Commentary on 2 Chronicles 14-18
Chuck Smith expounds on the spiritual reforms and challenges during Asa's reign, emphasizing the importance of wholehearted devotion to God and reliance on His power.
In this sermon, Chuck Smith provides an insightful commentary on 2 Chronicles chapters 14 through 18, focusing on the reign of King Asa. He highlights Asa’s spiritual reforms, the challenges he faced, and the victories granted by God in response to faith and obedience. Smith draws practical lessons on the necessity of removing idols and trusting God fully in every circumstance.
Text
In chapter 14 we find the death of Abijah listed and the son Asa coming to the throne.
and Asa his son reigned in his stead. The land was quiet for ten years. Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God: he took away the altars of the strange gods, the high places, he broke down the images, and cut down the groves: and he commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment (2Ch 14:1-4).
Now you remember under the reign of Rehoboam they began to...he turned away from God and the people turned away from God also. He began to worship these other gods. Began to plant these groves as places to worship God. Built the altars unto these false gods and so forth. And so now Abijah allowed these things to exist and there was a co-mingling during his reign. God was still worshipped in Jerusalem, but yet there were people who were allowed to worship these other gods in these other ways.
Now when Asa came to the throne, he established a spiritual reform. He got rid of all of the idols and the images. He got rid of the altars that had been erected to these other gods. He cut down the groves. However, he did not destroy all of the high places where also they gathered to worship.
He took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the images: and the kingdom was quiet before him (2Ch 14:5).
But it was not a complete thing. He had allowed some of them to remain, as we will read.
And he built fenced cities in Judah: for the land had rest, there was no war (2Ch 14:6)
And there came up against him, verse 7,
He had an army of three hundred thousand men from Judah; plus eighty thousand from Benjamin (2Ch 14:8).
Or five hundred and eighty thousand men all total.
There came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with a host of a thousand thousand (2Ch 14:9),
Or a million men.
three hundred chariots; and they came to 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 (2Ch 14:9-11),
Now here you\
Sermon Outline
-
I
- The transition of power from Abijah to Asa
- The spiritual state of Judah under previous kings
- Asa’s initial reforms and removal of idols
-
II
- Incomplete reform and remaining high places
- Building of fortified cities and securing peace
- Preparation for battle against Zerah the Ethiopian
-
III
- Asa’s reliance on God through prayer
- God’s deliverance despite overwhelming odds
- Lessons on faith and obedience from Asa’s reign
Key Quotes
“Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God: he took away the altars of the strange gods, the high places, he broke down the images, and cut down the groves.” — Chuck Smith
“He commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.” — Chuck Smith
“Asa cried unto the LORD his God when faced with overwhelming odds, showing his complete dependence on divine help.” — Chuck Smith
Application Points
- Examine your life for any 'idols' or distractions that hinder wholehearted devotion to God and remove them.
- Trust God completely in the face of overwhelming challenges, just as Asa did through prayer.
- Commit to ongoing spiritual reform by seeking God’s guidance and obeying His commandments daily.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Asa and why is his reign significant?
Asa was king of Judah who initiated significant spiritual reforms by removing idols and calling the people back to God, resulting in peace and victory.
What were the spiritual conditions before Asa’s reforms?
Before Asa, Judah experienced idolatry and syncretism, with altars and groves dedicated to false gods alongside worship of the true God.
Did Asa completely remove all false worship practices?
No, Asa removed many idols and altars but allowed some high places to remain, indicating incomplete reform.
How did Asa respond to the threat from Zerah the Ethiopian?
Asa prayed earnestly to the Lord for help and relied on God’s power to secure victory despite being outnumbered.
What spiritual lessons can be learned from Asa’s reign?
The importance of wholehearted devotion to God, removing idols from our lives, and trusting God in times of challenge.