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Reading through the Old Testament in the Bible about the Kings of Judah and the Kings of Israel it is quite evident to see that some did what was good and followed God while others did not do what was good but practiced evil, therefore they were known as evil kings. These numerous accounts seem to show a pattern of back and forth, with often an evil king followed by a good king. Most of us would probably remember that King Hezekiah of Judah was a good king while his father Ahaz was wicked. There is such a huge contrast and deep chasm of character between father and son here. One might think that a son would follow in his father’s footsteps ordinarily but time spent in the care of the mother also has important ramifications — for good or for evil. It mattered whether rulers married wives who were equally yoked to them spiritually, or whether they married for convenience sake to increase and further their kingdoms physically in alliance for power, peace and prosperity, and the latter is often shown to be the case.
Trying to meditate and imagine on why leadership could not remain stable for any great length of time gives me more questions than answers. It seemed like so much was against the Kings of Judah and Israel mainly because of the people wanting to pridefully do what was right in their own eyes rather than do what God said. If the king was wicked then the people were led astray. If the king was good then the people at least had some hope. Over and over again the vast majority of people just gave in to their carnal human nature fed by their own lusts that were justified by seared consciences. What struck me as being significant was that most kings were either good or evil all their days without changing. Also significant was the fact that some commenced rulership in their kingdom well by removing the pagan altars of foreign gods in high places only to be later influenced by others for the worse, usually their pagan wives, eventually caving in to allow idolatry, even joining in themselves thereby no longer remaining faithful to God. Solomon was one king who went astray in this way and yet his father David was faithful to his last breath.
There is a fascinating account in 2 Chronicles 14-16 and 1 Kings 15:9-24 of King Asa, a man we can read about who had everything going for him as he began to rule the Judean people wisely while God was with him, reaping the benefits of peace in the land. For many years and the majority of his rulership, Asa was dedicated and close to God, listened to God, obeyed God, and heartily encouraged his people to follow God’s ways thereby leading his people wisely. Asa started off well in life as his father, King Abijah was known as a good king and followed God faithfully until he died. Sounds all well and good but the story does not end there. Let us examine this account in order to glean from all the lessons we must take to heart and heed.
2 Chronicles 14:2-13 informs us that “Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God, for he removed the altars of the foreign gods and the high places, and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the wooden images. He commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to observe the law and the commandment. He also removed the high places and the incense altars from all the cities of Judah, and the kingdom was quiet under him. And he built fortified cities in Judah, for the land had rest; he had no war in those years, because the Lord had given him rest. Therefore he said to Judah, ‘Let us build these cities and make walls around them, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us, because we have sought the Lord our God; we have sought Him, and He has given us rest on every side’. So they built and prospered. And Asa had an army of three hundred thousand from Judah who carried shields and spears, and from Benjamin two hundred and eighty thousand men who carried shields and drew bows; all these were mighty men of valor. Then Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots, and he came to Mareshah. So Asa went out against him, and they set the troops in battle array in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. And Asa cried out to the Lord his God, and said, ‘Lord, it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power; help us, O Lord our God, for we rest on You, and in Your name we go against this multitude. O Lord, You are our God; do not let man prevail against You!’ So the Lord struck the Ethiopians before Asa and Judah, and the Ethiopians fled. And Asa and the people who were with him pursued them to Gerar. So the Ethiopians were overthrown, and they could not recover, for they were broken before the Lord and His army. And they carried away very much spoil”.
Bravo for King Asa and his loyal subjects. God can indeed fight our battles just like He did with King Asa. Imagine having 580,000 valiant men with shields, spears and bows on foot up against 1,000,000 men with 300 chariots. Seemingly no match at all with certain defeat imminent yet the key is God was with King Asa and his army. God was not with the Ethiopians. Despite this great defeat and the wonderfully close relationship he had with God, the last few years of Asa’s life did not go so well as he tragically became foolish, relied on his own faulty human logic, was prideful, unwilling to listen, even angry with God’s prophet Hanani so Asa put him in prison for speaking truth (2 Chronicles 16:7), oppressed the people, and set about to organise help from his contemporary, a physical man, by aligning himself with Ben-Hadad King of Syria rather than remaining faithful to God by looking to Him for direction, guidance, and help as he previously had. How could this be?! How could one of God’s people who saw such great miracles and experienced the myriad of blessings King Asa had turn so completely away from everything when nearing the end of his life?
