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God Is Searching
God is Searching
Reading: 2 Chronicles 16:1-14
For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
2Chronicles 16:9
Introduction:
The history of Israel is a fascinating one…created from the loins of one man ABRAHAM…
The bible tells us that God didn’t choose the nation of Israel because they were strong or large in number but on the contrary…because they were small and weak.
Moses speaking says:
“The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:” (Deuteronomy 7:7)
We see that the nation of Israel began with a miracle and the son of the promise (Isaac), and it was the Lord’s intention that it would continue as such…
BY HIS MIRACULOUS PROVISION AND PROTECTION
By the time we get to 1 Samuel chapter 8 in our bibles we see Israel ask for a king and this comes to fruition in chapter 12.
(The people speaking to Samuel)
“And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD. And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.” (1Samuel 8:5-7)
Interesting choice of words…compare with Jesus’ parable:
“But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.” (Luke 19:14)
From this point onwards we see:
A united kingdom under Saul and then David and Solomon
Then we see a divided kingdom (northern and southern)
The northern kingdom had no good kings.
The southern kingdom (Judah) had a a progression of kings…some good and some bad.
Our message today concerns one king in particular: King Āsǎ
Scripture describes him as a king who did that which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord.
He dealt with idolatry and even demoted his mother from being queen due to idolatry.
Even in his own prayer unto the Lord in chapter 14 we see his faith in the Lord:
(Turn to)
“And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee.”
(2Chronicles 14:11)
He trusted the Lord for the majority of his life, but we see in the latter days he departs from that faith and makes one bad decision which ruined his legacy.
ONE BAD DECISION IS ALL IT CAN TAKE TO DERAIL A PERSON’S LIFE…and shipwreck his faith.
And this is what we saw in chapter 16 when he made league (joined forces) with Benhadad king of Syria…basically to flex some muscle against Baasha, king of Israel’s northern kingdom and fight on Asa’s behalf.
Baasha’s desire was to fortify the border between the kingdoms and prevent the movement of faithful Jews to the southern kingdom.
The saddest part is that Asa paid Benhadad, not only with his own personal wealth but also gold and silver from the house of God.
As Matthew Henry states: he’d have done better to bring his petitions and free will offering to the house of God and seek the Lord for assistance.
So:
We see this rebuke come from the mouth of Hanani the seer.
For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
2Chronicles 16:9
Our 4 points today:
The Extent of the Search Initiated
The Intent of the Undertaken
The Measure of the individual Desired
The Consequence of the Error Committed
Let’s Pray
The Extent of the Search Initiated:
“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth…”
Instantly from this rebuke, we see that Asa’s disobedience didn’t go unnoticed…the Lord sees all. As the text says…his eyes survey the whole world.
Basic Christian doctrine tells us of the various attributes of God: his holiness (his perfection), his omnipotence (he is all powerful), his omniscience (he knows everything), his omnipresence (he is everywhere) and his omni-benevolence (he is all good).
It is his omnipresence and his omniscience in particular that enabled the Lord to see and know EXACTLY what Asa had done…
The bible confirms these attributes:
“If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.” (Psalm 139:8)
“Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”
(Hebrews 4:13)
It’s interesting that those with criminal intent, do so at night…thinking that they are less likely to be caught. And yet their actions are clearly visible to God.
When it comes to omniscience:
It has always grieved me that children are taught that it is Santa who knows whether they have been “bad or good., so be good for goodness sake”
Right at the beginning (in the garden of Eden) we see that the Lord knew when man had gone astray and then again when Cain was tempted to kill his brother out of jealousy because his offering wasn’t acceptable unto the Lord:
It was then that the Lord said to Cain:
“If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.” (Genesis 4:7)
We have choices in life and sin has consequences (as we will see in our final point)
Whilst Asa’s sin didn’t go unnoticed, the Lord was looking for him to do that which was right…or at least purpose in his heart to do that which is right.
In this respect it was both a TEST of obedience and an OPPORTUNITY to be faithful unto the Lord…
And not only a test of obedience but an opportunity to be rewarded, as Asa was exhorted in the previous chapter:
“Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded.” (2Chronicles 15:7)
There is a reward attached to our faithfulness and obedience.
