April 13, 2023 - 2 Chronicles 14-15

These chapters tell the story of Asa’s reign in Jerusalem – He did much that was good and right, taking away the foreign altars and high places, and commanding the people to seek the Lord. He also built fortified cities in Judah for, though “in his days the land had rest for ten years” (14:1), always there were threats and the need for diligence. An instance of such a threat was when “Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men and 300 chariots” (14:9). Asa did all the things he needed to do (built fortifications, prepared and organized his troops) and he also did the most important thing: “Asa cried to the Lord his God, ‘O Lord, there is none like you to help, between the mighty and the weak. Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. O Lord, you are our God; let not man prevail against you.’ So the Lord defeated the Ethiopians” (14:9-12).

Later kings, such as Hezekiah, would learn this lesson, that is, that the priority of God’s people, when in need, is to cry out to him. Ultimately, our faith is not in ourselves but in our God who loves us and delivers us from the foe.

We go in faith, our own great weakness feeling,

and needing more each day thy grace to know:

yet from our hearts a song of triumph pealing,

“We rest on thee, and in thy name we go”

yet from our hearts a song of triumph pealing,

“We rest on thee, and in thy name we go.” --Edith G. Cherry (1895)