2Ch 15:5 | KingComments | STEP | After the resounding victory over a powerful enemy, Asa is at a high point of his reign. Standing at a height is a dangerous situation. The LORD knows this. He wants to warn Asa not to become arrogant, but to remain dependent on Him. For this He uses His prophet Azariah ( ). Azariah means ‘him whom the LORD helps’. That the LORD sends a man with this name to Asa is already an important message in itself. The name Azariah indicates that Asa owes his victory to the fact that the LORD helped him. God sends His Spirit on the man with this name. When it says that the Spirit comes on someone, it usually means that such a person receives a special strengthening and boldness for his service to speak the Word of God. Immediately after the Spirit of God came on Azariah, he leaves the city to meet Asa ( ). There is no fear of meeting the king. Full of the power of the Spirit and without fear of man, he simply speaks the word the LORD has commanded him to speak, no more and no less. The Spirit of God teaches him what he must say and enables him to present it plain and clear. Azariah is not sent to Asa to point out the wrong thing, for there is nothing wrong to point out. He also does not come to congratulate him. He comes to keep the king on the right path, to keep him from doing something wrong. Azariah points out to Asa what it takes to remain standing firm after his battle of faith and victory, that is, “having done everything, to stand firm” ( ). It is to keep him from a dip, as Samson and Elijah knew it, or as David, who came to his sin with Bathsheba during rest after victories. Although Asa is his direct goal, Azariah also addresses “all Judah and Benjamin”. He calls on them all to listen to him, because he has something important to say. What he says is short and easy to understand. It does not require linguistic understanding or great intelligence. It is precisely for this reason that what he says is also penetrating: “The LORD is with you when you are with Him.” This is not a ‘one-liner’, like so much that is being shot via twitter today. It is a deep and profound truth that must be absorbed into the heart and conscience and must be lived up to in life. This simple and at the same time profound truth is followed by an invitation and a warning from Azariah. The invitation is that the LORD lets Himself be found when somebody seeks Him. Asa has already experienced this ( ). Here he is reminded of it. We need such a reminder regularly. But that’s not all. We also need to be warned. The warning is that whosoever forsakes Him will be forsaken by Him. By the many days that Israel was without the true, or faithful, God ( ), Azariah probably means the time of the judges in the book of Judges ( ; cf. ). That is a time when everyone does what is good in his own eyes. The teaching of God’s Word is absent and people don’t mind the law. God cannot accompany on that path of unfaithfulness. This shows God’s faithfulness. He remains faithful to Himself ( ). It is certain that He will be found when they turn to Him in their distress and seek Him ( ). Azariah also points this out. However, Azariah emphasizes the main characteristics of those times ( ). The people do not experience peace in such times and cannot give it to whoever goes out or give it to whoever comes in. Peace is lacking because there are many disturbances. Disturbance or confusion and peace cannot go hand in hand. Such a situation has a devastating effect on the people. The nations – by which we must probably understand the tribes of Israel – and cities are crushing each other ( ). This result, which they themselves produce, is at the same time a discipline of God. He makes them experience the consequences of their deviation personally. The situation Azariah paints is a striking picture of the situation in professing Christianity we are experiencing today. The teaching of God’s Word is no longer heard in large parts of professing Christianity. If a Bible verse is sometimes read out in a church service, it is often used as a hook for a social chat. In professing Christianity there is no peace, but great disturbance or confusion, and that while “God is not [a God] of confusion but of peace” ( ). Here we also see the great contrast between confusion and peace. If there is confusion in a local church and peace is therefore absent, the result is that that church is ruined. This must be seen as a judgment of God Who punishes all false certainty “with every kind of distress”. This situation does not have to discourage the faithful believer. He may take to heart the word of encouragement that Azariah speaks ( ). As an extra incentive, Azariah points to reward that will be paid by the LORD according to work. “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary” ( ). There is reward that the Lord will give in accordance with what we have done for Him ( ). Nothing of what we have done for Him is in vain ( ).