As believers we seek an eternal reward which is contingent upon our motives:
“Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.” (Matthew 6:1-4)
The important thing to remember is that: “…we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10)
Remember we are seeking an ETERNAL reward…
Therefore, we ought to be vigilant…
Vigilant to see opportunities for good
The Lord continues to search the whole earth…which includes you and me.
What does he see when he looks at you…does he see a person of faith?
REMEMBER also:
There’s someone else (our adversary, the devil) who is also walking to and fro throughout the earth and whilst he is not omnipresent, he does seek to devour you. You need to be vigilant…to recognise temptation and eschew evil.
The Intent of the Search Undertaken:
“…to shew himself strong…”
The Lord specifically wants to instil HIS strength in us…and not our own strength.
As Paul tells us:
“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels [our physical bodies], that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” (2Corinthians 4:7)
Hezekiah’s [another of Israel’s kings] exhortation is pertinent here:
If you remember, the Israelites were being taunted by Sennacherib, the king of the Assyrians through his servants Tartan and Rabsaris and Rabshakeh …and whose armies had laid siege on Jerusalem.
Hezekiah counsels the people saying:
“Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him: With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.” (2Chronicles 32:7-8)
The conclusion to this story is the miraculous deliverance provided by the Lord.
“And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.”
(2Kings 19:35)
In the case of king Āsă
As we saw in the previous point, in Chapter 15 of 2 Chronicles an exhortation was also given to Asa by the prophet Azariah:
“Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak…” (2Chronicles 15:7)
Therefore, Asa wasn’t ignorant of the Lord’s ability to strengthen weak hands.
Following this charge, the Lord enables Asa to rid the land of idolatry.
And as we saw in our introduction, in chapter 14, he cries unto the Lord saying:
“…LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee.”
(2Chronicles 14:11)
He confesses that he is powerless to defeat the Ethiopians…consequently the Lord smote (struck) and sent them running.
The incredible thing that we see when the Lord acts on people’s behalf is that the fear of the Lord comes upon them.
“And they smote all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear of the LORD came upon them: and they spoiled all the cities; for there was exceeding much spoil in them.” (2Chronicles 14:14)
It’s amazing how the pagan nations knew that the Lord was fighting for Israel.
###############################################################
The strength with which the Lord seeks to strengthen men is to glorify himself. When God gets the glory, his purpose is fulfilled.
Paul issues a similar exhortation to the church in Ephesus
This exhortation is our exhortation too…
TO BE STRONG IN THE LORD AND IN THE POWER OF HIS MIGHT
This of course is in connection with the armour of God…
IT IS ONLY IN THE FULL ARMOUR OF GOD THAT A CHRISTIAN IS ABLE TO FUNCTION FULLY…
As Christian’s we really need to study the armour (also called the armour of light) and understand the purpose of each and every component…because therein lies our strength.
This is a test in and of itself…to see whether or not we will allow the Lord to strengthen us…to operate in his strength.
When we study the armour of God we see: [turn to]
Without a foundation of the truth, we would would be swept away by every storm…And every wind and doctrine.
Without the righteousness of Christ, we wouldn’t be able to stand before an holy God. We are called to live a blameless life.
Faith is critical…
“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” (1John 5:4)
It is faith in the blood of Christ which extinguishes the fiery darts (the accusations of the devil).
The helmet of salvation stands for HOPE…without eternal hope we would constantly be in despair.
We absolutely cannot be without the word of God…both offensively and defensively. We saw how important it was for Christ’s temptation in the wilderness.
Finally, we must be prayerful (for ourselves and others) …it is prayer which consolidates our intimacy with God.
The armour of God is also called the armour of light and it in the light of God that Christian’s should be walking…it is then that you are able to let your light shine:
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)
It has to be our desire that when interceding on another’s behalf, and the Lord intervenes in their life is that they recognise it as a work of God.
The Measure of the Individual Desired:
“…in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. “
There are so many examples in the books of Kings and Chronicles where individuals (kings and otherwise) that are described as having a perfect heart towards God.
