2 Chronicles 14-16 Asa A case study in seeking the Lord

Christmas is about man and God being brought together. The Lord initiated. He sought us. He made the way to Him. His Son was born to die for sin. So now we can find Him. He is there. But still we must seek Him.

This seeking is everywhere in the Bible. The shepherds seek Him. The wise men seek Him. Everywhere the Lord invites people to seek Him.

The stories of the kings of Judah and Israel are great examples of men who sought God --- or not. Who sought God and then turned aside. Of men who sought God faithfully all their lives.

Let’s take a quick look this morning at one of them. King Asa provides a simple yet useful case study of what it means to seek (or not seek) the Lord.

Asa

A case study in seeking the Lord

2 Chronicles 14-16

I. Seeking Him: The principle 2 Chr 15:2

A. He desires our pursuit of Him

(NKJV) 2 Chronicles 15 2 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

1. A command and promise – He offers His Word for us to trust

2. A two sided promise - our response determines the result

B. He looks for a dedicated life 2 Chr 16:9

(NKJV) 2 Chronicles 16 9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.

1. Looking for sincere response – not legalism but evidence of a life that trusts Him

2. He looks to reveal Himself and His power

C. He offers peace 2 Chr 16:9; 14:7

(NKJV) 2 Chronicles 16 9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. … 7 we have sought Him, and He has given us rest on every side.

1. What does it look like to seek Him?

a) Pursue Him alone -- Priority pursuit

b) Listen to Him -- He has revealed His Will

c) Respond to Him -- Life action matches stated beliefs

d) Enjoy the results of seeking/finding Him

II. Seeking Him: When starting out

A. Sought the Lord from the beginning 2 Chr 14:1-2, 4

(NKJV) 2 Chronicles 14 1 … Asa his son reigned in his place. In his days the land was quiet for ten years. 2 Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God, … 4 He commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to observe the law and the commandment.

B. Reflected in His life and priorities 2 Chr 14:2, 4-5

(NKJV) 2 Chr 14 2 Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God, … 4 He commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to observe the law and the commandment. 5 He also removed the high places and the incense altars from all the cities of Judah,

1. The Lord the focus

2. His life’s priorities confirm the Lord is his focus

C. Given rest 2 Chr 14:5, 7

(NKJV) 2 Chr 14 5 … and the kingdom was quiet under him. … 7 … 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.

III. Seeking Him: When almost overwhelmed

A. Sought the Lord in trouble 2 Chr 14:-11

(NKJV) 2 Chronicles 14 9 Then Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots, and he came to Mareshah. 10 So Asa went out against him, and they set the troops in battle array in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. 11 And Asa cried out to the Lord his God,

B. Reflected in His life and priorities 2 Chr 14:10-11

(NKJV) 2 Chron 14 10 So Asa went out against him, and they set the troops in battle array … 11 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!”

1. The Lord the focus

2. His life’s priorities confirm the Lord is his focus

C. Given rest 2 Chr 14:12-13

(NKJV) 2 Chron 14 12 So the Lord struck the Ethiopians before Asa and Judah, and the Ethiopians fled. 13 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.

IV. Seeking Him: When needing renewal

A. Sought the Lord for renewal 2 Chr 15:1-3

(NKJV) 2 Chronicles 15 1 Now the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded. 2 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. 3 For a long time Israel has been without the true God, without a teaching priest, and without law;

B. Reflected in His life and priorities * 2 Chr 15:7-8, 16

(NKJV) 2 Chronicles 15 7 But you, be strong and do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded!” 8 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 he restored the altar of the Lord that was before the vestibule of the Lord.

1. The Lord the focus

(NKJV) 2 Chronicles 15 16 Also he removed Maachah, the mother of Asa the king, from being queen mother, because she had made an obscene image of Asherah; and Asa cut down her obscene image, then crushed and burned it by the Brook Kidron.

2. His life’s priorities confirm the Lord is his focus

C. Given rest 2 Chr 15:12, 15

(NKJV) 2 Chronicles 15 12 Then they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul; … 15 And all Judah rejoiced at the oath, for they had sworn with all their heart and sought Him with all their soul; and He was found by them, and the Lord gave them rest all around.

V. Seeking Him: But then he stopped seeking

A. Sought other ways than the Lord * 2 Chr 16:1-7

(NKJV) 2 Chronicles 16 1 In the thirty-sixth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah and built Ramah, that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah. 2 Then Asa … sent to Ben-Hadad king of Syria, … saying, 3 “Let there be a treaty between you and me, … 4 So Ben-Hadad heeded King Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel. … 5 Now it happened, when Baasha heard it, that he stopped building Ramah and ceased his work.

7 And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said to him: “… you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on the Lord your God, …

B. Reflected in His life and priorities * * 2 Chr 16:2, 10, 12

1. The Lord was not the focus

2. His life’s priorities confirm the Lord was not his focus

3. Gave God’s things to pragmatic options

(NKJV) 2 Chronicles 16 2 Then Asa brought silver and gold from the treasuries of the house of the Lord and of the king’s house, and sent to Ben-Hadad king of Syria, who dwelt in Damascus

4. Angry at God’s truth / God’s people

(NKJV) 2 Chronicles 16 10 Then Asa was angry with the seer, and put him in prison, for he was enraged at him because of this. And Asa oppressed some of the people at that time. …

5. Recurring cycle of not seeking God

(NKJV) 2 Chronicles 16 12 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.

C. Forfeited rest ** 2 Chr 16:9, 12-13

1. Source of dependence to become source of more trouble

7 … “Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on the Lord your God, therefore the army of the king of Syria has escaped from your hand.

2. External trouble

(NKJV) 2 Chronicles 16 9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars.”

3. Personal anguish

(NKJV) 2 Chronicles 16 12 And in the thirty-ninth year of his reign, … his malady was severe; … 13 So Asa … died in the forty-first year of his reign.