Why did Asa not remove the high places despite his loyal heart to God? Why This Question Matters • 1 Kings 15:14 records, “The high places were not removed, but Asa’s heart was fully devoted to the LORD all his days.” At first glance that sounds contradictory. How can devotion and disobedience stand side by side? High Places—What Were They? • Elevated sites where sacrifices and worship were offered • Sometimes dedicated to false gods (1 Kings 11:7) • Sometimes used in the LORD’s name but still forbidden (Deuteronomy 12:2-4) Asa’s Early Purge • “He removed the foreign altars and the high places” (2 Chronicles 14:3). • He “tore down the pagan altars… and smashed the Asherah poles” (2 Chronicles 14:5). • This shows sincere zeal at the start of his reign. Why Some High Places Remained • Geographic reach was limited – Judah contained remote rural shrines beyond royal oversight. • Mixed usage – Certain sites were devoted to the LORD, yet outside the Temple. People resisted giving them up (2 Kings 15:35). • Deep-rooted tradition – Centuries of habit made eradication hard; many kings after David struggled with the same issue (1 Kings 22:43). • Political stability – Removing every shrine risked civil unrest. Asa already faced Baasha of Israel (1 Kings 15:16-22). • Spiritual decline later in life – He sought physicians before God (2 Chronicles 16:12), hinting his intensity cooled. Reconciling Kings and Chronicles • Early campaigns removed many sites (2 Chronicles 14:3). • Later chronicling in Kings notes the unfinished task (1 Kings 15:14). • Scripture is harmonized: Asa began well, but total elimination never happened. What This Teaches • A heart can be “fully devoted” in intent yet still leave pockets of compromise. • God credits genuine faith while faithfully recording shortcomings—Scripture tells the truth, the whole truth. • Ongoing reform is necessary; partial obedience stalls when pressure mounts (Philippians 3:12-14). Takeaway Asa’s story urges believers to keep pressing until every “high place” in life—any loyalty competing with wholehearted worship—is surrendered to the Lord. |
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