Most importantly, Asa himself is described in this way.
[Turn to]
“And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah. And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom. And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father. And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made. And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron. But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa’s heart was perfect with the LORD all his days. And he brought in the things which his father had dedicated, and the things which himself had dedicated, into the house of the LORD, silver, and gold, and vessels.” (1Kings 15:9-15)
Interestingly, though his heart was perfect toward the Lord, his actions were not.
This is where God’s love and grace intervene…love truly covers a multitude of sins.
The obvious example of a perfect heart is king David…which the bible describes as a man after God’s own heart. Though he committed two extremely serious sins, the bible simply describes them as “the matter of Uriah the Hittite”.
Given that there are so many examples of kings and individuals described as either having perfect hearts before the Lord (or not) …we should see this quality as not only highly desirable but IMPERATIVE
Hence David’s charge to his son, Solomon:
“And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.”
(1Chronicles 28:9)
Hence Solomon’s charge to the people at the dedication of the temple.
“Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.” (1Kings 8:61)
Sadly, he ignored his own advice:
“For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.” (1Kings 11:4)
I guess the glaring question is this: Why is a perfect heart IMPERATIVE?
Firstly, Proverbs tells us:
“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”
(Proverbs 4:23)
This speaks for itself…
EVERY ISSUE THAT WE HAVE IN LIFE IS A HEART ISSUE
This is exactly why we are charged to keep or guard our hearts with ALL diligence.
Secondly:
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)
Certainly, if we can’t know it then by no means should we trust it.
In Jeremiah the Lord continues by saying that he tries or tests the heart and our inner being… to see what is in our hearts…
The only way to know your heart is by allowing the Lord to search it.
“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24)
Needless to say, you need to be reading your bible…because it the word of God which is able to penetrate the heart and discern its motives.
The New Testament believer has the advantage of course…as promised he has received a new heart. The stony heart has been removed, and we have been given a heart of flesh.
By virtue of the new birth, we have been made perfect in Christ.
The key to having and keeping a perfect heart is HUMILITY
The Consequences of Error Committed:
“…Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.”
Our passage today highlights the consequences of making bad decisions. It doesn’t matter how many good decisions you make…that one bad decision can cost you dearly…as it did king Asa.
Again (as a reminder)
He hired Benhadad the Syrians to fight against Baasha king of Israel’s northern kingdom. And immediately following his error we see this:
“Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in a prison house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed some of the people the same time.” (2Chronicles 16:10)
Notice his response (which only compounded his sin) …rather than humble himself pride rose up in his heart and he reacted poorly. A proper response would have been to confess his sin and ask forgiveness.
(Even Ahab humbled himself at one point in his life)
Furthermore:
“And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians.” (2Chronicles 16:12)
It seems that man is naturally averse to seeking the Lord, which is tragic. In the case of Asa, was it pride?
The sad situation for Asa is that as a consequence of his sin, the Lord promised him strife when he should have had peace.
Perhaps to add emphasis to this fact…twice we read:
“And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.” (1Kings 15:16)
“And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.” (1Kings 15:32)
The root of the problem and the nature of Asa’s sin was to join forces with a pagan king.
The bible clearly tells us not to be unequally yoked and it is NEVER okay to extend fellowship to the ungodly.
Fellowship is distinct from friendship, yet even friendships need to have some limitations. I wouldn’t go to the public bar with a friend no matter how much I loved him.
Life is a test, and Asa was certainly being tested. We see that the Lord in his going to and fro throughout the whole earth, had hoped to find a wise heart:
BUT INSTEAD, HE FOUND FOLLY
“He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.” (Proverbs 28:26)
Furthermore, we see an unfortunate legacy left by Asa…
As if his own personal sin wasn’t bad enough, we see that Asa’s son Jehoshaphat committed the same error when he made affinity with Ahab.
As godly as Jehoshaphat was, we see him receive this stinging rebuke and it should serve as a stern warning to us also:
This comes after the death of Ahab:
“And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the LORD.”
