I Kings 15:16-24
“And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. And Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.” (I Kings 15:16-17)
Jeroboam died about a year after Asa became king, His son Nadab then reigned almost two years before being killed by Baasha, who then took the throne. Throughout his reign, he made constant efforts to undermine Asa’s administration, interfering where ever he could. He fortified Ramah, and established a border guard top prevent anyone from crossing in either direction. After the defeat of Ethiopia’s million man army, he didn’t dare make a direct attack.
Other than minor skirmishes, things continued pretty much the same until Asa’s thirty fifth year according to II Chronicles 15:19. “And there was no more war unto the five and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa.” Finally, Asa got fed up with the constant threat. Since Baasha died during Asa's twenty sixth year in office, we know that this verse should read five and twentieth rather than five and thirtieth, The error is the result of a mistake in copying and is not a serious contradiction, proving only that humans make mistakes, even when copying scripture.
“Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants: and king Asa sent them to Benhdad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying, There is a league between me and thee, and between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent unto thee a present of silver and gold; come and break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.” (I Kings 15:18-19)
Rather than start a war himself, Asa asked Benhadad, king of Syria to break his treaty with Israel and attack from the north. To secure his cooperation, he emptied his treasury, and took what had been dedicated to God from the temple.
“So Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of the hosts which he had against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abelbethmaachah, and all Cinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.
And it came to pass, when Baasha heard thereof, that he left off building of Ramah, and dwelt in Tirzah.” (I Kings 15:20-21)
Asa’s offer to pay for attacking Israel’s northern border, when he already wanted to take the land anyway was enough to persuade Benhadad. He took most oaf the northern region, almost as far south as the sea of Galilee. Baasha was forced to forget about fortifying Rama and move his capital to Tirzah.
“Then king Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah; none was exempted: and they took away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha had builded; and king Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah.” (I Kings 15:22)
Asa sent his army to dismantle the fortress at Ramah and bring the materials to Geba and Mizpeh to fortify them and help protect Judah. Asa’s failure to trust God didn’t go unnoticed.
“And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the LORD thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand. Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen? yet, because thou didst rely on the LORD, he delivered them into thine hand. For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.” (II Chronicles 16:7-9)
God had given victory over a far larger army when they defeated the forces of Ethiopia and Lybia. It was foolish for Asa to then place his trust in Syria rather than in God to give victory over Baasha. Because he had placed his trust in human power rather than God, the remainder of his reign would be marked with constant war. It is and important lesson for today. How many start out trusting God, but switch to trusting human wisdom?
One area that is a problem for many Christians today is financial. I Timothy 6:17 commands, “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;” How often are we tempted to go into debt to build a church or purchase something we desire even though Romans 13:8 commands, “Owe no man any thing…” As a result both individuals and churches spend years struggling to pay their bills rather than enjoying what Christ has provided. They learn what Proverbs 22:7 means when it says, “The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.” We are not to be servants to men.
Like most people, Asa didn’t like havingf his sin pointed out. II Chronicles 16:10 declares, “Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in a prison house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed some of the people the same time.” Rather than repenting of his sin, Asa became angry, taking it out on others, including God’s prophet.
“The rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities which he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? Nevertheless in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet.” (I Kings 15:23)
Two years before his death, Asa developed some kind of disease in his feet. Instead of trusting God for a cure, he did like most of us today, trusting the doctors for a cure, according to II Chronicles 16:12. “And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians.”
“And Asa slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead.” (I Kings 15:24)
II Chronicles 16:13-14 gives more detail about Asa’s burial. “And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign. And they buried him in his own sepulchres, which he had made for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odours and divers kinds of spices prepared by the apothecaries' art: and they made a very great burning for him.” Asa was one of Judah's few Good Kings, and they would regret his passing.
“And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. And Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.” (I Kings 15:16-17)
Jeroboam died about a year after Asa became king, His son Nadab then reigned almost two years before being killed by Baasha, who then took the throne. Throughout his reign, he made constant efforts to undermine Asa’s administration, interfering where ever he could. He fortified Ramah, and established a border guard top prevent anyone from crossing in either direction. After the defeat of Ethiopia’s million man army, he didn’t dare make a direct attack.
Other than minor skirmishes, things continued pretty much the same until Asa’s thirty fifth year according to II Chronicles 15:19. “And there was no more war unto the five and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa.” Finally, Asa got fed up with the constant threat. Since Baasha died during Asa's twenty sixth year in office, we know that this verse should read five and twentieth rather than five and thirtieth, The error is the result of a mistake in copying and is not a serious contradiction, proving only that humans make mistakes, even when copying scripture.
“Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants: and king Asa sent them to Benhdad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying, There is a league between me and thee, and between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent unto thee a present of silver and gold; come and break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.” (I Kings 15:18-19)
Rather than start a war himself, Asa asked Benhadad, king of Syria to break his treaty with Israel and attack from the north. To secure his cooperation, he emptied his treasury, and took what had been dedicated to God from the temple.
“So Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of the hosts which he had against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abelbethmaachah, and all Cinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.
And it came to pass, when Baasha heard thereof, that he left off building of Ramah, and dwelt in Tirzah.” (I Kings 15:20-21)
Asa’s offer to pay for attacking Israel’s northern border, when he already wanted to take the land anyway was enough to persuade Benhadad. He took most oaf the northern region, almost as far south as the sea of Galilee. Baasha was forced to forget about fortifying Rama and move his capital to Tirzah.
“Then king Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah; none was exempted: and they took away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha had builded; and king Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah.” (I Kings 15:22)
Asa sent his army to dismantle the fortress at Ramah and bring the materials to Geba and Mizpeh to fortify them and help protect Judah. Asa’s failure to trust God didn’t go unnoticed.
“And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the LORD thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand. Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen? yet, because thou didst rely on the LORD, he delivered them into thine hand. For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.” (II Chronicles 16:7-9)
God had given victory over a far larger army when they defeated the forces of Ethiopia and Lybia. It was foolish for Asa to then place his trust in Syria rather than in God to give victory over Baasha. Because he had placed his trust in human power rather than God, the remainder of his reign would be marked with constant war. It is and important lesson for today. How many start out trusting God, but switch to trusting human wisdom?
One area that is a problem for many Christians today is financial. I Timothy 6:17 commands, “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;” How often are we tempted to go into debt to build a church or purchase something we desire even though Romans 13:8 commands, “Owe no man any thing…” As a result both individuals and churches spend years struggling to pay their bills rather than enjoying what Christ has provided. They learn what Proverbs 22:7 means when it says, “The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.” We are not to be servants to men.
Like most people, Asa didn’t like havingf his sin pointed out. II Chronicles 16:10 declares, “Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in a prison house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed some of the people the same time.” Rather than repenting of his sin, Asa became angry, taking it out on others, including God’s prophet.
“The rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities which he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? Nevertheless in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet.” (I Kings 15:23)
Two years before his death, Asa developed some kind of disease in his feet. Instead of trusting God for a cure, he did like most of us today, trusting the doctors for a cure, according to II Chronicles 16:12. “And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians.”
“And Asa slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead.” (I Kings 15:24)
II Chronicles 16:13-14 gives more detail about Asa’s burial. “And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign. And they buried him in his own sepulchres, which he had made for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odours and divers kinds of spices prepared by the apothecaries' art: and they made a very great burning for him.” Asa was one of Judah's few Good Kings, and they would regret his passing.
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