Hebraic Musing – How Might We Get Too Smart for Our Own Good?
When we get around
to recognizing all we do for the LORD and the effort we go through to serve Him
and the effectiveness of our ministries, we have all the more need to listen to
Him saying to us “Remember who has done all this. Your need for me hasn’t lessened at all!”* We may not be saying this in the early years,
but as we “mature” and grow in our service to His Kingdom, we need to be
reminded periodically of the warning in Rev.2:4 “Nevertheless
I have this against you, that you have left your first love.” NKJV
Asa, Solomon’s
great grandson, inherited a corrupt kingdom but started off on the right
foot. “Asa did what was good
and right in the eyes of the LORD his God, for he removed the altars of the
foreign gods and the high places,... sacred pillars ... wooden images. He
commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, ... observe the ... commandments. ... ”
and a lot more cleansing. 2 Chron 14:2-5
NKJV The Bible devotes three chapters in 2
Chronicles to describing Asa’s exploits.
What might be
relevant to us today? Asa took the
Nation through a Spiritual cleansing, starting with demolition of the accumulated
ungodliness. Maybe in our lives we go
through a housecleaning and feel good about recognizing junk that has crept
in. “Anytime people get hungry to
truly know the Lord, the Holy Spirit quickly puts a shovel and broom into their
hands.”*
Then Asa found his
kingdom threatened, what to do? Asa cried
out to the LORD – “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!” 2 Chron.14:11-12
And the LORD struck the Ethiopians and they fled. Thus, the mighty Ethiopians were soundly
defeated by the LORD! Hebrews 11:6 says “...he who comes to God
must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek
Him.”
After that battle,
Asa was confronted by a prophet who warned 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.” 2 Chron.15:2
Asa stopped
feeling his need to seek the Lord. It’s
too easy to feel we’ve reached a pinnacle so we can relax. One day Asa heard a small army from a
northern neighbor was stirring up trouble.
So Asa appeased them by buying favor, with what?!?! “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, saying, ‘Let there be a treaty
between you and me, as there was between my father and your father.’” 2
Chron 16:2-3 So King Asa, who had been
so righteous, bought off the enemy with the silver & gold that belonged to
the LORD instead of calling on the LORD to solve the problem. And the people agreed and they figured it was
better than going to war. The visible
results were viewed as “Heaven ordained”, but were they?
As a result of
failure to rely on the LORD, the seer came to Asa and said “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 Chron.16:7
And to make
matters even worse, instead of being repentant, “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.” v.10.
Points to ponder
Asa started
his reign very well, but what happened?
We are either
drawing nearer to God or falling away.
There is no holding pattern.
Do we
sometimes hear “Whatever works” as justification for our deeds?
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own
understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge
Him, And He shall direct your paths.” Prov.3:5-6
Yosef a.k.a. Joe Brusherd November
22, 2022
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the
Hebrew roots of our faith”
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)” Weekly “Hebraic Musings” InsightsByYosef.blogspot.com
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