria as well as northern Israel if he had trusted in God. If Asa had trusted in God, he could have united the divided kingdom and extend its borders to included the nation of Syria. Hanani had reminded Asa that God had given victory over Zerah the Ethiopian against overwhelming odds for He is an all-present, all-powerful God who orders the affairs of human life and history. 16:9 confirms this: For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His. You have acted foolishly in this. Indeed, from now on you will surely have wars.
The all-knowing all seeing “eyes of God the Lord” searched and still search for those whose hearts are completely given over to Him. God is the keeper and sustainer of those who trust Him and stands by eagerly waiting opportunities to help those who are blameless-complete, not sinless, but completely dedicated to Him. In the hands of God, ordinary weak individuals who trust in the Lord with all their hearts find themselves God’s chosen instruments and they accomplish mighty exploits for the Savior because God shows Himself strong on behalf of those who rely on Him. Instead of repenting, Asa remained full of pride in his own opinion and sought to silence the prophet, to silence the Word of the Lord. He stubbornly refused to admit his sin but rationalized his temporary success rather seeking forgiveness. His health and his reign start a downward spiral from that point on.
What a waste after so many years of wonderful reformation and then times of great revival. More than ever we ought to be warned that it is not the person who begins the race who should boast but only the one who takes off the equipment after the contest. May we always seek the Lord all the days of our life.
CONCLUSION
God never accepts the idea that “the end justifies the means.” Even those who experience the reviving hand of God may not finish well. We are reminded of the New Testament warning (1 Cor. 10:12), “Let him who thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall.” We not only need to believe God for Revival, when it comes and we prosper, we need to continue to live by faith in God and His Word. We who have walked with God should continue with God. We must finish well.
As the deer pants for the water, let our souls pant for the living God. “Such is the generation of those who seek Him, who seek Your face, O God” (Ps. 24:6). May Christ’s church be revived and search for Him as never before. May we know a new communion with the King of kings and Lord of lords. May we know what it is to serve, obey, and know Him in an altogether unique way, for if we seek Him, He will be found by each one of us.
