Asa: The Man Called Foolish Series

2 Chronicles 14:2 (NIV)

2 Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God.

As you read further in chapter 14 you find that it is obvious that Asa was clearly seeking to obey God and restore his kingdom to God’s favor. As a result, you would think that things would go “hunky dorey” for the young king – that he would have not problems! Guess again! Verse 9 tells us that Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them [Asa] with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots. I would say that is just a little bit bigger than a small army wouldn’t you?!

Reading further we find that Asa went out to meet Zerah in battle however in verse 11 there is a very important distinction between the way Asa approached this threat and the one he faced near the end of his reign.

2 Chronicles 14:11 (NIV)

11 Then Asa called to the LORD his God and said, "LORD, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. O LORD, you are our God; do not let man prevail against you."

Notice well: Asa had an army, he had a lot of worldly resources at his disposal. But he was on his face before God saying that armies are not the decisive thing in battles but only the Lord. Asa says in effect, “We’re not trusting, we’re not hoping in our army [our resources] but in you Lord.” You see, Asa’s prayer indicated in terrible situation of his life, his willingness to hope and trust in God’s resources for the outcome. Now, that does not mean that Asa withdrew his army and sat waiting around for God to do something. The distinction is that Asa did not trust in his army for the outcome of the battle but instead trusted in the Lord.

Let think of this in terms of going to the doctor. Going to the doctor for aid in a medical problem is not wrong. Armies are not necessarily wrong. But banking all your hope and all your trust in the doctor (or the army) and not praying the way Asa prayed here is foolishness.

And did Asa pray! He humbled himself and hoped in God. And verse 12 describes what happened:

2 Chronicles 14:12 (NIV)

12 The LORD struck down the Cushites before Asa and Judah. The Cushites fled,

Then, picking up in chapter 15, verse 1, we find that God sends a prophet to Asa to make sure that he understood what had just happened.

2 Chronicles 15:2b (NIV)

"Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.

But it seems that Asa forgot this lesson. Asa’s trust in money and military might and political alliances and human physicians in the latter part of his reign was folly because God had made it so clear in the beginning of Asa’s reign that He would do great things for him if he would simply trust Him and not forsake him. Asa’s failure to rely on God was foolish because God had been so amazingly good to him and helped him in the past simply for crying out and trusting.