Are your options really options?
Asa was the great-grandson of Solomon. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord.
He saw peace and had a huge army, and when another larger army came against him, he had the people seek the Lord and He struck down the enemy and gave Judah victory.
In the first part of Asa’s reign, we saw there is a price to pay for getting the best in life.
Remember we looked at what “Seeking the Lord” meant in Scripture.
8 Ways to Seek the Lord
- Think good. Isaiah 55:6-7
- Speak good. Psalm 34:14
- Do good. Psalm 34:15, Psalm 24:4-6
- Trust God. Psalm 24:4-6
- Obey God. Zephaniah 2:3
- Pray to God. Jeremiah 29:12-14
- Serve God wholeheartedly. 1 Chronicles 28:9
- Live Humbly. Zephaniah 2:3
Will we be wholly devoted to God?
Do you not think it’s for today? Check out Matthew 18:24-25
Read 2 Chronicles 16:1-6
It seems like Asa did a good thing. Let’s keep reading.
2 Chronicles 16:9 wholly committed to
Check his attitude…
Remember how he responded in the chapter before? 2 Chronicles 15:8
Look at how he respond now, after years of prosperity and peace.
2 Chronicles 16:10
Why can this happen?
Look at what it says in 2 Chronicles 15:17
Although he did not remove the high places from Israel, Asa’s heart was fully committed to the Lord all his life.
In the parallel verse that was earlier in 1 Kings 15:14
Although he did not remove the high places, Asa’s heart was fully committed to the Lord all his life.
The Chronicler pointed to the high places in Israel – remember Asa was King of the southern Kingdom of Judah – in Kings we see the problem was likely more widespread than that.
Do you understand the apparent contradiction of this statement?
His heart was fully committed to God, and yet he did not remove the high places.
What were the High places?
High places were the places the pagan Cannanites worshipped their gods. Israelites were told to destroy them. (Numbers 33:52; Deuteronomy 7:5; 12:3)
Altars to Jehovah were to be built only at divinely sanctioned sites (Exodus 20:24; Deuteronomy 12:5; 8, 13-14)
But it’s unclear whether or not worshipping at High places was was wrong, if it wasn’t formally a place of worship for a pagan God. (1 Kings 19:10,14; Leviticus 26:30-31; Deuteronomy 12; 1 Samuel 9:12)
Basically, Asa had an option. He had an option to get rid of all the high places or just the really bad ones. He got rid of the ones where the pagans worshipped, but then worshiped God in a way that was similar to the way he got rid of.
We know that in time, this would draw the people of God away from the worship of God.
And it’s the only indication we have in the text for why he changed so dramatically over time.
That compromise in Asa’s life led to a bigger one years later.
We like to live in the grey areas. But see what James 4:4 says about that.
He had another option. Once again he was faced with a threat. Israel was building defences against him. He could have sought God like he did when he was younger.
But he decided to rely on his own wit and wisdom…and it worked!
I’m sure he was patting himself on the back for creating his own defence fund building project when Hanani the seer came to him to call him to account.
It could be why he responded the way he did. He was pleased with his choice of option and he was confronted for it.
Look what else happened to Asa after his response to Hanani 2 Chronicles 16:11-14
Note verse 12 – wouldn’t seek God, even in sickness
(Please note, it isn’t saying to not seek the help of physicians…only to not rely on them alone and not God)
You and I
You and I can go from the place of seeking God in all things to not even crying out to Him when we really need it.
It comes when we think we have options along the way.
We have apparent options in our life as well. God isn’t going to strike us down with lightening if we don’t worship him the way he deserves. We can approach him the way other people approach their gods. I’m not say it’s going to end well.
God lets us reap what we sow. Galatians 6:7-9
We can really on our own skills, wit and wisdom and even see success with them. But if we’re doing something God hasn’t told us to do, well…God lets us reap what we sow. Galatians 6:7-9
Remember
For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. 2 Chronicles 16:9 (NIV)
Are you fully committed to God – or do you worship him on your terms?
Are you fully committed to God – or are you satisfied with your own accomplishments?
Look to the Lord and his strength;
seek his face always. 1 Chronicles 16:11
Final Thoughts
See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. Hebrews 3:12-13
Leave a Reply