There has been a series of kings in both Judah and in the rest of Israel who have defied the Lord and done evil in the Lord’s sight. However, in this chapter, King Asa, returns the people to serving the Lord. The chapter begins, “Abijam began to rule over Judah in the eighteenth year of Jeroboam’s reign in Israel. He reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother was Maacah, the daughter of Absalom. He committed the same sins as his father before him, and his heart was not right with the Lord his God, as the heart of his ancestor David had been. But for David’s sake, the Lord his God allowed his dynasty to continue, and he gave Abijam a son to rule after him in Jerusalem. (Wow...look at the favor from God because of David!) For David had done what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight and had obeyed the Lord’s commands throughout his life, except in the affair concerning Uriah the Hittite.
There was war between Abijam and Jeroboam throughout Abijam’s reign. The rest of the events in Abijam’s reign and all his deeds are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Judah. There was constant war between Abijam and Jeroboam. When Abijam died, he was buried in the City of David. Then his son Asa became the next king.
Asa began to rule over Judah in the twentieth year of Jeroboam’s reign in Israel. He reigned in Jerusalem forty-one years. His grandmother was Maacah, the daughter of Absalom. Asa did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, as his ancestor David had done. He banished the shrine prostitutes from the land and removed all the idols his ancestor had made. He even deposed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother because she had made an obscene Asherah pole. He cut down the pole and burned it in the Kidron Valley. Although the pagan shrines were not completely removed, Asa remained faithful to the Lord throughout his life. (Yes!!!) He brought into the Temple of the Lord the silver and gold and the utensils that he and his father had dedicated. (1 Kings 15:1-15)
Side note: It must have taken a lot of courage for Asa to make a decision to reject the religious practices of many of the people so close to him in Jerusalem, as well as all of Israel. Everyone was serving and worshiping other gods for over 20 years! In the previous chapter, the text says, “They built pagan shrines and set up sacred pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree.” (1 Kings 14:23) But regardless of popular opinion, Asa chose to serve the God of Israel! That’s what I’m talking about! “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!” (Joshua 24:15)
King Asa was in constant war with the king of Israel during his reign.
“The rest of the events in Asa’s reign, the extent of his power, and the names of the cities he built are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Judah. In his old age his feet became diseased. When Asa died, he was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. Then his son Jehoshaphat became the next king. (This is not the Jehoshaphat from 2 Chronicles.)
Nadab son of Jeroboam began to rule over Israel in the second year of King Asa’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Israel two years. But he did what was evil in the Lord’s sight and followed the example of his father, continuing the sins of idolatry that Jeroboam had led Israel to commit. Then Baasha son of Ahijah, from the tribe of Issachar, plotted against Nadab and assassinated him while he and the Israelite army were laying siege to the Philistine town of Gibbethon. Baasha killed Nadab in the third year of King Asa’s reign in Judah, and he became the next king of Israel. He immediately killed all the descendants of King Jeroboam, so that not one of the royal family was left, just as the Lord had promised concerning Jeroboam by the prophet Ahijah from Shiloh. This was done because Jeroboam had aroused the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, by the sins he had committed and the sins he had led Israel to commit. The rest of the events in Nadab’s reign and all his deeds are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.
There was constant war between Asa and King Baasha of Israel. Baasha began to rule over Israel in the third year of King Asa’s reign in Judah. Baasha reigned in Tirzah twenty-four years. But he did what was evil in the Lord’s sight and followed the example of Jeroboam, continuing the sins of idolatry that Jeroboam had led Israel to commit.
Lord, thank you for your Word today! Give us courage, and help us always stand for what’s right, even when everyone around us may be supporting something that’s wrong. We love you!
May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26)
….AND MAY WE ALL PRACTICE THIS WITH ONE ANOTHER.
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