Topical Bible: Decision: Asa

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Background:
Asa was the third king of the Kingdom of Judah and reigned for 41 years, from approximately 911 to 870 BC. He was the son of Abijah and the grandson of Rehoboam, making him a direct descendant of King David. Asa is noted for his religious reforms and efforts to rid Judah of idolatry, aligning his reign with the worship of Yahweh.

Religious Reforms:
Asa's reign is marked by significant religious reforms aimed at restoring the worship of the LORD in Judah. He is commended for his commitment to the LORD, as recorded in 1 Kings 15:11 : "And Asa did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, as his father David had done." Asa removed the male shrine prostitutes from the land and got rid of all the idols his ancestors had made (1 Kings 15:12). He also deposed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother because she had made a repulsive Asherah pole (1 Kings 15:13).

Military Decisions:
Asa's reign was also characterized by military challenges and decisions. Early in his reign, he faced the threat of Zerah the Cushite, who came against Judah with a vast army. Asa's response was to seek the LORD's help, demonstrating his reliance on divine intervention. In 2 Chronicles 14:11 , Asa prayed, "LORD, there is no one besides You to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on You, and in Your name we have come against this multitude. O LORD, You are our God; do not let a mere mortal prevail against You." The LORD granted him victory, and the Cushites were defeated.

Alliance with Aram:
Later in his reign, Asa faced the threat of Baasha, king of Israel, who fortified Ramah to prevent anyone from leaving or entering Judah. In a significant decision, Asa took the silver and gold from the treasuries of the LORD's temple and his own palace and sent them to Ben-Hadad, king of Aram, seeking an alliance to break Baasha's blockade (1 Kings 15:18-19). This decision, however, was met with criticism from the prophet Hanani, who rebuked Asa for relying on the king of Aram instead of the LORD (2 Chronicles 16:7).

Later Years and Legacy:
In his later years, Asa's reliance on human alliances rather than divine guidance marked a shift in his decision-making. When afflicted with a severe disease in his feet, Asa sought help from physicians rather than the LORD (2 Chronicles 16:12). Despite these shortcomings, Asa is remembered for his early reforms and dedication to purging idolatry from Judah. His reign is often seen as a period of religious renewal and relative peace, setting a standard for future kings of Judah.

Biblical References:
· 1 Kings 15:9-24
· 2 Chronicles 14-16

Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Chronicles 15:8
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.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The General Conference of 1832
... Genesee Conference: Asa Abell, Robert Burch, Israel Chamberlayne, Abner Chase, John
Copeland, Edmund O ... if found guilty, is to be expelled on the decision of the ...
/.../chapter 11 the general conference.htm

The First Delegated General Conference of 1812
... Ezekiel Cooper, John McClaskey, Stephen G. Roszel, Thomas F. Sargent, Asa Smith,
Richard ... conference, who shall decide on the case, and their decision shall be ...
/.../chapter 1 the first delegated.htm

CHAPTER III.
... The decision depends chiefly upon what we are to understand by "the children of
Israel." If ... 2 Chronicles 15:2-4, which was uttered at the time of Asa, king of ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/chapter iii.htm

The General Conference of 1836
... Genesee Conference: Asa Abel, Glezin Fillmore, Loring Grant, James Hemmingway, Wilbur
Hoag ... of, the Methodist Book Concern; and whereas the decision of the ...
/.../chapter 13 the general conference.htm

The General Conference of 1828
... Furlong, William Lambdin, Daniel Limerick, James Moore, David Sharp, Asa Shinn,
William ... Joshua Randell, from a decision of the New England conference, by which ...
/.../chapter 9 the general conference.htm

The Assumption of Moses
... Rehoboam, Abia, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joram, Ahaziah, and Athaliah; and nine God defended ...
earlier date, nor does this part of the "prophecy" alter this decision. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/deane/pseudepigrapha/the assumption of moses.htm

Tiglath-Pileser iii. And the Organisation of the Assyrian Empire ...
... xv.1-8), and Hanani under Asa (2 Ghron ... far and wide in a marvellously short space
of time, and chiefs who till then had vacillated in their decision now crowded ...
/.../chapter iitiglath-pileser iii and the.htm

The General Conference of 1840
... Genesee Conference: Asa Abel, Jonas Dodge, AN Filmore, Glezin Filmore, J. Parker,
Manley ... who have differed from us will cordially abide the decision of such a ...
/.../chapter 15 the general conference.htm

Prison Experiences for Conscience' Sake --Our Prison
... He gave us till the next morning to consider the question and report our decision. ...
Today we attended meeting held in the house of a Friend, Asa Arnold, living ...
/.../prison experiences for conscience sakeour.htm