Return to me and I will Return to you

Return to me and I will Return to you

^{1 King 15:9-15}

In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa became king of Judah, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty-one years. His grandmother’s name was Maakah daughter of Absalom. Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as his father David had done. He expelled the male shrine prostitutes from the land and got rid of all the idols his ancestors had made. He even deposed his grandmother Maakah from her position as queen mother, because she had made a repulsive image for the worship of Asherah. Asa cut it down and burned it in the Kidron Valley. Although he did not remove the high places, Asa’s heart was fully committed to the Lord all his life. He brought into the temple of the Lord the silver and gold and the articles that he and his father had dedicated.

Return to me and I will return to you:Jeroboam King of Israel, a mighty man of valor, appointed by God through prophet Ahijah, heart was not loyal to the Lord during his regime. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord: Jeroboam feared the people heart would turn to the house of David, they would killed him and go back to the Rehoboam king of Judah. Therefore, he took it upon himself to make gods and places of worship for them. He created 2 gods from calves of gold, and said to the people “It is too much for you to go to Jerusalem. “Here are your gods. O Israel, which brought you from the land of Egypt.”In disobedience to the law of the Lord, you shall have no other god before me.

Jeroboam caused the people of Israel to sin. He also proceeded to make high places and made priests from every class who were not sons of Levi to worship the god of Dan and Bethel. He ordained a feast on the 15th day of the 8^th month like the feast in Judah at both Dan and Bethel high places to make offerings and sacrifices on the altar, a device in his own heart. “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure, who can understand it? Jeroboams, similar to the anti-Christ blasphemed the name of the Lord, the tabernacle of the Lord, and His priesthood ordinances. (Exodus 29:29-46, 1 Peter 2:9, Revelation 1:6) “Above all else, guard your heart , for everything you do flows from it.”

Pause & think?

• Why did God appoint Jeroboam as king of Israel?
• What is evil and what evil did Jeroboam do in the eyes of the Lord ?
• How can we overcome difficulties with scripture to guard our hearts?

King Asa, great grandson of Solomon, reigned for 41 years did what was right in the sight of the Lord unlike his father Abijam who reigned for 3 years because he walked in the sins of his fathers and his heart was not loyal to the Lord.  Asa implemented some changes over time in Judah, the law of God was in his heart, he did what was right in the sight of our jealous God as he heeded his word

• He banished the perverted persons from the land, in obedience to the law which state there shall be no ritual harlots of the daughters or a perverted one of the sons of Israel, meaning illicit sexual acts should not be a part of worship to the one true God, its abominable to God.

Jesus said: If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. Matthew 18:6

• He removed sacred pillars, wooden images, on every high hill and under every green tree except the high places which his father has made, in adherence to the law: “You shall not make idols for yourselves, neither a carved image nor a sacred pillar shall you rear up for yourselves, not shall you set up an engraved stone in your land to bow down to it; for I am the Lord your God. 

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’” Luke 4:8

• Asa, the grandson of Rehoboam (son of Solomon)removed his grandmother Maakah– the granddaughter of Absalom, the son of David, from being queen mother because she had made obscene image of Asherah- a fertility goddess- and burned it at Brook Kishron, a place where Elijah executed the prophet of Baal, David fled from Absalom and the same place Jesus was betrayed by Judas . (2 Samuel 15:23, 1 king 18:40, John 18:1-2)”To depart from evil is understanding”
• Asa chopped down her obscene image of Asherah in adherence to the law: “You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me, and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments” (Exodus 20:4-6)

Beware lest you act corruptly by making a carved image for yourselves, in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female.Deuteronomy 4:16

Little children, keep yourselves from Idol worship. 1 John 5:21

I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols.Isaiah 42:8

• Asa kept his eyes and heart on the Lord, he renovated the altar, he and all Israel sought the Lord with all their heart and all their soul, except the high places were not removed. King Asa acknowledged the past, identified its error and took corrective actions to reconcile Judah to God. “How can a young cleanse his way? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:9-11)

Therefore, If anyone is in Christ , new creation has come, the old has gone and the new is here. 2 Corinthians 5:17

Pause & think

• Who is Maakah daughter of Absalom and what does scripture say about incest?
• What are the attributes of high places and what is the significance of brook Kidron?
• Contrast Asa and Jeroboam leadership over Judah and Israel respectively ?

