In the book of 2 Chronicles, amongst a long chronology of the kings of Judah and Israel and their accomplishments and/or defeats, we find an unusual story of a king named Asa with a challenging lesson for you and me-the church in America today. The first verse that introduces us to Asa states that “Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord His God.” [2 Chronicles 14:2] The passage goes on to list his accomplishments: Removing the altars of the foreign gods and the high places, breaking down the sacred pillars and wooden images, commanding Judah to seek the Lord and obey His commandments, building fortified cities, enjoying long rest from war, remaining loyal to God all his days, bringing gold and silver into the temple, and removing his mother from being queen mother because of the obscene image of the false god Asherah she had made. By all accounts, he begins to appear to be a perfect king. But the Bible has confined all under sin, so we read on in Asa’s story to see what it was that brought his downfall.
In 2 Chronicles 14:9 we read that Zerah the Ethiopian came out against Judah with an army including one million men, 300 on chariots. Unfortunately for Asa, his own army was only 580,000 strong and there is no mention in Scripture of his army having any chariots at all. The fact that his army was only slightly bigger than half the Ethiopians’ did not cause Asa’s faith to waiver at all. Instead we find the following incredible prayer as Asa’s response to the formidable odds before him.
“And Asa cried out to the Lord his God, and said, “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 this multitude prevail against You!” 2 Chronicles 14:11
Asa acknowledged his insufficiencies and God’s incredible sufficiency. “This is nothing for you, God!” he declared. “We have no power, but you do, and we trust You to prevail against this army for your own glory and fame!” Asa’s trust was not misplaced, and God pulled through, performing a miracle. “The Lord struck the Ethiopians before Asa and Judah, and the Ethiopians fled…So the Ethiopians were overthrown and they could not recover, for they were broken before the Lord.” [2 Chronicles 14:12-13]
The temptation could’ve arisen at this point to take the glory for the victory himself and forget that it was God who brought about this turn of events, but we read the opposite. At the prophet Azariah’s urging, Asa brought the people together for a sacrifice including seven hundred bulls and seven thousand sheep from the spoil they received from the battle. Then Asa and all Judah made a covenant with God to seek him with all their desire. 2 Chronicles 15:15 tells us that, “all Judah rejoiced at the oath, for they had sworn with all their heart and sought Him with all their soul; and He was found by them.” Incredible. The king and all the people wholeheartedly seeking God. What an amazing point in history!
Unfortunately, Asa’s story does not end there. “In the thirty-sixth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha, king of Israel, came up against Judah.” No biggie, right? Asa’s dealt with war before. He’s seen God pull through for him against staggering odds. Yet rather than another incredible prayer, we read that Asa removes silver and gold from the treasury of the house of the Lord and hires the king of Syria (Judah’s enemies who worshipped false gods and whom Asa should’ve wanted to destroy) to turn against Baasha. Wait, what? Yeah. As we read on, the plan actually works, and Baasha leaves Judah alone. But God is not pleased with the way Asa has handled this. “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. Were the Ethiopians and the Lubim not a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet, because you relied on the Lord, He delivered them into your hand. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro across the face of the earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore, from now on, you shall have wars.”
Rather than repenting from his wrong deed, Asa lashed out in anger and threw the prophet who had delivered this message to him into prison. Does Asa ever change his mind and turn back to seeking the Lord? 2 Chronicles includes one more short instance that may provide insight into this. “In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa became diseased in his feet, and his malady was severe; yet in his disease he did not seek the Lord, but the physicians.” If Asa’s heart changed, the Bible does not mention it. It does, however, mention that he died two years later. “They buried him in his own tomb, which he had made for himself in the City of David; and they laid him on the bed filled with spices and various ingredients prepared in a mixture of ointments. They made a very great burning for him.”
Funerals in O.T. times were very different from those today, but imagine with me for a moment that Asa had the equivalent of a modern day funeral. Imagine that someone stood up to give the eulogy. I’m sure they would’ve listed all his accomplishments achieved in his early years as king. But then what would they do? Would they pause and admit that Asa’s heart turned from fully trusting God in the twenty-one years of peace God gave him? Would they admit that it was because of Asa’s trust in man rather than God that their country was now plagued by wars? Or would all sitting in attendance simply think all these things while they voiced praise for his accomplishments?
