Reading in 2Chronicles this morning . . . chewing on the enigma that is King Asa of Judah. A guy who started so well . . . yet finished so crummy. A king who did what was right in the sight of the Lord only to later lose sight of the God who had done right by Him time and time again. A man who had determined and covenanted to seek the Lord with all his heart and all his soul who, at the end of his life, instead sought the wisdom of man over the power of God. A man, who in a very real sense, knew the thrill of victory and the agony of . . . victory.

The Spirit gives a good chunk of Scripture to the life of Asa . . . 2Chronicles chapters 14 through 16. Early in his reign he cleans up the idol worship in the southern kingdom and “commanded Judah to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, and to keep the law and the commandment” (14:4). He fortifies the cities of the kingdom and establishes a pretty good sized army of almost 600,000 men. But, no matter how big your army is, there’s gonna be someone with a bigger army. Enter the Ethiopians . . . 1 million men strong . . . and Asa cries out to the Lord (smart move), “O Lord, there is none like you to help . . . Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on you . . . ” (14:11). And God hears . . . and God answers . . . “So the LORD defeated the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah . . . ” (14:12).

Talk about your thrill of victory. Out numbered almost two-to-one . . . and God had acted mightily on their behalf. It’s enough to spark revival! And it did!

“Seek God,” the prophet says, “and He will be found by you” (15:2). Find God and He will show Himself faithful on your behalf. Experience God’s faithfulness and it will lead to a desire to seek Him even more. And the whole nation comes together and they enter into a covenant to seek God . . . they make an oath as a community to make Him their “whole desire”. And, it’s recorded that God “was found by them, and the LORD gave them rest all around” (15:12, 15).

Victory . . . and then rest . . . and then . . . What Happened?

After what was probably decades of rest, Baasha king of the Israel lays siege against Jerusalem. And, rather than rely on the God of past victories, Asa turns to the wealth of his treasuries. Instead of going to the King of heaven, Asa turns instead to the king of Syria . . . and pays him to break his military alliance with Israel and instead turn against the cities of the northern kingdom. Mission accomplished . . . without God . . . all on his own . . . all with his own resources . . .

And God calls him on it . . . sending Hanani the seer to Asa (16:7-10). You relied on man instead of God, says the prophet . . . you’ve done foolishly. But rather than repent, Asa throws the prophet in jail . . . the seeker of God have become hardened by his self-sufficiency. And this, it seems to me, is the agony of victory.

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.
(2Chronicles 16:9 NKJV)

Oh, that I might always have a heart which is “loyal” . . . which is “fully committed” (NIV) . . . which is “blameless” (ESV) . . . as it concerns looking to the Father, and Him alone, for my sufficiency. Might I not rest in, or rely upon, whatever gifts He has provided, but look solely to the Giver.

Might I finish well. Might I know the thrill of victory . . . the victory wrought by a faithful Father . . . peering over heaven’s balcony . . . actively looking to help those whose hearts are set upon Him . . .

For His glory . . .