A goal to finish well . . .

 

READ 2 Chronicles 13–16

At most funerals, the ordinary person is remembered for good things. If this was a famous person or an unpopular politician, that might be the case at the funeral but not always in the annuls of history. I know all will leave behind a range of good and bad memories; even the best people make mistakes. However, I really want to finish well,

Abijah, grandson of Solomon, reigned for three years in Jerusalem. He was at war with Jeroboam, ruler over the ten tribes of Israel and told him he could not win this battle because he had forsaken God:

“And now you think to withstand the kingdom of the Lord in the hand of the sons of David, because you are a great multitude and have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made you for gods. Have you not driven out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and made priests for yourselves like the peoples of other lands? Whoever comes for ordination with a young bull or seven rams becomes a priest of what are not gods. But as for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken him. We have priests ministering to the Lord who are sons of Aaron, and Levites for their service. They offer to the Lord every morning and every evening burnt offerings and incense . . . . For we keep the charge of the Lord our God, but you have forsaken him. Behold, God is with us at our head, and his priests with their battle trumpets to sound the call to battle against you. O sons of Israel, do not fight against the Lord, the God of your fathers, for you cannot succeed.” (2 Chronicles 13:8–12)

This didn’t stop Jeroboam from trying. He sent an ambush and surrounded the troops of Judah, but they cried to the Lord. The priests blew trumpets and the men shouted, then God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel fled as God gave them over to Abijah’s army.

Abijah and his people struck them with great force, so there fell slain of Israel 500,000 chosen men. Thus the men of Israel were subdued at that time, and the men of Judah prevailed, because they relied on the Lord, the God of their fathers. And Abijah pursued Jeroboam and took cities from him . . . . Jeroboam did not recover his power in the days of Abijah. And the Lord struck him down, and he died. (13:13–20)

Abijah eventually died too. Asa his son reigned in his place and he “did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God.” (14:2)

Asa said to Judah, “Let us build these cities and surround them with walls and towers, gates and bars. The land is still ours because we have sought the Lord our God. We have sought him, and he has given us peace on every side.” So they built and prospered. (14:7)

When Ethiopians attacked, Asa praised the Lord saying, “O Lord, there is none like you to help, between the mighty and the weak. Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. O Lord, you are our God; let not man prevail against you.” The Lord defeated the Ethiopians before Asa and Judah, and they fled. (14:11–12)

One of God’s prophets told Asa, “Take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded.” As soon as Asa heard these words, “he took courage and put away the detestable idols from all the land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities that he had taken in the hill country of Ephraim, and he repaired the altar of the Lord that was in front of the vestibule of the house of the Lord.” (2 Chronicles 15:7-8)

Judah rejoiced and sought God with their whole hearts, and He gave them rest all around. But Asa did not end well. He went to the king of Syria and offered him silver and gold to end his covenant with Israel so they would leave him alone. A seer came to him and said:

“Because you relied on the king of Syria, and did not rely on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Syria has escaped you . . . . For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars.”

Asa was angry with the seer, put him in stocks in prison and inflicted cruelties upon some of the people at the same time. Then he became severely diseased in his feet. Even then he did not seek the Lord, but sought help from physicians. He died in the forty-first year of his reign.

I’ve been a Christian fifty of my eighty years and failed often enough that to finish well has become an important goal. May His Spirit enable me to rely on Him for everything, praying continually and doing what He says with all my heart!