In a seemingly ever-growing politically fractured world, strong leadership is needed now more than ever. With the U.S Presidential election just months away, I thought it would be important to study the good kings of Judah as mentioned in the Old Testament. There are eight good kings of Judah mentioned- Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joash, Amaziah, Azariah (aka Uzziah), Jotham, Hezekiah, and Josiah. However, all of the kings of the Northern Kingdom (Israel) did wicked in the sight of God. The first king of Judah we will examine will be Asa.
Background
-Asa reigned from 910-869 AD.
-Son of the king Abijam,who did evil in God’s sight.
-Asa’s story is found in 1 Kings 15:8-24 and 2 Chronicles 14-16.
What Asa did right
– Asa did right in the sight of God (1 Kings 15:11).
-Asa removed the temple prostitutes and removed the idols his father made (1 Kings 15:12).
-Asa removed his mother, Maacah, from her position as queen mother because of idols she constructed. (1 Kings 15:13 and 2 Chronicles 15:16).
-Asa removed some of the high places (places where idols were worshiped) and the incense altars (2 Chronicles 14:5).
-Asa fortified Judah, and the nation experienced peace and prosperity
(2 Chronicles 14:6-7).
-Asa sought the Lord and won a military victory against the Ethiopians
(2 Chronicles 14:8-15).
-Asa heeded the words of the prophet Azariah and made a covenant with all of Judah to seek God with all their hearts (2 Chronicles 15:1-15).
What Asa did wrong
-Asa did not remove all of the high places (1 Kings 15:14; 2 Chronicles 15:17).
-Asa made an alliance with Benhadad, the King of Aram, without seeking the Lord. ( 1 Kings 15:16-22; 2 Chronicles 16:1-6).
-Asa rejected the rebuke of Hanani the seer and threw him into prison.
(2 Chronicles 16:7-10).
-Later in his reign, Asa suffered from a foot disease and did not seek the Lord, but the physicians. (2 Chronicles 16:12).
*Bonus fact
-Asa is a descendant of Jesus and is mentioned in Matthew’s genealogy (Matthew 1:7).
Though there are no perfect human kings, queens, or presidents, I believe the stories preserved in God’s Word can provide us with strong leadership principles. Be blessed.
Triumphant In Christ 