King Asa was an important king of Judah who ruled for 41 years, from around 911 BC to 870 BC. He was the third king of Judah after the kingdom split from Israel following the death of King Solomon. Here is an overview of King Asa’s life and reign according to the Bible:
Asa’s Family Background
Asa was the son of Abijah and grandson of Rehoboam, who was the first king of Judah after the kingdom split. His great-grandfather was King Solomon. Asa’s mother was Maakah, who was one of Solomon’s foreign wives (1 Kings 15:2). So Asa had royal lineage from both his father and mother’s side.
Asa’s Reign in Judah
Asa began ruling Judah when he was around 20 years old and reigned in Jerusalem for 41 years (1 Kings 15:10). He had a long and prosperous reign and was considered a good king who did what was right in God’s eyes (1 Kings 15:11). Here are some key highlights from Asa’s reign as recorded in 1 Kings 15 and 2 Chronicles 14-16:
- He removed the foreign altars and high places and instructed the people to seek the Lord and obey His commandments (2 Chron 14:2-5).
- He fortified cities in Judah and built up the armies with large shields, spears, and helmets (2 Chron 14:6-8).
- When the Cushites came against Judah with a powerful army, Asa cried out to the Lord and God delivered them, striking down the Cushites (2 Chron 14:9-15).
- Asa led a religious reform, removing idols and renewing the altar of burnt offering in the temple (2 Chron 15:8-19).
- He made an alliance with Ben-Hadad, king of Aram, and used treasures from the temple to pay him to break his treaty with Baasha, king of Israel. This allowed Asa to fortify Ramah on the border (1 Kings 15:16-22).
- In his final years when his feet were diseased, Asa did not seek the Lord but only physicians. He became angry when the seer Hanani rebuked him for this (2 Chron 16:7-10).
Asa had several military victories with God’s help against invading armies from Egypt and Cush. He led religious reforms to purge idolatry and renewed the temple worship practices. However, in his later years he did not rely fully on the Lord. Overall, Asa was one of the better kings of Judah who sought to follow the Lord.
Key Events During Asa’s Reign
Here are some of the most significant events and accomplishments that happened while Asa was king of Judah:
- Defeat of the Cushites (2 Chron 14): When the Cushite army with over 1 million men invaded Judah, Asa cried out to the Lord. God intervened and Judah defeated the vast army, plundering much spoil.
- Covenant Renewal (2 Chron 15): Asa led the people in a renewal of their covenant commitment to seek the Lord. They sacrificed to the Lord, took oaths, and rejoiced greatly.
- Reforms in Judah (2 Chron 15): Asa removed foreign altars and high places and restored proper worship of God. He also fortified cities in Judah for defense.
- War with Baasha (1 Kings 15): Asa paid Ben-Hadad to break his treaty with Baasha, king of Israel, allowing Asa to fortify Ramah on the border.
- Rebuke from Hanani (2 Chron 16): The seer Hanani rebuked Asa for not relying on the Lord when attacked but on the king of Aram.
These events showed both times of faith and trust in the Lord (such as defeating the Cushites) and other times when Asa relied more on human wisdom and resources (seeking help from Aram rather than the Lord). But overall Asa sought to follow the Lord and lead Judah in worship of God.
Asa’s Reforms and Changes
One of Asa’s greatest accomplishments as king was leading extensive religious reforms in Judah to purge idolatry and restore proper worship of God. Here were some of his key reforms:
- He removed the foreign altars and high places (2 Chron 14:3).
- He commanded Judah to seek the Lord and obey His commandments (2 Chron 14:4).
- He removed the idols and renewed the altar of burnt offering (2 Chron 15:8).
- He assembled Judah together and they sacrificed to the Lord (2 Chron 15:10-11).
- He made reforms so anyone would be put to death who refused to seek the Lord (2 Chron 15:12-13).
- He brought dedicatory gifts into the temple (2 Chron 15:18).
- He fortified cities in Judah and built up armies for defense (2 Chron 14:6-7).
Asa sought to return Judah to proper worship of God after years of idolatry from past kings. He led the people to renew their covenant and fully devote themselves to seeking the Lord. These reforms purified the religious practices in Judah.
Asa’s Failings and Shortcomings
Although Asa was one of the better kings of Judah, he still had some shortcomings and failures according to the Bible:
- He did not remove the high places, and the people still followed their own practices (1 Kings 15:14).
- He brought articles from the temple to pay Ben-Hadad for help rather than relying fully on the Lord (1 Kings 15:18).
- When rebuked by Hanani the seer, Asa had him imprisoned (2 Chron 16:10).
- In his disease he only sought physicians, not the Lord (2 Chron 16:12).
So although Asa instituted many good reforms, he struggled with fully trusting in the Lord toward the end of his life. He relied on human resources at times rather than seeking the Lord in faith. But overall, Asa was still one of the better kings of Judah who walked with God.
Lessons from Asa’s Life
What can we learn from King Asa’s life and reign in Judah? Here are some key lessons:
- Sincere devotion and obedience to God brings great blessing and favor.
- With God’s help, we can accomplish great things far beyond our natural abilities.
- Reforms require great courage and leadership to initiate significant change.
- Our walk with God must endure for a lifetime, not just for a season.
- In any challenge we face, God is fully able to deliver if we rely on Him in faith.
