Asa Turns Judah Back To God

Although they did not truly serve God, Rehoboam and Abijah had allowed their people freedom to serve God, even encouraging the old Jewish religion.  As a result, for the first ten years after Abijah’s death Judah was at rest, as II Chronicles 14:1 states.  “So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead. In his days the land was quiet ten years.”  Asa came to power about three years before Jeroboam was killed in Israel, reigning forty one years, as I Kings 15:9-10 tells us.  “And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah.  And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.”

While Abijah was not committed to the Lord, Asa was, making a concerted effort to turn the nation back to God, as II Chronicles 14:2-5 describes.  “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: And commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.  Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the images: and the kingdom was quiet before him.”  This resulted in definite change in the moral climate, with the elimination of the homosexuality that had developed unde his father and grandfather, as I Kings 15:12 tells us.  “And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.”  As Romans 1:20-27 tells us, homosexuality and lesbianism are a result of denying God’s authority.   

Because God had blessed them with a period of peace, Asa was able to strengthen his defenses, building a large army and numerous fortified cities, as II Chronicles 14:6-8 tells us.  “And he built fenced cities in Judah: for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years; because the LORD had given him rest.  Therefore he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us; because we have sought the LORD our God, we have sought him, and he hath given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered.  And Asa had an army of men that bare targets and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin, that bare shields and drew bows, two hundred and fourscore thousand: all these were mighty men of valour.”

For centuries, Egypt had dominated Northern Africa, but by Solomon’s day, Ethiopia was gaining power in Central Africa, leading to his treaty and marriage to Pharaoh’s daughter.  Rehoboam and Abijah reigned during a period of African history known as the Ethiopic wars, when the Ethiopian Empire established control over most of central and Northern Africa including Egypti and Libya, and mush of present day Saudi Arabia.  Still seeking to expand their empire, they invaded Judah, with an army of more than a million men.  Outnumbered nearly two to one, Asa sought God help, as II Chronicles 14:9-15 describes.  “And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and came unto Mareshah.  Then Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.

And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee.  So the LORD smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled.  And Asa and the people that were with him pursued them unto Gerar: and the Ethiopians were overthrown, that they could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed before the LORD, and before his host; and they carried away very much spoil.  And they smote all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear of the LORD came upon them: and they spoiled all the cities; for there was exceeding much spoil in them.  They smote also the tents of cattle, and carried away sheep and camels in abundance, and returned to Jerusalem.”

God gave a resounding victory over the Ethiopian forces, with the Ethiopians being driven completely out of Judah, and Asa and his men capturing some of the cities along the border with Egypt.  While the Ethiopians would try to expand outside Africa again about two hundred fifty years later, they would never again have the same power.