Asa’s Obedience to The Lord

II Chronicles 14:1–15
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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.