As I think these thoughts, my heart is forced to wonder what will be said at my own funeral? I've been thinking a lot lately about death and eternity. I'm not really sure when it started. I guess maybe it's been longer than lately. My high school campers dubbed "and then you die" as my phrase of the week. But it's true, I guess. We live and do a few petty things, mostly for ourselves, and then we die.
I guess death just normally pops up in my conversations because, well because, life IS short. I WILL die and have a funeral someday. And at my funeral everything will be said in past tense. Past tense. My last chance to make a difference on earth will be gone. Forever.
What will people say at my funeral? What do I want them to say? How do I wanna be remembered? What do I hope to accomplish by then? "What is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time, then vanishes away."
It's strange to think that I'm only one tiny heartbeat away from eternity- one heartbeat away from leaving my life work of service to my Savior to finally meet Him face-to-face. I’m going to be dead so much longer than I’m going to be alive, so why do I so often find myself acting like this life is all there is? Like this life is all that counts? What am I doing now that will matter when I’m dead?
Did Asa ask himself these questions? Was this what spurred him on to put his full trust in God and step out in faith under crazy circumstances where he would certainly fail if God did not show up? Maybe. But what happened? What turned Asa from wholeheartedly seeking and trusting in the Lord, to turning to his enemies and doctors for help? Did his heart grow cold from apathy in the twenty-one long years of peace where he had no need to jump out in radical, crazy faith, trusting God? Was it the good times of comfort and peace that turned Asa’s heart from the Lord?
I see a similar pattern in my own way I relate to God. When things were comfortable and safe, Asa wandered from the Lord. I myself am tempted to step away from God like I don’t need him when things feel “safe” and “easy”. (Should a Christian’s life be characterized by those words? More on that in a minute.) Almost like, “It’s ok, God; I’ve got this. Step back and watch.” I might not say the words, but I live them when I’m not fully relying on His strength and grace every second of every day. That’s so foolish. Without him supplying every breath I breathe, I would not be here.
We all have a propensity for doing the same, so it’s easy to sympathize with Asa. When things got tough, he turned to people. I can almost imagine him rationalizing, “Sure, I’ve seen God work in crazy amazing ways before. But that was a while ago. What if he doesn’t show up this time? What would my people think of God and me if God didn’t decide to help us this time? They would lose faith in God, and they would lose faith in me. God, I don’t want to test you like this. I have to get help where I know I can get it, and I have to do whatever needs to be done (even if it means stealing from you, God, and enlisting your enemies to help me) to ensure that I keep the people you have entrusted to me safe.”
So which was crazier: Stepping out in faith when the Ethiopians attacked, or not stepping out in faith when Israel did? In our minds, seeing the end of the story, we say that not stepping out was the stupider choice. But how many times every day do we do the same? How many times do we rationalize (form rational lies) staying in our comfort zones, doing what is safe and easy when God has called us to far more?
“God, I don’t want to test you. This isn’t easy! I can’t do this! What if I really tried to do this and trusted you and told other people I was trusting you for this, and you didn’t show up? That would be a terrible representation of you to the world!”
“God, what if this isn’t REALLY your will, and so you won’t help me? This is crazy impossible! I would be cleaning up this mess for the rest of my life! Everyone would see and think I was crazy, and no one would ever view me as a responsible Christian adult again.”
“God you have entrusted my children to me for safe-keeping. I have to keep them safe at all costs! If I send them to this school or this country, they MIGHT be able to share you with the world, but they could lose their faith or be killed! I’m responsible for them God. I know I can’t protect them from everything, but you tell us to do our part, and my part is keeping them safe at home, isn’t it?”
“God, I could die if I went to that foreign country for you. Wouldn’t you rather I be alive and live for you here in my church? I have so many ministries here that I can’t jeopardize losing. I send money to support missionaries. Can’t they just share you to the world? You don’t really want me to give up my career and risk my life there when I’m doing so much good here, do you?”
“God, I can barely support myself and my family, and you want me to support the poor and the orphans and widows? Isn’t that a foolish financial choice? I’m already giving you 10%. Isn’t that enough?”
“God, don’t you want me to be happy? If I give this up to follow you, I won’t be happy. You must not want me to give THIS up, right?”
