Lessons from the Reign of King Asa

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Lessons from the Reign of Asa

 

Asa was the third king in Judah following the division of Israel during the reign of Rehoboam.  His father Abijam only ruled for three years.  Abijam was not a good king in the eyes of God.

I Kings 15: 1 - 3

The most notable thing about Abijam was that he somehow  managed to raise a good son.

I Kings 15: 4 - 5

This, we are told was because of God’s promise to David. Asa’s reign began peacefully.

 II Chronicles 14:1-6

He removed many of the idols that had been accepted and worshipped by the people of Judah. He decreed that the worship of God was to be followed.

He strengthened Judah’s cities.
 

 

 He had one major battle with an army from Ethiopia during his tenth year of reigning. Though he was out numbered about 2 to 1, he turned to God and was saved.

II Chronicles 14:11-12

God promised Asa that He would be with him as long as Asa remained faithful.

II Chronicles 15:1-7

As a result, Asa threw himself into the work of purifying Judah from the past idolatry of its people. 

 II Chronicles 15:8

Because of this, people began to migrate to him. Many people left Israel to return to worshiping God in Judah.

II Chronicles 15:9

They committed themselves to serving God.

II Chronicles 15:12-15

Asa did not even let family ties stop him from cleansing the land.

II Chronicles 15:16

 

 

He wasn’t perfect, but he followed God with his whole heart.

II Chronicles 15:17

Peace continued in Judah for another 25 years until Asa’s 35th year in reigning Judah. It was at this time that Baasha, king of Israel, became frustrated with the number of people leaving his territory, so he closed the borders and began building a fortified city.

II Chronicles 16:1

It is also at this time that we see a change in Asa’s attitude. Instead of relying on God’s help, Asa took the wealth of God’s house as well as his own and used it to bribe Ben-Hadad, king of Syria, to attack Israel on the north.

II Chronicles 16:2-5

God sent Hanani the prophet to rebuke Asa for his actions in this matter.

II Chronicles 16:7-9

Asa didn’t like the message, so he threw God’s messenger into prison.

II Chronicles 16:10

 

 

Just a few years later, Asa’s feet started to give him trouble.

II Chronicles 16:12

He was still mad at God and would not seek God’s help. Instead, he sought out doctors instead of seeking out God.  Two years later he died.

II Chronicles 16:13

Since the Old Testament is our example, what are some lessons we can learn from the reign of Asa?

We learn that God most definitely meant it when he said there were to be no other gods before him.

Exodus 20:1-6

Not only were idols not to be worshiped, God expects his people to turn to him in times of trouble. Our worship can not be in words only. It must be matched with the life that we live.  Jeremiah 7:4-11

So many people today think they can use their own wisdom and get by just fine. 

I Corinthians 3:18-20
 

 

We see denominations that vote on who they believe is acceptable to God. We see them even vote on what laws they will or will not follow. They justify this blasphemy by saying we must adapt the Bible to modern society, but that is completely backwards. Modern society needs to adapt itself to the ways of God.

Even family must not stand between us and God.

We can also see that trusting God means seeking God’s solution in all things. Asa strayed when he began solving his problems with his own solutions. We must always remember to trust God, not ourselves.
Proverbs 3:5-7

Humans are not designed to direct our own way.

Jeremiah 10:23

 

We must not be wise in our own estimation.
Romans 12:16 

 

We also learn that we must be willing to listen to rebuke. A wise man listens to correction.

Proverbs 13:1
 

Learning from a rebuke will make a deeper and more lasting impression. It will help us see that we are just unworthy servants, seeking to do the will of God.

Luke 17:10

When we see someone straying, we must be willing to rebuke them.

Luke 17:3

Doing this shows true, godly, love.

Proverbs 27:5

Asa was a fool not to listen to the warning from God and then an even bigger fool to treat God’s messenger with such contempt.

We see that we must also be willing to repent of past mistakes. Some of His disciples reported to Jesus on the evil done by others. Jesus used the occasion to warn them about their own needs.

Luke 13:1-5

So often we see the evils done by others and then congratulate ourselves for being better than they are. Why is it that our own sins are always less than someone else’s? Sin is sin. My sins can keep me out of heaven just as much as yours can keep you out of heaven.

All men, everywhere are commanded to repent.

Acts 17:30

 

So we learn from a study of Asa that we should be following and obeying God in the manner He has revealed to us. We should not think that we can guide our own lives without God being involved. We should pray multiple times daily, asking for His help. We should listen to those who are trying to tell us that we are doing wrong. And we should be willing to repent of those wrongs.