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Expanded Comments |
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| 1 So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David; and Asa his son reigned in his stead. In his days the land was quiet ten years. |
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| 2 And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of Jehovah his God: |
Good and right – In the midst of an unfavorable setting, Asa quickly developed a loyalty to God and soundness of judgment beneficial to his kingdom. R4724:2
We have seen children of evil parentage become nauseated by evil and take right paths. R4724:2
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| 3 for he took away the foreign altars, and the high places, and brake down the pillars, and hewed down the Asherahs, |
Took away the altars – Erected on various hilltops, at which the orgies of heathendom were practiced. R3392:3
It would be improper now for the people of the United States to decide what is false worship and abolish it or interfere with absolute religious liberty because the people of the United States are not God's Kingdom as was Israel. R2364:2
Brake down the images – Asa did much to abolish idolatry in his kingdom and to sway the minds of the people to the reverence and obedience of Almighty God. R4724:3
Cut down the groves – Accessories to the worship of Baal and Ashtaroth by those who affected to be largely worshippers of nature. R3392:3
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| 4 and commanded Judah to seek Jehovah, the God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment. |
Judah – The two-tribe kingdom. R3392:1
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| 5 Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the sun-images: and the kingdom was quiet before him. |
He took away – Such action has been misunderstood to imply that rulers in other countries should take similar action for the destruction of all false religions. R3392:3
It would be entirely improper for any king, governor, president or emperor of earth today to exercise such power, claiming divine approval. R3392:5, R2363:5, R2364:2
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| 6 And he built fortified cities in Judah; for the land was quiet, and he had no war in those years, because Jehovah had given him rest. |
Built fenced cities – Fortress cities as a protection against attack from Egypt on the south and west, from Syria on the north and east, and from the ten-tribe kingdom on the immediate north. R3392:6
No war in those years – Asa had peace for ten years, during which time he encouraged his people and trained an army. R4724:3
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| 7 For he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars; the land is yet before us, because we have sought Jehovah our God; we have sought him, and he hath given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered. |
Build these cities – Fortified cities on the extremity of his kingdom for protection against attacks of enemies. R4724:3
We should erect fortresses of character which will be a defense against attacks of the world, the flesh and the devil. R4725:4, R3392:6
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| 8 And Asa had an army that bare bucklers and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin, that bare shields and drew bows, two hundred eighty thousand: all these were mighty men of valor. |
An army of men – These preparations for war had the divine approval, but in no sense indicated that we should take a similar course, for we contend not with flesh and blood. R3392:6
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| 9 And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an army of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and he came unto Mareshah. |
Came out against them – To punish Asa for erecting fortifications, etc., to bring away more spoil and to reduce the nation again to the condition of a vassal. R3393:1
Zerah the Ethiopian – Supposed to have been Osorkon II of Egypt. R3392:6
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| 10 Then Asa went out to meet him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. |
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| 11 And Asa cried unto Jehovah his God, and said, Jehovah, there is none besides thee to help, between the mighty and him that hath no strength: help us, O Jehovah our God; for we rely on thee, and in thy name are we come against this multitude. O Jehovah, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee. |
Cried unto the LORD – A perfectly proper thing for him to do as the representative of God's chosen people; but prayers for victory in war are improper when made by any nation since Israel's rejection of the Lord at the time of his crucifixion. R3393:4
Asa's faith looked up to God, realizing that with him was the power to give or to withhold victory. R4724:3
We are to look to the Lord for victory: "For when I am weak (in myself), then am I strong (in the Lord)." (2 Cor. 12:10) R4725:4
We rest on thee – Pray, trusting God's power. R5380:5*
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| 12 So Jehovah smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled. |
So the LORD smote – In the battle which followed Asa and his army were successful. R4724:3
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| 13 And Asa and the people that were with him pursued them unto Gerar: and there fell of the Ethiopians so many that they could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed before Jehovah, and before his host; and they carried away very much booty.
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| 14 And they smote all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear of Jehovah came upon them: and they despoiled all the cities; for there was much spoil in them. |
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| 15 They smote also the tents of cattle, and carried away sheep in abundance, and camels, and returned to Jerusalem. |
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