Day 169 – Asa (Southern King 41 years)

• We meet two kings today, but we’ll focus on the second one, Asa. As you read, don’t forget to keep track of these kings using the chart I gave you a few days ago.
• Who is the first king we read about? Was he the king of the Northern Israel or the Southern Judah? How long did he reign?
• Was Abijah a good king or not?
• Abijah’s son, Asa, then takes over the throne in Judah. Remember that this was the southern kingdom. How long does Asa stay in power?
• 1 Kings 15:11 mentioned that Asa did right in the eyes of the Lord. This doesn’t mean he was perfect, just like it’s impossible to say that the kings who “did evil” were only evil. It does, however, give us a good indication of his reign. According to the things in the 1 Kings 15 passage, what sort of good things did Asa do?
• Asa’s good record was blotted though, rather like Solomon’s was. The passage in 2 Chronicles 16 takes over the story best, detailing how King Asa joined with the Syrians to help fight back against an attack from Israel in the north. This treaty with a foreign nation was not good. In 2 Chronicles 16:7-9, a seer named Hanani visits Asa to tell him so. What does Hanani say?
• How did Asa react to Hanani’s words, specifically in 2 Chronicles 16:10? Do you remember how David learned from the rebuke and correction from Nathan, using that experience to come closer to God after his sin with Bathsheba? Does Asa react in a similar way?
• You will have been corrected (i.e. told off!) in your life. How well do you handle it when you are? When you’re challenged on your behaviour, attitude or words, do you react like David or Asa?
• What does Psalm 118 say about trusting God instead of man? How can we do this in a practical way?

You may know about the time when Jesus spent 40 days and nights in the wilderness without eating. He was attacked by Satan, just like Asa was attacked by the Israelite king, Baasha. Jesus could have created bread just by speaking, or called armies of angels to help Him, but He didn’t. Instead, He relied on his Father and the Word.

Asa relied on human help, even though he had seen God at work (2 Chronicles 16:8). Later he “relied on doctors” rather than God (16:12). Whilst we can be very appreciate of doctors and medicine, never forget to bring your needs and your concerns to God in prayer (and thankfulness when He works through the skill of the doctors to make us better!)