- It is easy drift into relying on human resources instead of trusting fully in the Lord.
Asa gives both positive and negative examples of trusting in the Lord. His life teaches us the importance of enduring faithfulness in seeking God with our whole hearts and relying fully on Him.
Asa in the Broader Biblical Story
In the broader context of the Bible, Asa’s reign fits during a key transitional period after Israel divided into two kingdoms up until the exile. Here is an overview:
- Asa was the 3rd king in Judah after the kingdom split between Rehoboam and Jeroboam I.
- His reign fell during a period of kings alternating between good and evil in both Judah and Israel.
- Several key prophets were active during Asa’s reign, including Hanani, Jehu, Azariah, and Oded (2 Chron 15-16).
- After Asa came several very wicked kings before Hezekiah’s reforms a few generations later.
- Judah survived over a century longer than Israel before eventually being conquered and exiled too.
Asa provided godly stability and reforms early in Judah’s history as an independent kingdom. Along with a few other devoted kings like Hezekiah and Josiah, Asa kept Judah on a trajectory of faith amidst many evil kings. His reign paved the way for Judah to continue as God’s people for several more generations before the Babylonian exile.
Key Verses about King Asa
Here are some important Bible passages that give insight about King Asa:
And Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God. He took away the foreign altars and the high places and broke down the pillars and cut down the Asherim and commanded Judah to seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, and to keep the law and the commandment. (2 Chronicles 14:2-4 ESV)
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 Chronicles 15:2 ESV)
In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was diseased in his feet, and his disease became severe. Yet even in his disease he did not seek the Lord, but sought help from physicians. (2 Chronicles 16:12 ESV)
These verses highlight key aspects of Asa’s reign – his early devoted obedience, the importance of relying fully on the Lord, and his struggle trusting God later in life. They capture the overall spirit of Asa’s life.
Stories and Accounts about King Asa
The Bible contains several interesting stories and accounts surrounding King Asa’s reign in Judah:
- Asa’s Prayer for Deliverance (2 Chron 14:11) – When attacked by the vast Cushite army, Asa cried out to the Lord for deliverance and admitting their reliance on God.
- Renewing the Covenant (2 Chron 15:12-15) – Asa gathered the people together in Jerusalem where they joyfully renewed their covenant with oaths and sacrifices.
- Hanani’s Rebuke of Asa (2 Chron 16:7-9) – The prophet Hanani confronted Asa for relying on the king of Aram instead of seeking the Lord for help.
- Asa’s Disease in His Feet (2 Chron 16:12) – In his disease, Asa did not seek the Lord but only relied on physicians, which demonstrated his fading faith.
These accounts give us windows into Asa’s character and relationship with God throughout his reign. They reveal times of deep faith and other times when he struggled trusting the Lord fully. The stories come together to provide a balanced picture of this important king of Judah.
King Asa’s Death and Burial
After reigning for 41 years in Jerusalem, Asa died and was buried with honor, as described in 2 Chronicles 16:
- Asa died in the 41st year of his reign after his feet became diseased (v. 13).
- He was buried in the tomb that he had cut out for himself in Jerusalem, the city of David (v. 14a).
- He was laid on a bier that had been filled with spices and various kinds of aromatics (v. 14b).
- A huge fire was made in his honor at his burial (v. 14c).
Despite Asa’s failures in his final years, he was still given an honorable royal burial, befitting a king who had done what was right in the eyes of the Lord for most of his life. He was buried in Jerusalem, the royal city, and was shown great fires and spices in burial – signs of respect for this devoted king of Judah.
The Legacy and Impact of King Asa
What lasting legacy and impact did King Asa have? Consider:
- He provided stability and godly leadership early in Judah’s history as an independent kingdom.
- His religious reforms purified worship and extended Judah’s survival for many generations.
- He led the people in covenant renewal and repentance back to the Lord.
- He showed that with God’s help, Judah could prevail against overwhelming odds.
- The prosperity and peace during his reign provided a glimpse of God’s blessings on obedience.
- His failures later in life warned against drifting from complete reliance on the Lord.
While not a perfect king, Asa left a powerfully positive legacy in Judah of seeking God, leading needed reforms, and illustrating both the blessings of obedience and pitfalls of self-reliance. For over 40 years he guided Judah in the right direction.
King Asa’s Significance for Christians Today
What lessons and significance can Christians today take from King Asa’s life?
- We must remove all idols and wrong practices to worship God purely.
- Walking with God requires absolute faith in Him during trials.
- Our revival and reforms should lead people to renewed covenant commitment.
- Relying on human wisdom and resources can replace trust in God.
- We must endure and finish the race of faith strong till the end.
- God remembers and rewards those who courageously obey and follow Him.
While living in a different time historically, Christians today face many of the same struggles Asa did – the need for revival, reform, courageous leadership, trust in trials, and avoiding faded faith in our final seasons. Asa provides both positive examples to follow and negative ones to avoid.
Conclusion
In summary, King Asa was one of the better kings of Judah who did what was right in God’s eyes for most of his reign. He led extensive religious reforms, renewed the covenant with God, and sought to purge idolatry from the land. God blessed his great faith and obedience with peace, prosperity, and military victories during his reign. However, Asa struggled to maintain his full reliance on the Lord in his final years. His life provides a powerful example both positive and negative for leaders and all Christians striving to walk faithfully with God.