Asa 2 Chron 14-16
Have you ever come across a verse in the Bible that doesn’t seem to make any sense at all? Num 6:18
Why did they need to burn their hair? Is there any significance in this? I hope I’ve made you inquisitive, because now I’m not going to give you an answer.
Tonight we’re talking about testimonies. How many of you get nervous when I say, “I’m going to call some folk up to give testimonies”? Nervous because up front, or because you don’t know what to say. We should always be able to testify about what God is doing in our lives.
Turn to 2Chr 14 We’ll look at some of the testimonies of one of the better kings of Judah ... Asa
1. 2CHR 14:1-6
14 And Abijah rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David. Asa his son succeeded him as king, and in his days the country was at peace for ten years. Asa King of Judah 2 Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God. 3 He removed the foreign altars and the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. 4 He commanded Judah to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, and to obey his laws and commands. 5 He removed the high places and incense altars in every town in Judah, and the kingdom was at peace under him. 6 He built up the fortified cities of Judah, since the land was at peace. No one was at war with him during those years, for the LORD gave him rest.
GOOD TESTIMONY:- “GOD IS FAITHFUL”
Reasons why he could give this testimony:
a) [2] he did what was good and right in the eyes of God
good things are not necessarily right.
i) good - not stealing
ii) right in God’s eyes - going to church
Asa went one step further than doing good things ... HE DID RIGHT THINGS
b) [3] he removed the foreign altars
didn’t just stop sinning, he got rid of the things that were tempting him to sin
Don’t just stop smoking, throw cigarettes away.
c) [4] he commanded Judah to seek the Lord
You will always have a testimony if you tell people about Jesus.
2. 14:9-12
9 Zerah the Cushite marched out against them with a vast army and three hundred chariots, and came as far as Mareshah. 10 Asa went out to meet him, and they took up battle positions in the Valley of Zephathah near Mareshah. 11 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, and in your name we have come against this vast army. O LORD, you are our God; do not let man prevail against you.” 12 The LORD struck down the Cushites before Asa and Judah. The Cushites fled,
GOOD TESTIMONY:- “GOD IS FAITHFUL”
Reasons: why he could give this testimony:
a) [11] knew he was weak
It’s when we give up, that God can do His thing!
b) [11] knew God was strong
Jewish psychiatrist who says “we need to get to the place where we can forgive God for his shortcomings” ... ???!!!!? GOD’S ARM IS NOT TOO SHORT.
Trusted in God’s strength entirely
3. 15:1-9A; 10A; 12,13A; 16A; 17B-19
The Spirit of God came upon Azariah son of Oded. 2 He 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. 3 For a long time Israel was without the true God, without a priest to teach and without the law. 4 But in their distress they turned to the LORD, the God of Israel, and sought him, and he was found by them. 5 In those days it was not safe to travel about, for all the inhabitants of the lands were in great turmoil. 6 One nation was being crushed by another and one city by another, because God was troubling them with every kind of distress. 7 But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.” 8 When Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Azariah son of Oded the prophet, 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. 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.
12 They entered into a covenant to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, 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.
17 Although he did not remove the high places from Israel, 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.
GOOD TESTIMONY
Reasons: why he could give this testimony:
a) [1] Heeded a warning
He was in danger of overstepping the grace which had been bestowed upon him and he took heed of the warning.
Often we are too busy doing our own thing that we don’t hear (don’t recognise) the warnings.
b) [12f] Committed to no compromise
If your friends don’t worship God, kill them. - must have non Christian friends, but we mustn’t jol with them.
c) [16] Not prepared to let even family ties get in the way
4. 16:4;7-9
4 Ben-Hadad agreed with King Asa and sent the commanders of his forces against the towns of Israel.
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. 9 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.”
NO TESTIMONY (Baasha rose up against Judah. Asa made a treaty with the king of Aram; Ben Hadad)
Reasons why:
a) [4] He thought success showed God’s approval
b) [7] 35 years had caused him to trust in his own strength
Reve 3:16 (niv) So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, `I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realise that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.
The second law of thermodynamics says that a closed system eventually moderates untill no more energy is produced. If the church is a "closed system" it will become lukewarm. It needs something coming in to make it hot ... the fire of the Holy Spirit
5. 16:11-14 NO TESTIMONY
a) Reason why: continued to rely on self - nothing wrong with taking medicine, but Asa was refusing to look to God
b) I always marvel that people who have known God, seen him perform miracles, refuse to turn to him when in need.
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. 13 Then in the forty-first year of his reign Asa died and rested with his fathers. 14 They buried him in the tomb that he had cut out for himself in the City of David. They laid him on a bier covered with spices and various blended perfumes, and they made a huge fire in his honor.
CONC
6. Nazarites had to burn their dreadlocks so that they could not frame them
a) Grew their hair because of a special vow
b) God used them incredibly during that time
c) temptation is to remember those days as the days God moved
d) God wants us to have a testimony of what He’s done today, not yesterday!
7. they made a huge fire in his honour (yay)
I would rather have God’s fire burn while I’m alive, than man’s fire when I’m dead
8. If you’ve been living on old testimonies; surviving on last weeks QT, God wants to do something fresh in your life.
That means becoming uncomfortable again;
that means admitting that you don’t know all the answers.
Reve 2:2 (niv) I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.
3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.