(2Chronicles 19:2)
*It was Hanani that delivered the rebuke to Asa (Jehoshaphat’s father) and who was thrown into prison. Jehu (Hanani’s son) plainly didn’t have any apprehension considering what Asa had done to his father.
In regard to our own relationships and living lives separated unto the Lord:
(Turn to)
“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”
(2Corinthians 6:14-18)
This text uses some key words [fellowship, communion, concord, part/partner, agreement] to describe biblical separation, which we should keep in mind lest we fall into the same error of trusting in man rather than in the Lord.
A simple example might be this: where do we go for wise counsel?
The answer is simple…
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.”
(Psalm 1:1-2)
Our first point of reference is the bible (but you must be reading it) and secondly with those who will give a scriptural answer.
In our text today we see that sin has consequences.
If there’s one possible indication that your faith is being compromised, it is strife…there should be some expectation of chastening in the life of the believer.
Remember:
Asa had wars with his adversary all the days of their lives.
This is not to say that the opposite is true. Peace isn’t necessarily an indication of faithfulness in the life of a believer…especially if he is living in blissful ignorance.
Conclusion:
This title of the message today (albeit a vague one) is “God is Searching” a more fitting title might be “SHIPWRECKED” because this is exactly what happened to king Asa…
I know in my own life that ignoring wise counsel can have serious consequences…and very nearly shipwrecked my own faith.
God is searching…
He is looking for individuals…and
He is looking for churches…
To be faithful witnesses for him
Just as he was looking for the nation of Israel to manifest his power in them.
Our text today highlights, the importance of having hearts committed to him
To seek him
To serve him
To glorify him
Knowing that the Lord sees all…
WE OUGHT TO BE LIVING OUR LIVES FOR AN AUDIENCE OF ONE…
In accomplishing this:
More than anything…it is going to take humility and submission.
As we close today, I want you to be mindful of the Lord’s purpose for your life…that you might wholeheartedly say (just as the prophet Isaiah said)
HERE AM I LORD…SEND ME
Let’s pray
The post God Is Searching appeared first on Hope Baptist Church.
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By Hope Baptist ChurchGod is Searching
Reading: 2 Chronicles 16:1-14
For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
2Chronicles 16:9
Introduction:
The history of Israel is a fascinating one…created from the loins of one man ABRAHAM…
The bible tells us that God didn’t choose the nation of Israel because they were strong or large in number but on the contrary…because they were small and weak.
Moses speaking says:
“The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:” (Deuteronomy 7:7)
We see that the nation of Israel began with a miracle and the son of the promise (Isaac), and it was the Lord’s intention that it would continue as such…
BY HIS MIRACULOUS PROVISION AND PROTECTION
By the time we get to 1 Samuel chapter 8 in our bibles we see Israel ask for a king and this comes to fruition in chapter 12.
(The people speaking to Samuel)
“And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD. And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.” (1Samuel 8:5-7)
Interesting choice of words…compare with Jesus’ parable:
“But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.” (Luke 19:14)
From this point onwards we see:
A united kingdom under Saul and then David and Solomon
Then we see a divided kingdom (northern and southern)
The northern kingdom had no good kings.
The southern kingdom (Judah) had a a progression of kings…some good and some bad.
Our message today concerns one king in particular: King Āsǎ
Scripture describes him as a king who did that which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord.
He dealt with idolatry and even demoted his mother from being queen due to idolatry.
Even in his own prayer unto the Lord in chapter 14 we see his faith in the Lord:
(Turn to)
“And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee.”
(2Chronicles 14:11)
He trusted the Lord for the majority of his life, but we see in the latter days he departs from that faith and makes one bad decision which ruined his legacy.
ONE BAD DECISION IS ALL IT CAN TAKE TO DERAIL A PERSON’S LIFE…and shipwreck his faith.
And this is what we saw in chapter 16 when he made league (joined forces) with Benhadad king of Syria…basically to flex some muscle against Baasha, king of Israel’s northern kingdom and fight on Asa’s behalf.
Baasha’s desire was to fortify the border between the kingdoms and prevent the movement of faithful Jews to the southern kingdom.
