Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
2 Chronicles 15:15

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Reformation under Asa (14:1-16:14)

God’s blessings on Asa showed his pleasure with those who removed Canaanite customs and restored the Levitical order of worship. God rewarded Asa by giving him a remarkable victory over a large and powerful army that invaded from the south. This sign of God’s pleasure encouraged Asa to continue his reforms with greater boldness (14:1-15:19; see notes on 1 Kings 15:9-15).

When, however, Asa trusted in outside help instead of trusting in God, he displeased God and was rebuked by one of God’s prophets. Not willing to listen to advice, he treated cruelly any of his people who opposed his policies (16:1-14; see notes on 1 Kings 15:16-24).

Towards the end of Asa’s reign, Ahab came to power in the north. Under the influence of his foreign wife Jezebel, Ahab introduced a new form of Baal worship in Israel. This Baalism was far more powerful and far more evil than that practised by the common people at the local Baal shrines (1 Kings 15:25-29). But since these matters concerned the northern kingdom, the Chronicler, in keeping with his usual practice, does not record them.

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

ASA'S CONTINUING PROGRAM OF RELIGIOUS REFORM

"And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Obed the prophet, he took courage and put away the abominations out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from the hill-country of Ephraim; and he renewed the altar of Jehovah, that was before the porch of Jehovah. And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and them that sojourned with them out of Ephraim, and Mansasseh, and out of Simeon: for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that Jehovah his God was with him. So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa. And they sacrificed to Jehovah in that day, of the spoil which they had brought, seven hundred oxen, and seven thousand sheep. And they entered into the covenant to seek Jehovah, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and with all their soul; and that whosoever would not seek Jehovah, the God of Israel, should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman. And they sware unto Jehovah with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets. And all Judah rejoiced at the oath; for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and Jehovah gave them rest round about."

"And the prophecy of Obed" "Some versions have, `the prophecy of Azariah the son of Obed,' which may be the true reading."Albert Barnes, op. cit., p. 391.

"In the third month of the fifteen year of Asa" "This was June (Sivan), on the sixth day of which the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) was observed. The great sacrifices on this occasion included some of the booty they had taken in the war with Zerah";Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 6b, p. 182. and if the conjecture that Zerah came against Asa in his eleventh year is correct, this would indicate that the war lasted four years. However, a great deal of the chronology of all of these Hebrew kings is very uncertain.

"And they entered into the covenant" The original covenant between God and his people is recorded in Exodus 24:3-8; it was renewed again at Shechem (Joshua 8:30-35); this was a third ratification; and still another took place in the times of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 10:20).

"Whosoever would not seek Jehovah… should be put to death" This was part of the original covenant (Deuteronomy 17:2-8); and thus we have another testimonial to the prior existence of the Pentateuch, long centuries before the times of Josiah. The account here is a true record of what occurred in the reign of Asa (913-873 B.C.).The Anchor Bible. Chronicles, p. 91.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 15

And as they were returning now with all the spoils of war, the victory of God,

The Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded: and he went out to meet Asa, and he said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The LORD is with you, while you are with him; and if you seek him, he will be found of you; but if you forsake him, he will forsake you ( 2 Chronicles 15:1-2 ).

Now the prophet meets him, Azariah meets him and lays out just a plain statement of truth, "The Lord is with you as long as you'll be with Him; and if you seek Him, He'll be found of you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you." This is God's eternal truth. This is always true of every man. The Lord will be with you just as long as you'll be with Him. And if you seek Him, you will find. But if you forsake Him, He will forsake you. God's basic truth. Unalterable, unchanging.

Now at this point, Asa is flushed with victory. He has just seen God work in a mighty way, an answer to prayer. And in those occasions, you're on spiritual highs that you can't believe when you've just seen God do a marvelous work. And I'm sure that Asa just smiled and said, "All right, praise the Lord. But you didn't need to add that last part, man. There's no way I'd ever forsake God. After all, look what God has just done. You don't need to warn me about that."

Wait a minute. Beware whenever God warns you of anything no matter how strong you may feel that you are in that particular area, because God doesn't waste words with you. And if God is warning you about a particular thing, there's a reason why God is warning you about that. So listen, because sure enough, those are the areas where the person gets tripped up. The very area that God is warning them about.