“God, when you said we are to leave our family, give up everything , feed the poor, care for orphans, spread the gospel to the whole world, and be hated by all to follow you, you couldn’t have been talking to EVERY Christian, just those special ones you call to do those things. I just don’t feel called, God! Show me a sign!”
Do you recognize these 'rational lies'? Do you believe them? They all include moving away from what is dangerous, difficult and uncomfortable. But does the Bible describe the life of a follower of Jesus as safe, easy and comfortable? I’ve recently been challenged by what it means to live as a follower of Christ. So often sharing the gospel comes down to, “We all sin. Sin keeps us from God. God can’t have sin in heaven. Jesus died to pay the price for our sin, then rose three days later, defeating death. If we trust what Jesus did to be enough to pay for our sins and get us to heaven, God will forgive our sin and take us to heaven when we die. So pray and tell God all this if you want to go to heaven.” Yes, that’s the gospel, but one important ingredient is left out: the radical repentance and change that occurs in the life of true believers as a result of a real encounter with Jesus. Here’s what Jesus said to the crowds following Him:
“If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’ Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples." Luke 14:25-33
Jesus told the crowds to count the cost BEFORE coming to him, because following him includes way more than praying a prayer and showing up at church on Sundays. True Christians obey the commands in Scripture which call us to live radical lives, pouring ourselves out to serve the poor and hurting and reaching out to the entire world with the amazing news of the gospel regardless of how difficult, uncomfortable, or dangerous that may be. Listen to how David Platt explains these verses:
“If you are a follower of Christ, living indifferent to the words of Christ is not an option. Some of you were told to pray a prayer and then you could live your life however you wanted and that’s what it means to be a Christian. If you came to Christ under that illusion, then biblically, you are not a Christian. You have not come to Christ at all. This is not what it means to be a follower of Christ. To be a follower of Christ means to come to an awareness of your sinful rebellion against God, and to see in Jesus the only substitute for your sins, and by His grace to turn from you rebellion against God and trust in him as the Lord and sovereign king over your life. And when that happens, then what Jesus says determines how you live. Therefore, it is not possible to be a follower of Christ and be indifferent to what he says, because to be a follower of Christ, what he says determines how you live.
“If you want to avoid a hard life, danger, persecution, and being hated and betrayed, avoid following Christ. If we continue to feed ourselves comfort, safety and pleasures, we will miss following Christ. Following Christ will cost you everything. “And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.” Matthew 10:22
“As you seek to follow Christ with everything, fear will tempt you, but remember: God will take care of you. Look to Christ and death where we will get God. “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”(Matthew 10:28) What’s the worst thing that can happen to us? They kill us? The only way that comforts us is if we have already died to ourselves. The apostles feared men so little because they feared God so much. Take the ultimate risk and you will receive the ultimate reward. This is not a call to gloom-it’s a call to being smart.”
Asa’s original choice to trust God and step out in radical faith was smart. After all, what was the worst that could happen? He could be killed. But even if he was killed, he would get God! Asa feared and trusted the One who could destroy the body and soul in hell rather than those who could only kill his body. But after years of comfort and safety, reaping the fruit of that smart choice, Asa made an unwise choice, one I’m afraid most of the church in America is making-a choice to fear and trust people rather than God.
Jesus’ last command before ascending to heaven was for us to go into all the world, sharing the gospel. There are 6.7 billion people in the world. Of those, only 1/3
claim to be Christians. This means there are at least 4.5 billion people in the world who do not claim to know Christ and are on their way to eternal hell where the cry of their torment never ends. The Bible describes hell as a lake of fire, away from the presence of God and anything good. If we truly believe hell is a real place and there are millions who have never even heard the name of Christ, something has to change. Jesus told his followers to go where there was great need and great danger. He warned them that they would be hated, betrayed and persecuted. They would suffer and be persecuted. But in the end, they would get God. They would hear him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of the Lord!”
So I guess this all comes down to a choice we have to make for ourselves every day. Do we really believe what God says it means to follow Him? Will we learn a lesson from Asa and step out in reckless faith-crazy faith that needs God to step in and save the day or all will be lost; or will we stick with what is comfortable, easy, and safe and lose the nearness to God that is the result of throwing ourselves completely at his feet, trusting in his mercy?
“For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we, through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope.” Romans 15:4
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