The saddest part is that Asa paid Benhadad, not only with his own personal wealth but also gold and silver from the house of God.
As Matthew Henry states: he’d have done better to bring his petitions and free will offering to the house of God and seek the Lord for assistance.
So:
We see this rebuke come from the mouth of Hanani the seer.
For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
2Chronicles 16:9
Our 4 points today:
The Extent of the Search Initiated
The Intent of the Undertaken
The Measure of the individual Desired
The Consequence of the Error Committed
Let’s Pray
The Extent of the Search Initiated:
“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth…”
Instantly from this rebuke, we see that Asa’s disobedience didn’t go unnoticed…the Lord sees all. As the text says…his eyes survey the whole world.
Basic Christian doctrine tells us of the various attributes of God: his holiness (his perfection), his omnipotence (he is all powerful), his omniscience (he knows everything), his omnipresence (he is everywhere) and his omni-benevolence (he is all good).
It is his omnipresence and his omniscience in particular that enabled the Lord to see and know EXACTLY what Asa had done…
The bible confirms these attributes:
“If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.” (Psalm 139:8)
“Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”
(Hebrews 4:13)
It’s interesting that those with criminal intent, do so at night…thinking that they are less likely to be caught. And yet their actions are clearly visible to God.
When it comes to omniscience:
It has always grieved me that children are taught that it is Santa who knows whether they have been “bad or good., so be good for goodness sake”
Right at the beginning (in the garden of Eden) we see that the Lord knew when man had gone astray and then again when Cain was tempted to kill his brother out of jealousy because his offering wasn’t acceptable unto the Lord:
It was then that the Lord said to Cain:
“If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.” (Genesis 4:7)
We have choices in life and sin has consequences (as we will see in our final point)
Whilst Asa’s sin didn’t go unnoticed, the Lord was looking for him to do that which was right…or at least purpose in his heart to do that which is right.
In this respect it was both a TEST of obedience and an OPPORTUNITY to be faithful unto the Lord…
And not only a test of obedience but an opportunity to be rewarded, as Asa was exhorted in the previous chapter:
“Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded.” (2Chronicles 15:7)
There is a reward attached to our faithfulness and obedience.
As believers we seek an eternal reward which is contingent upon our motives:
“Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.” (Matthew 6:1-4)
The important thing to remember is that: “…we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10)
Remember we are seeking an ETERNAL reward…
Therefore, we ought to be vigilant…
Vigilant to see opportunities for good
The Lord continues to search the whole earth…which includes you and me.
What does he see when he looks at you…does he see a person of faith?
REMEMBER also:
There’s someone else (our adversary, the devil) who is also walking to and fro throughout the earth and whilst he is not omnipresent, he does seek to devour you. You need to be vigilant…to recognise temptation and eschew evil.
The Intent of the Search Undertaken:
“…to shew himself strong…”
The Lord specifically wants to instil HIS strength in us…and not our own strength.
As Paul tells us:
“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels [our physical bodies], that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” (2Corinthians 4:7)
Hezekiah’s [another of Israel’s kings] exhortation is pertinent here:
If you remember, the Israelites were being taunted by Sennacherib, the king of the Assyrians through his servants Tartan and Rabsaris and Rabshakeh …and whose armies had laid siege on Jerusalem.
Hezekiah counsels the people saying:
“Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him: With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.” (2Chronicles 32:7-8)
The conclusion to this story is the miraculous deliverance provided by the Lord.
“And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.”
(2Kings 19:35)
In the case of king Āsă
As we saw in the previous point, in Chapter 15 of 2 Chronicles an exhortation was also given to Asa by the prophet Azariah:
“Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak…” (2Chronicles 15:7)
Therefore, Asa wasn’t ignorant of the Lord’s ability to strengthen weak hands.
Following this charge, the Lord enables Asa to rid the land of idolatry.
And as we saw in our introduction, in chapter 14, he cries unto the Lord saying:
“…LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee.”
(2Chronicles 14:11)
He confesses that he is powerless to defeat the Ethiopians…consequently the Lord smote (struck) and sent them running.