I don't think that any of you ever get tripped up in anything but what God hasn't given you advance warning on that issue. But you ignored it. "I'm very strong in that area. I can handle this." And you were warned of God. "Stay away, don't go." "Oh well, Lord, I know how to handle it. I'm, you know, and I know when to leave and... " "Don't go!" "But Lord, You don't understand, you see, I'm going to go and witness for You. And then I know the time to leave, Lord, and I'll be all right." And then as you're weeping and saying, "God, I don't know why I did it. Lord, help me." He said, "Well, didn't I tell you not to go? I gave you the warning. You just weren't listening. You weren't obeying." God doesn't warn you needlessly.

And so the Lord gave the warning to the king. And he said,

Now for a long time Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without the law. But in their trouble they turned to Jehovah, the God of Israel, they sought him, and he was found of them. And in those times there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the countries. And nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city: for God did vex them with adversity. Be ye strong therefore, let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded. And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and he put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim, and renewed the altar of the LORD, that was before the porch of the LORD. And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they came to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the LORD his God was with him. So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa. And they offered unto the LORD the same time, of the spoil which they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep. And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul ( 2 Chronicles 15:3-12 );

What a beautiful covenant. "Guys, let's just covenant together now. We're going to seek God with all of our heart and all of our soul." You know, that's neat when a bunch of people get together and really covenant. "Hey, God's going to be first in our lives. We're going to put the Lord above everything else. We're going to seek God with all of our hearts and with all of our souls." What a marvelous thing when people will covenant together in the excitement of a spiritual revival or fervor in this kind of a commitment. "God, I surrender everything to You. I'm Yours, Lord. I'm going to live full on for You." And you covenant with God that you're going to seek Him completely. They also determined,

That whosoever would not seek the LORD would be put to death, whether small or great, man or woman ( 2 Chronicles 15:13 ).

Now this is a little bit overzealous. You cannot legislate righteousness. If there were laws that could make men righteous, then Jesus would not have to die. But yet, it's admirable; their zeal for the Lord was at such a high pitch. "We're going to serve the Lord and if anybody doesn't follow, you know, we'll wipe them out."

And they sware unto the LORD with a loud voice, with shouting, with trumpets, with cornets ( 2 Chronicles 15:14 ).

I mean, this was just a real fanatical spiritual meeting. Shouting, praising God, sounding with trumpets. "God, we're going to serve You. God, we're going to commit ourselves. Lord, You're going to be the God over our land. We're going to put You first." And really, it was the time of great national strength and excitement.

I would like to have been there. I would like to have shared in the excitement of that moment when the hearts of the people were all turned towards God in this religious excitement.

And all of Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with their heart, and they sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and the LORD gave them rest round about. And also concerning Maachah the mother of Asa the king, he removed her from being the queen, because she had made an idol in a grove: and Asa cut down her idol, and stamped it, and burned it at the brook Kidron. But the high places were not taken away out of Israel: nevertheless the heart of Asa was complete. And he brought into the house of God the things that his father had dedicated, and that he himself had dedicated, silver, and gold, and vessels. And there was no more war until the thirty-fifth year of the reign of Asa ( 2 Chronicles 15:15-19 ) "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

2. Asa’s reform ch. 15

The Chronicler featured Azariah’s sermon (2 Chronicles 15:1-7), Asa’s reformation (2 Chronicles 15:8-15), and Maacah’s removal (2 Chronicles 15:16-19) during the middle part of Asa’s reign.

A message from the prophet Azariah was the spark that ignited revival in Asa’s day. Gerhard von Rad named the literary form in which a confessional statement is made with a quotation from the canonical prophets as "the Levitical Sermon" (cf. 2 Chronicles 15:2-7; 2 Chronicles 16:7-9; 2 Chronicles 19:6-7; 2 Chronicles 20:15-17; 2 Chronicles 20:20; 2 Chronicles 29:5-11). [Note: Gerhard von Rad, The Problem of the Hexateuch and Other Essays, pp. 267-80.] Asa responded to Azariah’s challenge by rededicating the temple, himself, and his people to the Mosaic Covenant. He even executed those who refused to submit to that covenant (Exodus 22:20; Deuteronomy 13:6-9). His removal of the powerful dowager queen (2 Chronicles 15:16) shows that he put spiritual purity above family loyalty. Other significant queen mothers during the monarchy were Bathsheba, Jezebel, and Athaliah. Unfortunately, Asa’s revival did not result in the removal of the high places in Israel (2 Chronicles 15:17), even though Asa destroyed them in Judah (cf. 2 Chronicles 14:3). Asa’s heart was not sinless, but it was blameless all his days (2 Chronicles 15:17). Zeal for the house and worship of the Lord marked him as a true son of David.

