Saturday, August 25, 2018
“And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God: For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves:…. Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the images: and the kingdom was quiet before him” (2 Chronicles 14:2-3,5 KJV).
King Asa’s noteworthy extensive religious reforms involved demolishing his fathers’ idols and shrines, and teaching good doctrine.
Asa was King David’s great-great-grandson. His father (King Abijah/Abijam) was evil, as was his grandfather King Rehoboam. Asa was Judah’s first good king in 20 years. While appearing briefly in 1 Kings chapter 15, much of what we know about him comes from 2 Chronicles chapters 14-16 (today’s Scripture). He ruled Judah 41 years and was Jehoshaphat’s father.
Verse 4: “And [Asa] commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.” They were to keep the Mosaic Law: the First Commandment instructed Israel not to have any other gods before JEHOVAH God. Idols had been worshipped long enough; it was time to forsake such folly and live realistically. Exodus 20:3-5: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God….”
Religion demands, “You had better stop sin!” Yet, no religionist knows how to do it! Asa went beyond merely forbidding evil; he told his people how to do right. Since they listened to the LORD God, he blessed them with peace in their land for 10 years. Not only do we stress the negative (sin), we emphasize the positive (eternal life through Jesus Christ). We present the bad news first to heighten the good news—“the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24). “Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again the third day” (1 Corinthians 15:3,4). “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).
333 Words of Grace 