The incredible thing that we see when the Lord acts on people’s behalf is that the fear of the Lord comes upon them.
“And they smote all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear of the LORD came upon them: and they spoiled all the cities; for there was exceeding much spoil in them.” (2Chronicles 14:14)
It’s amazing how the pagan nations knew that the Lord was fighting for Israel.
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The strength with which the Lord seeks to strengthen men is to glorify himself. When God gets the glory, his purpose is fulfilled.
Paul issues a similar exhortation to the church in Ephesus
This exhortation is our exhortation too…
TO BE STRONG IN THE LORD AND IN THE POWER OF HIS MIGHT
This of course is in connection with the armour of God…
IT IS ONLY IN THE FULL ARMOUR OF GOD THAT A CHRISTIAN IS ABLE TO FUNCTION FULLY…
As Christian’s we really need to study the armour (also called the armour of light) and understand the purpose of each and every component…because therein lies our strength.
This is a test in and of itself…to see whether or not we will allow the Lord to strengthen us…to operate in his strength.
When we study the armour of God we see: [turn to]
Without a foundation of the truth, we would would be swept away by every storm…And every wind and doctrine.
Without the righteousness of Christ, we wouldn’t be able to stand before an holy God. We are called to live a blameless life.
Faith is critical…
“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” (1John 5:4)
It is faith in the blood of Christ which extinguishes the fiery darts (the accusations of the devil).
The helmet of salvation stands for HOPE…without eternal hope we would constantly be in despair.
We absolutely cannot be without the word of God…both offensively and defensively. We saw how important it was for Christ’s temptation in the wilderness.
Finally, we must be prayerful (for ourselves and others) …it is prayer which consolidates our intimacy with God.
The armour of God is also called the armour of light and it in the light of God that Christian’s should be walking…it is then that you are able to let your light shine:
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)
It has to be our desire that when interceding on another’s behalf, and the Lord intervenes in their life is that they recognise it as a work of God.
The Measure of the Individual Desired:
“…in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. “
There are so many examples in the books of Kings and Chronicles where individuals (kings and otherwise) that are described as having a perfect heart towards God.
Most importantly, Asa himself is described in this way.
[Turn to]
“And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah. And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom. And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father. And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made. And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron. But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa’s heart was perfect with the LORD all his days. And he brought in the things which his father had dedicated, and the things which himself had dedicated, into the house of the LORD, silver, and gold, and vessels.” (1Kings 15:9-15)
Interestingly, though his heart was perfect toward the Lord, his actions were not.
This is where God’s love and grace intervene…love truly covers a multitude of sins.
The obvious example of a perfect heart is king David…which the bible describes as a man after God’s own heart. Though he committed two extremely serious sins, the bible simply describes them as “the matter of Uriah the Hittite”.
Given that there are so many examples of kings and individuals described as either having perfect hearts before the Lord (or not) …we should see this quality as not only highly desirable but IMPERATIVE
Hence David’s charge to his son, Solomon:
“And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.”
(1Chronicles 28:9)
Hence Solomon’s charge to the people at the dedication of the temple.
“Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.” (1Kings 8:61)
Sadly, he ignored his own advice:
“For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.” (1Kings 11:4)
I guess the glaring question is this: Why is a perfect heart IMPERATIVE?
Firstly, Proverbs tells us:
“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”
(Proverbs 4:23)
This speaks for itself…
EVERY ISSUE THAT WE HAVE IN LIFE IS A HEART ISSUE
This is exactly why we are charged to keep or guard our hearts with ALL diligence.
Secondly:
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)
Certainly, if we can’t know it then by no means should we trust it.
In Jeremiah the Lord continues by saying that he tries or tests the heart and our inner being… to see what is in our hearts…
The only way to know your heart is by allowing the Lord to search it.
“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24)
Needless to say, you need to be reading your bible…because it the word of God which is able to penetrate the heart and discern its motives.
The New Testament believer has the advantage of course…as promised he has received a new heart. The stony heart has been removed, and we have been given a heart of flesh.