The writer counted Simeon among the northern tribes because many of the Simeonites, although some lived within the tribe of Judah, allied with their northern brothers in their religion (cf. 2 Chronicles 34:6). [Note: Keil, pp. 364-65.] Many Simeonites had apparently moved north into Israel.

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And all Judah rejoiced at the oath,.... The greater part of them; for some there might be who were dissemblers:

for they had sworn with all their heart; in the sincerity and uprightness of their souls:

and sought him with their whole desire; none being more or so desirable as he:

and he was found of them: and favoured them with his presence:

and the Lord gave them rest round about; from all their enemies.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      8 And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim, and renewed the altar of the LORD, that was before the porch of the LORD.   9 And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the LORD his God was with him.   10 So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa.   11 And they offered unto the LORD the same time, of the spoil which they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep.   12 And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul;   13 That whosoever would not seek the LORD God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.   14 And they sware unto the LORD with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets.   15 And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and the LORD gave them rest round about.   16 And also concerning Maachah the mother of Asa the king, he removed her from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove: and Asa cut down her idol, and stamped it, and burnt it at the brook Kidron.   17 But the high places were not taken away out of Israel: nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.   18 And he brought into the house of God the things that his father had dedicated, and that he himself had dedicated, silver, and gold, and vessels.   19 And there was no more war unto the five and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa.

      We are here told what good effect the foregoing sermon had upon Asa.

      I. He grew more bold for God than he had been. His victory would inspire him with some new degrees of resolution, but this message from God with much more. Now he took courage. he saw how necessary a further reformation was, and what assurance he had of God's presence with him in it; and this made him daring, and helped him over the difficulties which had before deterred him and driven him off from the undertaking. Now he ventured to destroy all the abominable idols (and all idolatries are abominable, 1 Peter 4:3) as far as ever his power went. Away with them all. He also renewed the altar of the Lord, which, it seems, had gone out of repair, though it was not above thirty-five years since Solomon's head was laid, who erected it. So soon did these ceremonial institutions begin to wax old, as things which, in the fulness of time, must vanish away,Hebrews 8:13.

      II. He extended his influence further than before, 2 Chronicles 15:9; 2 Chronicles 15:9. He summoned a solemn assembly, and particularly brought the strangers to it, who had come over to him from the ten tribes. 1. Their coming was a great encouragement to him; for the reason of their coming was because they saw that the Lord his God was with him. It is good to be with those that have God with them, to come into relation to, and contract acquaintance and friendship with, those that live in the fear and favour of God. We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you,Zechariah 8:23. 2. The cognizance he took of them, and the invitation he gave them to the general assembly, were a great encouragement to them. All strangers are to be helped, but those that cast themselves upon God's good providence, purely to keep a good conscience, are worthy of double honour. Asa gave orders for the gathering of them together (2 Chronicles 15:9; 2 Chronicles 15:9), yet it is said (2 Chronicles 15:10; 2 Chronicles 15:10) that they gathered themselves together, made it their own act, so forward were they to obey the king's orders. This meeting was held in the third month, probably at the feast of Pentecost, which was in that month.

      III. He and his people offered sacrifices to God, as his share of the spoil they had got, 2 Chronicles 15:11; 2 Chronicles 15:11. Their offering here was nothing to Solomon's (2 Chronicles 7:5; 2 Chronicles 7:5), which was owing to the diminution either of their zeal or of their wealth, or of both. These sacrifices were intended by way of thanksgiving for the favours they had received, and supplication for further favours. Prayers and praises are now our spiritual sacrifices. And, as he took care that the altar should have its gift, so he took care that the temple should have its gold: He brought into the house of God all the dedicated things,2 Chronicles 15:18; 2 Chronicles 15:18. It is honesty to render to God the things that are his. What has been long designed for him, and long laid by for him, as it should seem these dedicated things had been, should at length be laid out for him. Will a man rob God, or make slow payment to him, who is always ready to do us good?

