April 2001

[Part 127]

“Issues of the heart”

[Part Forty-five]

Hope For the Fearful Heart! [CC]

“WHO CAN I TURN TO?”

              How good for believers to have One Source to which they can turn in times of need: He is “Jesus Christ, the same, yesterday, today and forever!” (Heb 13:8) Throughout history, God’s people have always been advantaged by their trusting relationship with Him, that is, until they turned to the world instead of Him! Then serious trouble ensued as in the account of Asa, king of Judah, in 2 Chr 16:14-16. Permit us to summarize with help from Unger’s Bible Dictionary.

On assuming the reins of government, Asa was conspicuous for his support of the worship of God and his opposition to idolatry! He even deposed his grandmother, Maachah (lit. oppression) from her rank of queen mother for setting up idols he had overthrown and burned...Asa utilized the first ten years of his reign- as his kingdom enjoyed peace- to fortify his frontier cities and to raise up an army of 580,000 men! In Asa’s 11th yr [11 = judgment] Ethiopia’s army of 1,000,000 men invaded Judah! ASA SOUGHT GOD’S HELP and DEFEATED THE ENEMY! Returning to Jerusalem with spoil from Gerar, the prophet Azaraiah (lit. help of the Lord) met Asa and said, “THE LORD IS WITH YOU WHILE YOU ARE WITH HIM! WHEN YOU SEEK HIM, YOU WILL FIND HIM; BUT IF YOU TURN FROM HIM, HE WILL TURN FROM YOU!!” Thus Asa continued his reforms (making sacrifices and a covenant with Jehovah). Many in Israel attended his ceremonies believing God was with him. But in the 36th year [36 - enemy] of his reign, hostilities arose with Baasha (lit. evil) king of Israel, who fortified [a high place in] Palestine to prevent his subjects from defecting to Judah. Because of this, Asa, committed the great error of his life! He resorted to establishing an alliance with Ben-hadad of Damascus by purchasing assistance with treasures from the temple and the king’s own house!...Asa’s lack of faith was reproved by prophet Hanani (lit. gift of the Lord’s grace)... but Asa became angry and cast him into prison. Asa also oppressed some of his own people. THEN......

“In Asa’s 39th year of reign [39 = disease], he became DISEASED IN HIS FEET; and though it finally was mortally severe; still HE DID NOT SEEK THE LORD BUT SOUGHT PHYSICIANS INSTEAD!... Thus HE DIED in His 40th year!” (2 Chr 16:12-13) The number 40 = trials, testings and probation.

              Asa’s apostasy is without question, but the OT is all about man’s works and how they fail while the NT is all about God’s Grace which is infallible!! There are other significant spiritual issues in this account. First, Asa’s name ironically is defined: “Healing, curing and physician” [Cruden’s Complete Concordance; Unger’s Bible Dictionary] so in light of his fatal foot disease, one might reproach this man saying, “Physician heal thyself!!” Here we see a soul turn away from Jehovah’s secure salvation- acquired freely by FAITH; to turn to man’s human provision- bought with treasures of God’s temple and the King’s own house! How willing man is to forfeit his time, energy, money, and even his FAITH on the altar of F-E-A-R, to reach out for the futile provision of this world’s systems and substance! But God says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end of his way is always DEATH!” (Pr 14:12)
         We do not impugn the valuable services of this world’s physicians; however, believers must SEEK GOD FIRST (in every decision) then if He tells us to seek a particular doctor’s assistance- we may be confident God is using them on our behalf! In these times, it is especially precarious to seek out Babylonish medical profession where God is permitting so much malpractice! Likewise all worldly professions where malfeasance grew rampant since money became their bottom line! Asa’s foot disease illustrates what happens when a believer’s WALK OF FAITH is corrupted! If Asa had sought the Lord in the first place, God could have prevailed as in times past, and he might not have suffered any disease at all! But even if this one failing did have to reap this disease, had he sought the Lord at its onset, he still could have been healed! But God allowed history to write this sad page so generations-yet-to-come could learn a lesson from this believer whose “foot slipped”, and be diligent not follow in his “footsteps”!

[TO BE CONTINUED]