Dark Times … Drastic Measures
One Year Bible (July 26)
2 Chronicles 17:1-18:34
Dark Times…Drastic Measures
The ratings at the box office will tell you that our culture just loves a superhero!
Each Marvel movie is just a sell-out!! Even the popcorn tastes better with the good guy winning!
People actually took a vote for the top Marvel Superheroes. Can you guess the top five?
Here’s the countdown: 5) Captain America, 4) Ironman, 3) The Hulk, 2) Thor…. And in First Place, as Mr. Popular Avenger is…. Spiderman.!!!
Every generation needs a hero!
Today, we are going to go back and talk more about “Asa the Avenger” who was a Judean action figure. (Except for the fact that he wasn’t a Comic Character. He was the Real Deal!)
Asa, King of Judah, was Abijah’s son during the DARKEST of TIMES!
“During those dark times, it was not safe to travel. Problems troubled the people of every land. Nation fought against nation, and city against city, FOR GOD, WAS TROUBLING THEM WITH EVERY KIND OF PROBLEM. (2 Chronicles 15:5-6)
Does God cause men to sin? No, absolutely not!
Does he know how to “CLEAN HOUSE”? I will let you read the bolded print for yourself…
What about rest and peace? “For the Lord was giving him REST from his enemies.” (14:6)
Listen to the admonition from God given to Asa during this very dark time, “But as for you, be strong and courageous, for your work will be rewarded.” (15:7)
In every dark season, God directs a Deliverer…
Let’s look at what God directs “Asa the Avenger” to do to deliver the people. (14-16)
Destroyed Idols: He removed pagan idols, and foreign shrines, and smashed sacred pillars, incense altars, and Asherah poles. This was “Spring Cleaning” superhero style!
Devoted to Prayer: King Asa SOUGHT the Lord and did what was good and pleasing in HIS sight. (14:2) He CRIED OUT to the LORD his God, “O Lord, no one but you can help the powerless against the mighty! O Lord our God, for we trust in you alone. It is in your name that we have come against this vast horde. O Lord, you are our God; do not let mere men prevail against you.” (14:11)King Asa SOUGHT the Lord and did what was good and pleasing in HIS sight. (14:2) He CRIED OUT to the LORD his God, “O Lord, no one but you can help the powerless against the mighty! O Lord our God, for we trust in you alone. It is in your name that we have come against this vast horde. O Lord, you are our God; do not let mere men prevail against you.” (14:11)
Depended on God: Listen to the advice given to Asa from Azariah through the Spirit of God, “The Lord will stay with you as long as you stay with him! Whenever you seek him, you will find him. But if you abandon him, he will abandon you.” (15:2)
As King Asa depended on God for directions he “Fortified the Walls” for the people’s protection.
We often think of actual walls and he did just that. We lock our front doors and our cars and protect our computers with security, but what about our hearts and minds?
King Asa learned that there is more to security than just placing a wall around a city. What if the enemy comes from within?
Here is what Asa learned, “For a long time Israel was without the TRUE GOD, without a PRIEST to TEACH them, and without the LAW to INSTRUCT them".
Not only did they need their WALLS FORTIFIED, but they also needed the FOUNDATION OF GOD!
Asa was an Amazing Avenger in “his day”. All the people returned to God and made a whole-hearted covenant to follow in his ways at the threat of death and he removed his grandmother, the Queen Mother because she had made an obscene Asherah pole.
These were DRASTIC MEASURES for DRASTIC TIMES.
Remember the Marvel Super Heroes? I did a little research on their Share Weakness. Pym accomplished weakening ALL of them through…SHRINKING TECHNOLOGY. He played off of a single weakness in EVERY SINGLE ONE of them… EXCESS HUBRIS!
That's a fancy way of saying, “Excessive Pride or Self-Confidence”.
Asa followed God all of his life, but in his later years, he made an unwise alliance with a godless king because he was afraid. He used the temple treasures as a bribe for protection. We are also told that he was confronted and called a “fool’ for this decision and he threw Hanani in prison and put him in stocks for his admonition.
“Pride comes before Fall”. (Prov. 16:18)
Next, he contracted a severe foot disease and sought medical doctors over God’s advice. The medical practice of this day was a mixture of superstition and folk remedies.
This is just another reminder to us of the dangers of EXCESS HUBRIS or PRIDE!
Dark Times Demand Drastic Measures…Every Super Hero is NOTHING...
WITHOUT A SUPERNATURAL GOD!
