2 Chronicles 15

1 The Spirit of God entered Azariah son of Oded.

2 Azariah went to meet Asa and said, "Listen to me, Asa and all you people of Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you obey him, you will find him, but if you leave him, he will leave you.

3 For a long time Israel was without the true God and without a priest to teach them and without the teachings.

4 But when they were in trouble, they turned to the Lord, the God of Israel. They looked for him and found him.

5 In those days no one could travel safely. There was much trouble in all the nations.

6 One nation would destroy another nation, and one city would destroy another city, because God troubled them with all kinds of distress.

7 But you should be strong. Don't give up, because you will get a reward for your good work."

8 Asa felt brave when he heard these words and the message from Azariah son of Oded the prophet. So he removed the hateful idols from all of Judah and Benjamin and from the towns he had captured in the hills of Ephraim. He repaired the Lord's altar that was in front of the porch of the Temple of the Lord.

9 Then Asa gathered all the people from Judah and Benjamin and from the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who were living in Judah. Many people came to Asa even from Israel, because they saw that the Lord, Asa's God, was with him.

10 Asa and these people gathered in Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of Asa's rule.

11 At that time they sacrificed to the Lord seven hundred bulls and seven thousand sheep and goats from the valuable things Asa's army had taken from their enemies.

12 Then they made an agreement to obey the Lord, the God of their ancestors, with their whole being.

13 Anyone who refused to obey the Lord, the God of Israel, was to be killed. It did not matter if that person was important or unimportant, a man or woman.

14 Then Asa and the people made a promise before the Lord, shouting with a loud voice and blowing trumpets and sheep's horns.

15 All the people of Judah were happy about the promise, because they had promised with all their heart. They looked for God and found him. So the Lord gave them peace in all the country.

16 King Asa also removed Maacah, his grandmother, from being queen mother, because she had made a terrible Asherah idol. Asa cut down that idol, smashed it into pieces, and burned it in the Kidron Valley.

17 But the places of worship to gods were not removed from Judah. Even so, Asa was faithful all his life.

18 Asa brought into the Temple of God the gifts he and his father had given: silver, gold, and utensils.

19 There was no more war until the thirty-fifth year of Asa's rule.

2 Chronicles 15 Commentary

Chapter 15

The people make a solemn covenant with God.

- The work of complete reformation appeared so difficult, that Asa had not courage to attempt it, till assured of Divine assistance and acceptance. He and his people offered sacrifices to God; thanksgiving for the favours they had received, and supplication for further favours. Prayers and praises are now our spiritual sacrifices. The people, of their own will, covenanted to seek the Lord, each for himself, with earnestness. What is religion but seeking God, inquiring after him, applying to him upon all occasions? We make nothing of our religion, if we do not make heart-work of it; God will have all the heart, or none. Our devotedness to God our Saviour, should be avowed and shown in the most solemn and public manner. What is done in hypocrisy is a mere drudgery.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 15

Asa returning from the battle, and with the spoil of the enemy, was met by a prophet of the Lord, who encouraged him to go on with the work of reformation, promising the presence and help of God with him, 2Ch 15:1-7, which inspired him with fresh courage, and he went about the work with great alacrity; and having offered sacrifices, he and his people entered into a solemn covenant with the Lord, to serve him, 2Ch 15:8-15 upon which he destroyed his mother's idol, brought the dedicated things into the house of God, and the effect of this was peace for a long time, 2Ch 15:16-19.