What does Asa's incomplete reform teach about fully following God's commands? Setting the Scene: 2 Chronicles 15:17 “The high places were not removed from Israel; nevertheless Asa’s heart was fully devoted all his days.” Asa’s Reform—Mostly Impressive • Tore down pagan altars and smashed idols (2 Chron 14:3–5) • Repaired the altar of the LORD and renewed covenant worship (15:8–12) • Even deposed his own grandmother for idolatry (15:16) The One Thing Left Undone • High places—local shrines on hills—remained. • Deuteronomy 12:2–4 had commanded total removal: “You must utterly destroy all the places…”. • The people still had a culturally comfortable option for worship; complete centralization at Jerusalem never happened. What Asa’s Incomplete Reform Teaches 1. Partial obedience is still disobedience – 1 Samuel 15:22–23: “To obey is better than sacrifice… rebellion is like the sin of divination.” 2. Good intentions cannot substitute for total surrender – Asa’s heart was “fully devoted,” yet the lingering shrines became footholds for later compromise (cf. 2 Chron 16:2–3). 3. Small areas left unchecked grow into larger problems – By Jehoshaphat’s reign the high places re-emerged even more strongly (2 Chron 20:33). 4. God desires thoroughness because holiness is contagious—and so is compromise – Galatians 5:9: “A little leaven leavens the whole lump.” 5. Wholehearted obedience brings lasting peace – When Asa followed fully, “the land had rest” (2 Chron 14:5–6); unrest followed later lapses (16:9). Parallels for Today • Hidden habits, attitudes, or “small” compromises function like high places. • James 1:22 warns against being hearers only; Luke 14:33 calls for forsaking “all we possess.” • Leaving a corner of life unyielded invites future defeat even when the public face looks faithful. Steps Toward Wholehearted Obedience • Identify any “high places” in heart or practice—patterns left untouched because they seem minor. • Bring every area under Christ’s lordship (2 Corinthians 10:5). • Replace compromise with consistent worship—time, priorities, relationships. • Stay teachable: Asa hardened late in life (16:10); ongoing humility protects us. • Trust the promise of 2 Chron 16:9: “For the eyes of the LORD roam to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is fully devoted to Him.” Takeaway Asa shows how earnest devotion can be undermined by one unremoved high place. The call is simple and challenging: smash every shrine, large or small, so nothing competes with the living God. |
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