Scripture: 1 Kings 15:9-15; 2 Chronicles 14-15
Key Theme: A positive mental attitude towards God results in obedience and responsive action to God’s word. In return, God responds to obedience to His Word.
Asa was a good king of the southern kingdom, Judah. His mental attitude and actions towards God dictated God’s response to Judah and King Asa both positively and negatively. Asa’s mental attitude resulted in physical action and deeds. Ultimately, there are consequences to our obedience of God’s Word.
Asa’s actions were the result of his attitude. His attitude is expressed in…
1 Kings 15:11 Asa did what was right in the sight of the Lord.
1 Kings 15:14b- nevertheless the heart of Asa was wholly devoted to the Lord all his days.
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Because of this mental attitude, Asa was obedient to the Lord in regard to His commandments.
Societal reforms were made by Asa according to God’s Commandments. Asa called on Judah to worship the one true God in 2 Chronicles 15:10-15. As a result, the Lord gave them rest on every side.
Asa called for the removal of male cult prostitution and idolatry in the land in 1 Kings 15:12.
Asa sacrificed precious metals and dedicated family items to the Lord in 1 Kings 15:15. This resulted in peace and prosperity with fortified cities.
Military and political decisions were driven by Asa’s attitude toward God. A result of Asa’s convictions was that citizens from Israel defected to him when they saw that the Lord was with Asa (2 Chronicles 15:9).
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In military affairs, there are two examples of Asa’s mental attitude. One is positive towards God and the other is negative.
When confronted with the Ethiopians, Asa turned to God. Asa called on the Lord in battle. God responded and the Lord routed Ethiopia. The dread of the Lord had fallen on the Ethiopians. Judah enjoyed the spoils of victory with plunder and livestock (2 Chronicles 14).
The second example involves Asa against the Kingdom of Israel. Instead of trusting in the Lord, Asa turned to the king of Aram in Damascus. Asa requested a treaty for safety with the King of Aram and gave him silver and gold. There were consequences for trusting in the King of Aram instead of God. Hanani the prophet indicated that the army of the King of Aram had escaped from his hand and that there would be wars in Asa’s land (2 Chronicles 16:1-8).
When Asa turned from God, his kingdom began to suffer. He imprisoned the prophet out of anger. Asa turned on his people and oppressed them. Ultimately, he became sick with diseased feet. Instead of turning to the Lord, he turned and trusted physicians. Asa died two years later (2 Chronicles 16:9-13).
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Asa trusted in the Lord for the first 35 years of his reign. Judah benefited during this time with peace and prosperity. In the last six years of Asa’s reign, he turned away from God. The kingdom declined, war returned, and the people were oppressed. Asa was obedient to God in his early years, but failed late in life in regards to his mental attitude.
God makes it clear that He wishes for obedience. There are consequences for our choice of mental attitude towards God. The prophet Azariah indicated to Asa:
2 Chronicles 15:2b the Lord is with you when you are with Him. And if you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.
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God indicates that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.
2 Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD roam throughout the earth, so that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His. You have acted foolishly in this. Indeed, from now on you will have wars.
Israel’s collective heart was not devoted to the Lord God. As a result…
2 Chronicles 15:6b When there was absence of God in Israel, God troubled them with every kind of distress.
But God is true to His Word, 2 Chronicles 15:7 “but you, be strong and do not lose courage, for there is reward for your work…”.
Be sure, that your work is born out of your heart and obedience to God’s Word.
