Today's Daily Bread

ASA’S REFORM

Date : Saturday, November 15, 2025
Passage : 2Chronicles 15:1~19
Keyverse : 2  
1
The Spirit of God came on Azariah son of Oded.
2
He went out to meet Asa and said to him, "Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.
3
For a long time Israel was without the true God, without a priest to teach and without the law.
4
But in their distress they turned to the LORD, the God of Israel, and sought him, and he was found by them.
5
In those days it was not safe to travel about, for all the inhabitants of the lands were in great turmoil.
6
One nation was being crushed by another and one city by another, because God was troubling them with every kind of distress.
7
But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded."
8
When Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Azariah son of Oded the prophet, he took courage. He removed the detestable idols from the whole land of Judah and Benjamin and from the towns he had captured in the hills of Ephraim. He repaired the altar of the LORD that was in front of the portico of the LORD’s temple.
9
Then he assembled all Judah and Benjamin and the people from Ephraim, Manasseh and Simeon who had settled among them, for large numbers had come over to him from Israel when they saw that the LORD his God was with him.
10
They assembled at Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of Asa’s reign.
11
At that time they sacrificed to the LORD seven hundred head of cattle and seven thousand sheep and goats from the plunder they had brought back.
12
They entered into a covenant to seek the LORD, the God of their ancestors, with all their heart and soul.
13
All who would not seek the LORD, the God of Israel, were to be put to death, whether small or great, man or woman.
14
They took an oath to the LORD with loud acclamation, with shouting and with trumpets and horns.
15
All Judah rejoiced about the oath because they had sworn it wholeheartedly. They sought God eagerly, and he was found by them. So the LORD gave them rest on every side.
16
King Asa also deposed his grandmother Maakah from her position as queen mother, because she had made a repulsive image for the worship of Asherah. Asa cut it down, broke it up and burned it in the Kidron Valley.
17
Although he did not remove the high places from Israel, Asa’s heart was fully committed to the LORD all his life.
18
He brought into the temple of God the silver and gold and the articles that he and his father had dedicated.
19
There was no more war until the thirty-fifth year of Asa’s reign.
Azariah, the son of Obed, prophesied to King Asa through the Spirit of God. He delivered a clear message that when Asa and Judah seek the Lord and desire to be with God, God will be with them and be found by them. But if they forsake God, God will forsake them. When Asa heard this message, he took courage. He knew what was right but needed God’s word of encouragement to act on it. Asa repaired the altar of the Lord and removed the idols from the land of Judah. Then Asa assembled all Judah and even the settlers from Israel. When they saw that God was with Asa, a large number of Israelites came to him.

They sacrificed to God cattle and sheep. They made a covenant with God. They put to death those who did not seek the Lord. They took an oath to God with loud acclamation, shouting and blowing trumpets. When they sought God, God was found by them. God gave rest to the Israelites. Asa deposed his grandmother, for she made the image of Asherah for people to worship. Asa broke the image and burned it in the Kidron Valley. Asa’s heart was fully committed to God all his life.

We need to remove idols from our hearts through repentance. We need to fully seek God. When we truly seek God, we will find God and gain true rest. Prayer: Lord, help us to repent and seek and find you earnestly.
One Word: If you seek him, he will be found by you