#563 A Pint of Conversation

In the thirty-sixth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and built Ramah, that he might permit no one to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah. 2 Then Asa took silver and gold from the treasures of the house of the Lord and the king's house and sent them to Ben-hadad king of Syria, who lived in Damascus, saying,3 “There is a covenant[a] between me and you, as there was between my father and your father. Behold, I am sending to you silver and gold. Go, break your covenant with Baasha king of Israel, that he may withdraw from me.” 4 And Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel, and they conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel-maim, and all the store cities of Naphtali.5 And when Baasha heard of it, he stopped building Ramah and let his work cease. 6 Then King Asa took all Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and its timber, with which Baasha had been building, and with them he built Geba and Mizpah.

7 At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him, “Because you relied on the king of Syria, and did not rely on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Syria has escaped you. 8 Were not the Ethiopians and the Libyans a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet because you relied on the Lord, he gave them into your hand. 9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless[b]toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars.” 10 Then Asa was angry with the seer and put him in the stocks in prison, for he was in a rage with him because of this. And Asa inflicted cruelties upon some of the people at the same time.

11 The acts of Asa, from first to last, are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 12 In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was diseased in his feet, and his disease became severe. Yet even in his disease he did not seek the Lord, but sought help from physicians.13 And Asa slept with his fathers, dying in the forty-first year of his reign.14 They buried him in the tomb that he had cut for himself in the city of David. They laid him on a bier that had been filled with various kinds of spices prepared by the perfumer's art, and they made a very great fire in his honor. 2 Chronicles 16 ESV

We should take care what we teach our kids and who we make close to us before their eyes. If our dealings are shady or with those of questionable character, will not that be the condoning parentheses for young eyes? Dad did it this way, he was a friend and a partner with the king of Syria. Now also I think I see another problem here, maybe, for the north is still brother to the south. I think it is a grand thing that Asa would accomplish here, for there are probably so many that pass through Ramah to worship in Jerusalem, but Baasha has cut them off. However, should this stay between you and your brother and God? Is this an in house argument, a family quarrel? 

Suppose one of you wants to bring a charge against another believer. Should you take it to ungodly people to be judged? Why not take it to the Lord’s people? 2 Or don’t you know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? Since this is true, aren’t you able to judge small cases? 3 Don’t you know that we will judge angels? Then we should be able to judge the things of this life even more! 4 So suppose you disagree with one another in matters like this. Who do you ask to decide which of you is right? Do you ask people who live in a way the church disapproves of? Of course not! 5 I say this to shame you. Is it possible that no one among you is wise enough to judge matters between believers? 6 Instead, one believer goes to court against another. And this happens in front of unbelievers! 1 Corinthians 6: 1-6

So Asa has started out as a great king, a reformer of the people, but now he goes to Syria in order to punish Israel. Israel is not innocent in this, but God is displeased with Asa's mode of correction. He takes the gold of the temple, robbing God to pay the godless. He seeks the aid of this king, when it has been God all along that made him great. There is a dangerous pattern here that started before him, did not Solomon sell the Syrians the weapons they would one day come to use against his own people? Friendship with the world comes at a high price, one we should not be willing to pay, the things of God should remain with the temple. This is the same with the call to righteousness, that many will throw away for a more pragmatic, user friendly gospel. Only if they ask God, He says faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Asa, you have done so well these many years in this covenant with God, you have sought Him and He has favored you. Maybe when things are going well we write off the need to seek and inquire, and we see the world has an answer in these situations, it has it's own wisdom that we find appealing. You had to trust God when there was no deliverance in sight, when the Ethiopians were upon you, but now you have this other king and that which is sacred and refined in the temple will be the price. It worked and so you measure that it was good, you got the result you aimed for, so your method was true, but why is Hanani knocking at your door? Why is he saying the army has escaped you, does he not realize that this is my ally? You must be a fool and not a prophet, I am friends with Ben-hadad, so I have nothing to fear. I am the king and this is what I have decided and it was good. So he throws him in jail, for speaking out against the acts of the king; he punishes others who question him as well. When he becomes sick, he cuts off his own self from God, and he trusts men still more. God made men, made medicine and physicians, go to Him to ask that he aid the doctor, that He steers you clear of the witch doctor, but don't leave God out. Praise Him, lift Him up, for He is above all of it. A wise man takes correction, it is sad to see Asa's light go out this way. 

As that shadow soon approaches, I close my eyes to look once more
To search the halls and chambers behind the ticking door
There He sits again, still and true, upon His throne for sure
I like to come here often, I know His words are pure
And I should not like to falter now, this close to race's end
So everyday just like the last, here's where I will begin