This chapter opens with an event in which Asa did not act as he should have – for even the best of men are only men at best. In 940 BC, King Baasha of the Northern Kingdom of Israel attempted to build the city of Ramah, with the intention of preventing his citizens from crossing the border into Asa’s Southern Kingdom. And in order to put a stop to this, Asa took silver and gold from the Temple treasures and the royal treasury; and he sent them to King Ben-hadad of Syria, with a petition to come and cause trouble for Baasha so that he would quit building Ramah. Ben-hadad agreed to do so, and he began to divert Baasha’s attention by attacking various Israelite cities; and as Asa had expected, Baasha left the city of Ramah unfinished. Hereupon, Asa gathered his own subjects, and they carried away all the building materials that Baasha had left behind at Ramah. With these materials, Asa caused cities of his own – Geba and Mizpah – to be built.

A plain and faithful reproof was given to Asa by a prophet of the Lord, named Hanani, for making this foolish league with Ben-hadad. The greatest fault which the prophet charged upon him was his relying upon the king of Syria, and not upon the Lord his God! The Lord is very displeased when He is distrusted, and when an arm of flesh is relied upon more than His power and goodness. It is a foolish thing to lean on a broken reed when we have the Rock of Ages to rely upon! To convince Asa of his folly, Hanani showed him that out of all men, he had no reason to distrust God; for he had found Him to be a very powerful helper, by Whom he had been enabled to triumph over the threatening million-man army of Ethiopia. The many experiences which we have had of the goodness of God to us only serve to make our distrust of Him even more sinful. Has He not helped us in six troubles? And do we have any reason to suspect Him of failing to come to our aid in the seventh? The Lord governs the world in infinite wisdom; all creatures and all their actions are continually under His eye. And He governs the world for the good of His people! He does all things in fulfillment of the counsels of His love concerning their salvation. Jesus is the Head over all things to His Church (Eph. 1:22), and His people may rest assured of His protection; they have all the reason in the world to depend upon it! He is able to protect them in the way of their duty, for wisdom and might are His. A practical disbelief of this truth is at the bottom of all our departures from God.

Asa was extremely displeased at this reproof. Although it came from God, by one who was known to be His messenger; and although the reproof was just and the reasoning was fair, and it was all intended for his good – yet Asa was angry with the prophet for telling him of his folly. In fact, he was in a rage with him! Is this the same man who is recorded as having a heart that was perfect with the Lord all his days? Alas! Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. Here was a wise and righteous man; and yet he was impatient of reproof, and could not bear to be told of his faults! O Lord, what is man when You leave him to himself? Those who idolize their own conduct cannot bear contradiction; and those who indulge a peevish, passionate temper may be led thereby into impieties as well as into indecencies – and they will, at some time or another, fly in the face of God Himself. In his rage, Asa committed the prophet to jail; and having proceeded thus far, he oppressed some of his people as well – probably those who supported the prophet in his sufferings, or those who were known to be his particular friends.

In courting the help of Ben-hadad, Asa acted against his own best interests. But even worse than that, he had incurred Jehovah’s displeasure; and henceforth, he was to expect no peace, but the constant alarms of war (verse 9).

In 917 BC, two years before Asa died, he was diseased in his feet (verse 12). His disease was exceedingly great; but instead of seeking the Lord for relief, he trusted in the aid of his physicians. It was not wrong for him to seek help from doctors; but his sin was that he was trusting in them, and expecting something from them which may only be had from God alone. Without the Lord, even the most skillful and faithful physicians are of no value.

King Asa’s funeral (915 BC) was a very magnificent affair. It seems that this funeral pomp was an expression of the great respect that his people retained for him, notwithstanding the failings and infirmities of his latter days. The eminent piety and usefulness of righteous people ought to be remembered to their praise, although they have had their blemishes. Let their faults be buried in their graves, while their services are remembered over their graves. The wise man said, “There is not a just man that doeth good and sinneth not” – but he also said, “The memory of the just is blessed.” Let it be so!

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