By virtue of the new birth, we have been made perfect in Christ.
The key to having and keeping a perfect heart is HUMILITY
The Consequences of Error Committed:
“…Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.”
Our passage today highlights the consequences of making bad decisions. It doesn’t matter how many good decisions you make…that one bad decision can cost you dearly…as it did king Asa.
Again (as a reminder)
He hired Benhadad the Syrians to fight against Baasha king of Israel’s northern kingdom. And immediately following his error we see this:
“Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in a prison house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed some of the people the same time.” (2Chronicles 16:10)
Notice his response (which only compounded his sin) …rather than humble himself pride rose up in his heart and he reacted poorly. A proper response would have been to confess his sin and ask forgiveness.
(Even Ahab humbled himself at one point in his life)
Furthermore:
“And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians.” (2Chronicles 16:12)
It seems that man is naturally averse to seeking the Lord, which is tragic. In the case of Asa, was it pride?
The sad situation for Asa is that as a consequence of his sin, the Lord promised him strife when he should have had peace.
Perhaps to add emphasis to this fact…twice we read:
“And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.” (1Kings 15:16)
“And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.” (1Kings 15:32)
The root of the problem and the nature of Asa’s sin was to join forces with a pagan king.
The bible clearly tells us not to be unequally yoked and it is NEVER okay to extend fellowship to the ungodly.
Fellowship is distinct from friendship, yet even friendships need to have some limitations. I wouldn’t go to the public bar with a friend no matter how much I loved him.
Life is a test, and Asa was certainly being tested. We see that the Lord in his going to and fro throughout the whole earth, had hoped to find a wise heart:
BUT INSTEAD, HE FOUND FOLLY
“He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.” (Proverbs 28:26)
Furthermore, we see an unfortunate legacy left by Asa…
As if his own personal sin wasn’t bad enough, we see that Asa’s son Jehoshaphat committed the same error when he made affinity with Ahab.
As godly as Jehoshaphat was, we see him receive this stinging rebuke and it should serve as a stern warning to us also:
This comes after the death of Ahab:
“And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the LORD.”
(2Chronicles 19:2)
*It was Hanani that delivered the rebuke to Asa (Jehoshaphat’s father) and who was thrown into prison. Jehu (Hanani’s son) plainly didn’t have any apprehension considering what Asa had done to his father.
In regard to our own relationships and living lives separated unto the Lord:
(Turn to)
“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”
(2Corinthians 6:14-18)
This text uses some key words [fellowship, communion, concord, part/partner, agreement] to describe biblical separation, which we should keep in mind lest we fall into the same error of trusting in man rather than in the Lord.
A simple example might be this: where do we go for wise counsel?
The answer is simple…
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.”
(Psalm 1:1-2)
Our first point of reference is the bible (but you must be reading it) and secondly with those who will give a scriptural answer.
In our text today we see that sin has consequences.
If there’s one possible indication that your faith is being compromised, it is strife…there should be some expectation of chastening in the life of the believer.
Remember:
Asa had wars with his adversary all the days of their lives.
This is not to say that the opposite is true. Peace isn’t necessarily an indication of faithfulness in the life of a believer…especially if he is living in blissful ignorance.
Conclusion:
This title of the message today (albeit a vague one) is “God is Searching” a more fitting title might be “SHIPWRECKED” because this is exactly what happened to king Asa…
I know in my own life that ignoring wise counsel can have serious consequences…and very nearly shipwrecked my own faith.
God is searching…
He is looking for individuals…and
He is looking for churches…
To be faithful witnesses for him
Just as he was looking for the nation of Israel to manifest his power in them.
Our text today highlights, the importance of having hearts committed to him
To seek him
To serve him
To glorify him
Knowing that the Lord sees all…
WE OUGHT TO BE LIVING OUR LIVES FOR AN AUDIENCE OF ONE…
In accomplishing this:
More than anything…it is going to take humility and submission.
As we close today, I want you to be mindful of the Lord’s purpose for your life…that you might wholeheartedly say (just as the prophet Isaiah said)
HERE AM I LORD…SEND ME
Let’s pray
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