2Ch 15:16 | KingComments | STEP | Asa also realizes that he cannot ask his people anything that he does not live up to in his own house. That is why he removes his grandmother. Asa also eradicates what she has imported in idolatry. He spares neither her nor her idols, but deals with her and her idols as befits a king who fears God. It took a while, because Asa does this at the end of all the cleansings, but then he finally cleanses his own house of elements that God hates. With this he resembles Levi, “who said of his father and his mother, ‘I did not consider them’” ( ) and Gideon, who begins his work by breaking down the altar of Baal in his father’s house ( ). Also in the church one cannot be an overseer if he “does not know how to manage his own household” ( ). Asa’s action shows that his heart is united and not divided (cf. ), although not all the high place have been removed from Israel. Now that he has his own house in order, his concern can go to the house of God ( ). He brings in all kinds of dedicated gifts, both those of his father and of himself. We too can bring our gifts, spiritual and material, into the house of God, the church. That is what we do, if we dedicate everything we have learned about the truth from our leaders and what we have received from others in money and goods, for the service in the house of God. Also what we have discovered ourselves of the truth and what we have earned ourselves in money and good, we may use for the service in the house of God. In this way God is glorified and it is made available to Him to do His work with, which again will be to His glorification. The result of dedicating all these means is that there is no war ( ). For us, this means that when we dedicate ourselves to the Lord, there are no mutual frictions or tensions.

‏ 2 Chronicles 15:16

The Own House and the House of God

Asa also realizes that he cannot ask his people anything that he does not live up to in his own house. That is why he removes his grandmother. Asa also eradicates what she has imported in idolatry. He spares neither her nor her idols, but deals with her and her idols as befits a king who fears God.

It took a while, because Asa does this at the end of all the cleansings, but then he finally cleanses his own house of elements that God hates. With this he resembles Levi, “who said of his father and his mother, ‘I did not consider them’” (Deu 33:9) and Gideon, who begins his work by breaking down the altar of Baal in his father’s house (Jdg 6:25). Also in the church one cannot be an overseer if he “does not know how to manage his own household” (1Tim 3:5).

Asa’s action shows that his heart is united and not divided (cf. Psa 86:11), although not all the high place have been removed from Israel. Now that he has his own house in order, his concern can go to the house of God (2Chr 15:18). He brings in all kinds of dedicated gifts, both those of his father and of himself.

We too can bring our gifts, spiritual and material, into the house of God, the church. That is what we do, if we dedicate everything we have learned about the truth from our leaders and what we have received from others in money and goods, for the service in the house of God. Also what we have discovered ourselves of the truth and what we have earned ourselves in money and good, we may use for the service in the house of God. In this way God is glorified and it is made available to Him to do His work with, which again will be to His glorification.

The result of dedicating all these means is that there is no war (2Chr 15:19). For us, this means that when we dedicate ourselves to the Lord, there are no mutual frictions or tensions.