1 KINGS 15:16-19

 There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel throughout their reigns. Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and fortified Ramah to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the territory of Asa king of Judah. Asa then took all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and of his own palace. He entrusted it to his officials and sent them to Ben-Hadad son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, the king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus.

“Let there be a treaty between me and you,” he said, “as there was between my father and your father. See, I am sending you a gift of silver and gold. Now break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so he will withdraw from me.”

There was going war between king Asa of Judah and king Baasha of Israel over the boundary that separated the two kingdoms. Baasha, built Ramah a city 3 miles across the lines inside Judah, it was on the main north-south route leading to Jerusalem from the north. By controlling Ramah, Baasha could dictate whether merchants, or military could go out or come in Judah. Baasha, son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar had a history of violence. Baasha overthrow king Nadab son of Jeroboam, and assumed his throne in the 3^rd year reign of King Asa of Judah. Baasha overthrew the dynasty of Jeroboam according to the word of the Lord spoken by Ahijah the Shilonite because Jeroboam and all Israel sin against the Lord with their abominable worship and provoked the Lord God to anger.

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and sound mind. 
2 Timothy 1:7

Return to me and I will return to you: Asa did not turned to the Lord to inquire from him on what to do about Baasha’s indirect attack on Judah rather he took all sliver and gold from the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and the treasures of the royal palace and gave them to Ben-hadad, the son of Tabrimmon, king of Syria who dwell in Damascus, to established a treaty with him. This treaty would break the peace treaty Ben-hadad, the king of Syria had with Baasha king of Israel, and so he will withdraw his attack on Judah.

 Jesus said, a house divided against it-self shall not stand.

Return to me and I will Return to you: Asa in fear leaned on his own understanding and did not trust in the Lord to direct his path, as He did in the battle of Zerah. He bribe a pagan king and depended on his military might to protect Judah against Israel rather than call upon the Lord of host, the God of Jacob as his refuge. Asa, did not reverence the treasures of dedicated things to the Lord, he use them as bait in negotiating a treaty with a pagan king who serve the god of storm and thunder as if power does not belong to God, who rules the raging sea and still its waves .Our God who thunders with His voice to scatter the foe! Asa, in fear acted foolishly by depending on human’s military might instead of having faith in God to delivered Syria into his hands. Hanani confronted Asa, explaining to him because he did not relied on the Lord to delivered Syria into his hands, the Syrian escape from his hands and he will be at war with Baash. “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself string on behalf of those who heart is loyal to him. 

Jesus said: Have faith in God.I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me? Jeremiah 32:27

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. Matthew 19:26

Oh, Lord GOD! You have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too difficult for you! Jeremiah 32:17

Pause & think

• What was the conflict between Asa and Baasha ?
• How did Asa resolved the conflict with Bassha ?
• How was Asa decision influenced by fear?

1 King 15:20-22

So Ben-hadad, listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel, and conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maacah and all Chinneroth, besides all the land of Naphtali. When Baasha heard of it, he ceased fortifying Ramah and remained in Tirzah. Then King Asa made a proclamation to all Judah—none was exempt—and they carried away the stones of Ramah and its timber with which Baasha had built. And King Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin and Mizpah

Ben-hadad son of Hezion, heeded to the king of Judah request. He sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel and they attacked Ijon, Dan, Abel, Maim and all the storage of Naphtali and when Baasha heard it he ceased the building of Ramah. Asa and all Judah took away the stones and timber of Ramah, which Baasha had use for building and with them he built Geba and Mizpah and there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. King Asa expediently protected Judah from the control of Baasha but importantly, the means by which he protected Judah caused disunity between Israel and Judah. May we make every effort to keep the unity of Spirit through the bond of peace in all our endeavors, particularity in conflicts with others.

Luke 17:3

...Watch yourselves. “If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. Luke 17:3

 Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! Psalm 133:

The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever. Isaiah 31:17

Pause & think

• Who was Ben-hadad?
• What were the fortresses of Ben-hadad?
• What are works of Jesus Christ and its end result?