Before his death King Asa spent his remaining 6 years as king and did not repent or turn from his sinful ways even though God mercifully and lovingly gave him this time to change his heart and seek forgiveness. After Asa’s death his son Jehoshaphat became the next king of Judah. You may like to read about whether Jehoshaphat was a good or evil king if unsure. Remarkably, even through a severe health trial towards the end of his life King Asa did not seek out God as he became embroiled in self reliance rather than relying on the power of God. His heart was hardened through sin which separated Asa from God, and what is so tragic is that he chose to remain in this state until his death. When we sin we know that sin separates us from our Father until we humble ourselves, go to Him in prayer and seek earnest heartfelt forgiveness through repentance, then resolve to resist and overcome sin from that moment on.
One analogy we could use to highlight what happened to King Asa would be that of a boat handsomely decorated with regalia, a well constructed sturdy sailing vessel moored at dock ready for work with many years of good service until one day it was found to be no longer anchored at harbour through sleight of hand. The weather became inclement so it then aimlessly drifts about the sea tossed to and fro in every direction unable to weather the storms of life and ultimately suffers wear and tear, is battered about until its destruction — and yet it didn’t need to be this way if King Asa had only humbled himself. He knew God, God was with him, they had been friends not strangers, they’d had a great relationship! Are we willing to learn valuable lessons from this example? Asa’s folly speaks clearly to me. Let us delve even deeper.
In 2 Chronicles 16:11-12 it is said of King Asa “And in the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa became diseased in his feet, and his malady was severe; yet in his disease he did not seek the Lord, but the physicians”. This is a really terrible state of affairs on Asa’s part. He completely ignored God as if he did not remember His power, His love, His healing, His protection, His ability to turn disaster or a scary situation into good. Have we ever forgotten to include God or go to Him first to seek healing? The thing is Asa did forget God and shut Him out of his life altogether. He once knew God which makes this account even more sad. Remember what scripture says of Asa in 2 Chronicles 15:1-9 “Now the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded. And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him: ‘Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you. For a long time Israel has been without the true God, without a teaching priest, and without law; but when in their trouble they turned to the Lord God of Israel, and sought Him, He was found by them. And in those times there was no peace to the one who went out, nor to the one who came in, but great turmoil was on all the inhabitants of the lands. So nation was destroyed by nation, and city by city, for God troubled them with every adversity. But you, be strong and do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded!’ And when Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and removed the abominable idols from all the land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities which he had taken in the mountains of Ephraim; and he restored the altar of the Lord that was before the vestibule of the Lord. Then he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and those who dwelt with them from Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon, for they came over to him in great numbers from Israel when they saw that the Lord his God was with him”. This was how King Asa commenced his kingly duties and showed loyalty to God. What a contrast between his beginning and end.
It matters how we finish moreso than how we started out in our journey with God. We could debate whether Asa would have sought out God immediately in any health trial for healing throughout his many faithful years while ruling, and before he became prideful. This is quite astounding to me that he, King Asa, in his severe physical weakness with painfully diseased feet (while the Bible does not specifically name or mention the disease it could have been any number of ailments such as Diabetes Mellitus or Gout which is incredibly painful) refused to humble himself and seek help from God whom he previously had a very close and loving relationship with. Asa had been mightily blessed by God and saw the great deeds He did in defeating those vast armies for him, yet he faltered, succumbed to fear, preferring to rely on his own human judgment, power and capabilities, all of which were given to him by God. His demise eventually came about only after he did not trust or show faith to God consistently during the 41 long years of his rulership over Judah.
Today we must be resolutely strong and alert to remain faithful to our great God as our battles continue on with the spiritual realm and perhaps even in physical ailments too. Endurance is key while endeavouring to bring our boat into harbour under God’s gentle guidance and strong protection, allowing safe anchorage after passage through calm waters as in times of peace like the kings experienced, and also when in rough, choppy, turbulent seas as in times of war. We are in such a time as this now as we notice the waters swirling, lapping against the boat with a greater force than ever before. After this timely warning from King Asa’s life we can take great comfort to strengthen ourselves through internalising the apostle Peter’s words in 2 Peter 1:10-11 “Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ”. Therefore, we must never abandon ship but choose to stay onboard, batten down the hatches, avoid capsizing, sail with due diligence, allow God’s skilful navigational compass to get us on course, correct that course when needed, and then homeward bound until we come ashore to the Promised Land.