Topical Bible: Kings: Who Reigned Over Judah: Asa

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Asa, the third king of the Kingdom of Judah, 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's reign is chronicled in the biblical books of 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles, where he is depicted as a king who sought to follow the ways of the Lord, contrasting with the idolatrous practices of his predecessors.

Religious Reforms and Devotion to God

Asa is noted for his religious reforms and his commitment to purging idolatry from Judah. According to 1 Kings 15:11-12 , "Asa did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, as his father David had done. He banished the male shrine prostitutes from the land and removed all the idols that his fathers had made." Asa's reforms included the removal of his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother because she had made an obscene image for Asherah (1 Kings 15:13).

His dedication to God is further emphasized in 2 Chronicles 14:2-5 , where it is recorded that Asa "removed the foreign altars and high places, shattered the sacred pillars, and chopped down the Asherah poles. He commanded Judah to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, and to observe the law and the commandments."

Military Success and Reliance on God

Asa's reign was marked by military success, attributed to his reliance on God. Early in his reign, Asa faced a formidable threat from Zerah the Cushite, who came against Judah with a vast army. Asa's response was to seek the Lord's help, as recorded in 2 Chronicles 14:11 : "Then Asa cried out to the LORD his God, 'O LORD, there is no one besides You to help the mighty and those without strength. 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 Asa victory, and the Cushites were defeated.

Challenges and Later Years

Despite his early faithfulness, Asa's later years were marked by challenges and a reliance on human alliances rather than divine intervention. In his 36th year as king, Asa faced a threat from Baasha, king of Israel. Instead of seeking the Lord, Asa formed an alliance with Ben-Hadad, king of Aram, by sending him treasures from the temple and his own palace (1 Kings 15:18-19). This decision was rebuked by the prophet Hanani, who reminded Asa of his earlier reliance on God and the resulting victories (2 Chronicles 16:7-9).

Asa's final years were also marked by illness. He suffered from a severe disease in his feet, yet he did not seek the Lord's help but relied on physicians (2 Chronicles 16:12). Asa's death is recorded in 2 Chronicles 16:13-14 , where he is honored with a burial in the tomb he had prepared for himself in the City of David.

Legacy

Asa's reign is remembered for its initial zeal for the Lord and significant religious reforms. Despite his later reliance on human alliances, Asa's early commitment to purging idolatry and seeking God's guidance set a standard for future kings of Judah. His reign serves as a reminder of the importance of steadfast faith and reliance on God throughout one's life.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Kings 15:9-24
And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Chronicles 14:1-16:14
So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead. In his days the land was quiet ten years.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Record of Two Kings
... in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel ... was buried in Samaria: and Ahab
his son reigned in his ... began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the record of two kings.htm

How Zerah, King of the Ethiopians, was Beaten by Asa; and How Asa ...
... for Omri's ruling had beaten Tibni, Omri reigned over all the ... years; six of these
years he reigned in the ... was no way different from those kings that reigned ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 12 how zerah king.htm

The Two Boy Kings.
... soon after Solomon's death, and a king reigned in Jerusalem ... of Judah, and another
in Samaria over the kingdom ... There were a few good kings of Judah, such as Asa ...
/.../lathbury/childs story of the bible/chapter xxx the two boy.htm

Asa
... Asa was the third king who reigned over the separated kingdoms ... for help and hope,
he may triumph over the most ... narrative, in the First Book of Kings, that Asa ...
//christianbookshelf.org/milligan/men of the bible some lesser-known/asa.htm

The Fall of the House of Ahab
... the child remained hidden, while "Athaliah reigned over the land ... of this time, "the
Levites and all Judah" (2 Chronicles ... said, God save the king." 2 Kings 11:12 ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 16 the fall of.htm

The Divided Kingdom.
... Reigned IS years and died. ... During this time the kings of Judah cherished the
hope that they would regain their control over the ten tribes. ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter xiii the divided kingdom.htm

The Kingdom Op Judah.
... strengthened to gain a great victory over the Ethiopians ... kingdom during his lifetime,
and afterwards reigned alone till ... and most idolatrous of the Kings of Judah ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson vii the kingdom op.htm

The Antiquities of the Jews
... When He Had Taken Jezebel To Wife Became More Wicked Than All The Kings That Had ...
How Jotham, The Son Of Uzziah Reigned Over The Tribe Of Judah; And What ...
//christianbookshelf.org/josephus/the antiquities of the jews/

Jehoshaphat's Reform
... 'And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his ... But it is not only in kings' houses that
that experience is ... love, which showed itself in voluntary gifts over and above ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/jehoshaphats reform.htm

The Perfect Heart.
... Asa, one of the most godly and devoted kings that ever ... direction of the light, smoothing
it all over and singing ... about the nation where you once reigned as king ...
//christianbookshelf.org/booth/godliness/chapter viii the perfect heart.htm