      IV. They entered into covenant with God, repenting that they had violated their engagements to him and resolving to do better for the future. It is proper for penitents, for converts, to renew their covenants. It should seem, the motion came not from Asa, but from the people themselves. Let every man be a volunteer that covenants with God. Thy people shall be willing,Psalms 110:3. Observe,

      1. What was the matter of this covenant. Nothing but what they were before obliged to; and, though no vow or promise of theirs could lay any higher obligation upon them than they were already under from the divine precept, yet it would help to increase their sense of the obligation, to arm them against temptations, and would be a testimony to the equity and goodness of the precept. And, by joining all together in this covenant, they strengthened the hands one of another. Two things they engaged themselves to:-- (1.) That they would diligently seek God themselves, seek his precepts, seek his favour. What is religion but seeking God, enquiring after him, applying to him, upon all occasions? We shall not enjoy him till we come to heaven; while we are here we must continue seeking. They would seek God as the God of their fathers, in the way that their fathers sought him and in dependence upon the promise made to their fathers; and they would do it with all their heart and with all their soul, for those only seek God acceptably and successfully that are inward with him, intent upon him, and entire for him, in their seeking him. We make nothing of our religion if we do not make heart-work of it. God will have all the heart or none; and, when a jewel of such inestimable value as the divine favour is to be found, it is worth while to seek it with all our soul. (2.) That they would, to the utmost of their power, oblige others to seek him, 2 Chronicles 15:13; 2 Chronicles 15:13. They agreed that whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel (that is, would either worship other gods or refuse to join with them in the worship of the true God, that was either an obstinate idolater or an obstinate atheist) he should be put to death. This was no new law of their own making, but an order to put in execution that law of God to this purport, Deuteronomy 17:2-5, c. If this law had been duly executed, there would not have been so many abominable idols found in Judah and Benjamin, 2 Chronicles 15:8; 2 Chronicles 15:8. Whether men may now, under the gospel, be compelled by such methods as these to seek the Lord is justly questioned; for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, and yet mighty.

      2. In what manner they made this covenant. (1.) With great cheerfulness, and all possible expressions of joy: The swore unto the Lord; not secretly, as if they were either ashamed of what they did or afraid of binding themselves too fast to him, but with a loud voice, to express their own zeal and to animate one another; and they all rejoiced at the oath, 2 Chronicles 15:14; 2 Chronicles 15:15. They did not swear to God with reluctancy (as the poor debtor confesses a judgment to his creditor), but with all the pleasure and satisfaction imaginable, as the bridegroom plights his troth to the bride in the marriage covenant. Every honest Israelite was pleased with his own engagements to God, and they were all pleased with one another's. They rejoiced in it as a hopeful expedient to prevent their apostasy from God and a happy indication of God's presence with them. Note, The times of renewing our covenant with God should be times of rejoicing, and national reformation cannot but give general satisfaction to all that are good. It is an honour and happiness to be in bonds to God. (2.) They did it with great sincerity, zeal and resolution: They swore to God with all their hearts, and sought him with their whole desire. The Israelites were now in an extraordinarily good frame. O that there had always been such a heart in them! This comes in as the reason why they rejoiced so much in what they did: it was because they were hearty in it. Note, Those only experience the pleasure and comfort of religion that are sincere and upright in it. What is done in hypocrisy is a mere drudgery. But, if God has the heart, we have the joy.

      V. We are told what was the effect of this their solemn covenanting with God. 1. God did well for them: He was found of them, and gave them rest round about (2 Chronicles 15:15; 2 Chronicles 15:15), so that there was no war for a long time after (2 Chronicles 15:19; 2 Chronicles 15:19), no open general war, though there were constant bickerings between Judah and Israel upon the frontiers, 1 Kings 15:16. National piety procures national blessings. 2. They did, on the whole, well for him. They carried on the reformation so far that Maachah the queen-mother was deposed for idolatry and her idol destroyed, 2 Chronicles 15:16; 2 Chronicles 15:16. This was bravely done of Asa, that he would not connive at idolatry in those that were nearest to him, like Levi, that said to his father and mother, I have not seen him,Deuteronomy 33:9. Asa knows he must honour God more than his grandmother, and dares not leave an idol in an apartment of his palace while he is destroying idols in the cities of his kingdom. We may suppose this Maachah was so far convinced of her sin that she was willing to subscribe the association mentioned (2 Chronicles 15:12; 2 Chronicles 15:13), binding herself to seek the Lord, and therefore was not put to death as those were that refused to sign it, great as well as small, women as well as men: probably it was with an eye to her that women were specified. But because she had been an idolater Asa thought fit to divest her of the dignity and authority she had, and probably he banished her the court and confined her to privacy, lest she should influence and infect others. But the reformation was not complete; the high places were not all taken away, though many of them were, 2 Chronicles 15:3; 2 Chronicles 15:5. Those in the cities were removed, but not those in the cities of Judah, but not those in the cities of Israel which were reduced to the house of David; or those that were used in the service of false gods, but not those that were used in the service of the God of Israel. These he connived at, and yet his heart was perfect. There may be defects in some particular duties where yet the heart, in the man, is upright with God. Sincerity is something less than sinless perfection.