2 CHRONICLES LESSON 14
We will begin this lesson in II Chronicles 14:1 "So Abijah slept
with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa
his son reigned in his stead. In his days the land was quiet ten
years."
The city of David was in Jerusalem. The son of Abijah was Asa. He
was a good king, who reigned 41 years in Judah. Asa was strong in his
belief of worship of the One True God. He was greatly opposed to
idolatry. He even removed his grandmother as queen mother, because she
had an idol. The first ten years of his reign was a time of peace.
II Chronicles 14:2 "And Asa did [that which was] good and right
in the eyes of the LORD his God:"
He burned the idols he could find, and worshipped the True God.
He restored the worship in the temple in its proper way.
II Chronicles 14:3 "For he took away the altars of the strange
[gods], and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down
the groves:"
It seemed, that Asa's father had allowed the worship of idols
along with the worship of Jehovah. The favorite place for this false
worship was in the groves and the high places. The strange gods, here,
are speaking of false gods that strangers had brought into Judah. He
established the temple as the place of worship for Judah.
II Chronicles 14:4 "And commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of
their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment."
The keeping of the law, that God had given them, was what made
them different from the countries around them. God had given the
twelve tribes His law to live by on the way to the promised land.
Every time they wandered away from the law, they fell. God's blessings
on them were conditional, on if they kept His law and commandments.
II Chronicles 14:5 "Also he took away out of all the cities of
Judah the high places and the images: and the kingdom was quiet before
him."
The images could have been anything they could see with their
physical eyes. God is a Spirit. If you can see something, or someone,
with your physical eyes, it is not God. Whatever these were, they were
idols. Asa tore them down.
II Chronicles 14:6 "And he built fenced cities in Judah: for the
land had rest, and he had no war in those years; because the LORD had
given him rest."
They could turn all of their energies to building, because there
was no war. God had poured out His blessing upon them, because they
were obeying His law and commandments.
II Chronicles 14:7 "Therefore he said unto Judah, Let us build
these cities, and make about [them] walls, and towers, gates, and
bars, [while] the land [is] yet before us; because we have sought the
LORD our God, we have sought [him], and he hath given us rest on every
side. So they built and prospered."
One of the major reasons the other countries left them alone, was
possibly, because they heard what God had done to Jeroboam and his
men, when they came against them. True Peace, and rest come only from
God. Notice, Asa was aware the peace was here, because they sought the
LORD with all their hearts.
II Chronicles 14:8 "And Asa had an army [of men] that bare
targets and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of
Benjamin, that bare shields and drew bows, two hundred and fourscore
thousand: all these [were] mighty men of valour."
This has jumped to a time after the 10 years of peace. This
happened after the cities were finished. Asa had a very large army of
300,000 men of Judah. He, also, had 280,000 of the tribe of Benjamin.
These were mighty men, because their strength was in their LORD.
II Chronicles 14:9 "And there came out against them Zerah the
Ethiopian with an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred
chariots; and came unto Mareshah."
The Ethiopian army was 1,000,000 strong. The Ethiopian, Zerah,
was known as a Cushite. Most scholars believe this army included many
Egyptians who were mercenaries. The chariots were a trademark of
Egyptian armies.
II Chronicles 14:10 "Then Asa went out against him, and they set
the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah."
This Zephathah appears to be a long, deep valley near Philistia.
Mareshah was a town of Judah near this valley. It is important to note
the Ethiopians came against Judah.
II Chronicles 14:11 "And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and
said, LORD, [it is] nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or
with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on
thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou [art]
our God; let not man prevail against thee."
This is a beautiful request of God from Asa. Asa and Judah cannot
fail, because they have placed themselves in the hands of God. They
knew they were outnumbered, but with God, one and God is a majority.
This war was against God as much as it was against Asa and Judah. God
would intervene.
II Chronicles 14:12 "So the LORD smote the Ethiopians before Asa,
and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled."
The glory for winning this battle was to be given to the LORD. He
delivered Asa and Judah, and caused the Ethiopians to run in fear.
II Chronicles 14:13 "And Asa and the people that [were] with him
pursued them unto Gerar: and the Ethiopians were overthrown, that they
could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed before the LORD,
and before his host; and they carried away very much spoil."
Asa and his men were the hands that the LORD used to win the
battle, but it was the LORD who won the battle for Asa. Gerar is a
Philistine city. It was Asa and his men who spoiled the Ethiopians,
and took many treasures home with them.
II Chronicles 14:14 "And they smote all the cities round about
Gerar; for the fear of the LORD came upon them: and they spoiled all
the cities; for there was exceeding much spoil in them."
It appears, these Philistines had thrown in with these
Ethiopians. They all lost together, and Asa spoiled all of the
Philistine towns and cities near Gerar. It appears, there was very
little resistance from the Ethiopians, or the Philistines. The fear of
the LORD had overcome them.
II Chronicles 14:15 "They smote also the tents of cattle, and
carried away sheep and camels in abundance, and returned to
Jerusalem."
These were the tents of the invading army. This, possibly, had
all of their back-up equipment. It was, also, full of animals,
possibly, to feed the million men that had come to fight. They would
have no more need of these things. Asa, and the men of Judah, took
them as spoil of the battle.
2 Chronicles 14 Questions
1. Where was Abijah buried?
2. Who reigned in his stead?
3. What kind of king was Asa?
4. What did he do to his grandmother, that lets us know he was
sincere in his belief in God?
5. Quote 2 Chronicles chapter 14 verse 2.
6. Where were the favorite places to worship false gods?
7. What were the strange gods, in verse 3, speaking of?
8. What made Judah different from the heathen countries?
9. Who had God given His law to?
10. How was God's blessings conditional?
11. What can an image be?
12. If you can see something, or someone, with your physical eyes, it
is not _______.
13. Why could they turn all of their energies to building?
14. Why had the lands around them left them alone?
15. How many from Judah were in Asa's army?
16. How many from Benjamin were in Asa's army?
17. How large was the Ethiopian army?
18. Where did they meet in battle?
19. Quote 2 Chronicles chapter 14 verse 11.
20. Who smote the Ethiopians?
21. How far did Asa pursue them?
22. When they were overthrown, what did Asa do?
23. Where else did Asa spoil?
24. What did he take from the camp of the invading army?
25. Why were there so many animals there?
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