‏ 2 Chronicles 15:5

Prophecy of Azariah

After the resounding victory over a powerful enemy, Asa is at a high point of his reign. Standing at a height is a dangerous situation. The LORD knows this. He wants to warn Asa not to become arrogant, but to remain dependent on Him. For this He uses His prophet Azariah (2Chr 15:1). Azariah means ‘him whom the LORD helps’. That the LORD sends a man with this name to Asa is already an important message in itself. The name Azariah indicates that Asa owes his victory to the fact that the LORD helped him.

God sends His Spirit on the man with this name. When it says that the Spirit comes on someone, it usually means that such a person receives a special strengthening and boldness for his service to speak the Word of God. Immediately after the Spirit of God came on Azariah, he leaves the city to meet Asa (2Chr 15:2). There is no fear of meeting the king. Full of the power of the Spirit and without fear of man, he simply speaks the word the LORD has commanded him to speak, no more and no less. The Spirit of God teaches him what he must say and enables him to present it plain and clear.

Azariah is not sent to Asa to point out the wrong thing, for there is nothing wrong to point out. He also does not come to congratulate him. He comes to keep the king on the right path, to keep him from doing something wrong. Azariah points out to Asa what it takes to remain standing firm after his battle of faith and victory, that is, “having done everything, to stand firm” (Eph 6:13b). It is to keep him from a dip, as Samson and Elijah knew it, or as David, who came to his sin with Bathsheba during rest after victories.

Although Asa is his direct goal, Azariah also addresses “all Judah and Benjamin”. He calls on them all to listen to him, because he has something important to say. What he says is short and easy to understand. It does not require linguistic understanding or great intelligence. It is precisely for this reason that what he says is also penetrating: “The LORD is with you when you are with Him.” This is not a ‘one-liner’, like so much that is being shot via twitter today. It is a deep and profound truth that must be absorbed into the heart and conscience and must be lived up to in life.

This simple and at the same time profound truth is followed by an invitation and a warning from Azariah. The invitation is that the LORD lets Himself be found when somebody seeks Him. Asa has already experienced this (2Chr 14:7). Here he is reminded of it. We need such a reminder regularly. But that’s not all. We also need to be warned. The warning is that whosoever forsakes Him will be forsaken by Him.

By the many days that Israel was without the true, or faithful, God (2Chr 15:3), Azariah probably means the time of the judges in the book of Judges (Jdg 5:6; cf. 2Chr 15:5). That is a time when everyone does what is good in his own eyes. The teaching of God’s Word is absent and people don’t mind the law. God cannot accompany on that path of unfaithfulness. This shows God’s faithfulness. He remains faithful to Himself (2Tim 2:13). It is certain that He will be found when they turn to Him in their distress and seek Him (2Chr 15:4). Azariah also points this out.

However, Azariah emphasizes the main characteristics of those times (2Chr 15:5). The people do not experience peace in such times and cannot give it to whoever goes out or give it to whoever comes in. Peace is lacking because there are many disturbances. Disturbance or confusion and peace cannot go hand in hand. Such a situation has a devastating effect on the people. The nations – by which we must probably understand the tribes of Israel – and cities are crushing each other (2Chr 15:6). This result, which they themselves produce, is at the same time a discipline of God. He makes them experience the consequences of their deviation personally.

The situation Azariah paints is a striking picture of the situation in professing Christianity we are experiencing today. The teaching of God’s Word is no longer heard in large parts of professing Christianity. If a Bible verse is sometimes read out in a church service, it is often used as a hook for a social chat. In professing Christianity there is no peace, but great disturbance or confusion, and that while “God is not [a God] of confusion but of peace” (1Cor 14:33). Here we also see the great contrast between confusion and peace. If there is confusion in a local church and peace is therefore absent, the result is that that church is ruined. This must be seen as a judgment of God Who punishes all false certainty “with every kind of distress”.

This situation does not have to discourage the faithful believer. He may take to heart the word of encouragement that Azariah speaks (2Chr 15:7). As an extra incentive, Azariah points to reward that will be paid by the LORD according to work. “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary” (Gal 6:9). There is reward that the Lord will give in accordance with what we have done for Him (Jer 31:16). Nothing of what we have done for Him is in vain (1Cor 15:58).