BOOK 14 OF 66 · HISTORY · KING JAMES BIBLE

2 Chronicles 15

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2 Chronicles 15 Overview

The Spirit of God comes upon Azariah, who tells Asa that the LORD is with Judah while they are with him and that seeking God brings finding, while forsaking him brings forsaking. Encouraged, Asa removes idols, repairs the altar, and gathers people from Judah, Benjamin, and defectors from northern tribes. They enter a covenant to seek the LORD, and great rejoicing follows. Asa even removes Maachah from being queen because of her idol.

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Before you read 2 Chronicles 15

Coming from

Chapter 14 showed Asa seeking God during a massive military crisis and receiving victory.

In this chapter

Prophetic encouragement turns military deliverance into renewed reform, covenant commitment, and public rejection of idolatry.

Leads into

Chapter 16 will expose a painful reversal when Asa relies on Syria instead of God and reacts angrily to prophetic correction.

Key understandingExplore deeper

Azariah’s words are covenantal and national. They describe God’s relational response to Judah’s seeking and forsaking under the Mosaic covenant; they should not be used to teach that eternal life is earned or retained by works. The severe penalties associated with the covenant gathering reflect Israel’s national law setting.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Truth 1

God uses prophetic truth to turn past deliverance into present reform.

Truth 2

Seeking God in this covenant setting includes concrete removal of idolatry.

Truth 3

Asa’s reform reaches even into the royal household.

Truth 4

National joy follows wholehearted covenant renewal.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Connection 1

Deuteronomy 4:29-31 promises that Israel in distress will find God when seeking him wholeheartedly.

Connection 2

First Kings 15:13 also records Asa removing Maachah because of her idolatry.

Connection 3

Second Chronicles 16 provides the contrast showing that a strong season of faithfulness does not guarantee a faithful finish.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Keep this clear 1

Do not use ‘if ye seek him, he will be found of you’ as a works-based formula for receiving eternal life.

Keep this clear 2

The death penalty language belongs to Israel’s Mosaic national covenant and is not church discipline for the New Testament congregation.

Keep this clear 3

Do not assume reform is complete merely because a public covenant is made; chapter 16 will test Asa personally.

Read 2 Chronicles 15 watching for…

Azariah’s repeated seek/forsake pattern.

How Asa responds to the prophecy.

People coming from northern tribes.

The national covenant gathering.

Asa’s action against Maachah.

Chapter outline3 sections

1-7Azariah tells Asa that the LORD is with those who seek him 8-15Asa removes idols, gathers the people, and leads Judah into a covenant to seek the LORD 16-19Asa removes Maachah from being queen and brings dedicated things into the temple

And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded:

And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The LORD is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.

Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law.

But when they in their trouble did turn unto the LORD God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them.

And in those times there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the countries.

And nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city: for God did vex them with all adversity.

Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded.

And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim, and renewed the altar of the LORD, that was before the porch of the LORD.

And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the LORD his God was with him.

So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa.

And they offered unto the LORD the same time, of the spoil which they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep.

And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul;

That whosoever would not seek the LORD God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.

And they sware unto the LORD with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets.

And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and the LORD gave them rest round about.

And also concerning Maachah the mother of Asa the king, he removed her from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove: and Asa cut down her idol, and stamped it, and burnt it at the brook Kidron.

But the high places were not taken away out of Israel: nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.

And he brought into the house of God the things that his father had dedicated, and that he himself had dedicated, silver, and gold, and vessels.

And there was no more war unto the five and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa.