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. (2 Chronicles 16:9)
Don’t sleep on 1–2 Chronicles. Admittedly, the long lists of Hebrew names in the first nine chapters can be a tough stretch. But make it through, and an arresting string of concise narratives follows.
Over the years, the back half of Chronicles has become some of my favorite reading in all the Bible, with its focused accounts, striking lessons, and cautionary tales.
Like Asa’s story.
Abijah Leaned on God
Asa’s father, Abijah, reigned only three years, but in that time, he fought against Israel, led by Jeroboam.
Now there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. Abijah went out to battle, having an army of valiant men of war, 400,000 chosen men. And Jeroboam drew up his line of battle against him with 800,000 chosen mighty warriors. (2 Chronicles 13:2–3)
With only half as many troops, Abijah faces the foe on both sides. In desperation, he despairs of his own resources and cries out to God for help. God hears and answers:
God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. The men of Israel fled before Judah, and God gave them into their hand. Abijah and his people struck them with great force, so there fell slain of Israel 500,000 chosen men. (2 Chronicles 13:15–17)
Verse 18 then captures the clear lesson from the chronicler: “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.” The people of Judah, led by King Abijah, relied on the Lord.
Literally, they leaned on him. They acted, but they did not lean on their own action. They leaned on God, and in that reliance took faithful action. Judah engaged in battle, relying on the Lord, and against all odds, God gave them victory.
Perhaps Abijah’s son Asa first learned such reliance here, as he waited in the wings during the brief reign of his father.
Asa Leaned on God
Fast forward to the tenth year of Asa’s reign. He has enjoyed rest from war for a decade when his first military challenge comes. Asa had 500,000 in his army, but “Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men and 300 chariots” (2 Chronicles 14:9). Judah is outmatched again. But as Abijah had done when faced with a foe twice his size, so his son does:
Asa cried to the Lord his God, “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.” (2 Chronicles 14:11)
Like father, like son. God-reliance in one generation now echoed in the next. “God defeated Jeroboam” for Abijah; now “the Lord defeated the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah, and the Ethiopians fled” (2 Chronicles 14:12).
Rely here is the same Hebrew word as in the previous chapter, and the same we’ll see again. Asa cried out to God, for himself and his nation, We lean on you. The young king owned his weakness. He openly confessed his need. He despaired of his own maneuvering and leaned on God. Then he enjoyed peace for 25 years.
Asa Leaned on Syria
After a quarter-century, martial distress comes again: “In the thirty-sixth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah . . .” (2 Chronicles 16:1).
Now Asa is much older. He has far more regal experience and clout. He’s stronger, and feels himself to be stronger. He has international connections and avenues of recourse. Rather than become more God-reliant over 25 years, he now leans on himself and his strategies. Instead of going first to his knees, Asa maneuvers: He sends silver and gold to the king of Syria to secure his loyalty against Israel.
For such times as these, God raised up prophets, to call wandering kings back to wholehearted devotion (2 Chronicles 24:19). This time it’s Hanani the seer who comes to Asa and says, “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” (2 Chronicles 16:7). He then reminds Asa how he had leaned on God 25 years prior: “Were not the Ethiopians and the Libyans a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet because you relied on the Lord, he gave them into your hand” (2 Chronicles 16:8).
Twenty-five years later, Asa does not lean on God like he once did, and like his father did. Then comes the prophet’s rock-bottom reason for why leaning on self is such folly:
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. (2 Chronicles 16:9)
Grieve the folly of Asa, but don’t miss why this is folly in the stunning, hopeful vision of the God of heaven. His eyes roam. His eyes are wide-open and attentive. He’s actively looking, his eyes running to and fro, to find weak people who are in need, and humble enough to admit it, and who cry out for his help. He sees them, he finds them, he hears them, he helps them.
Our God does not need the strong to shore up any gaps or cracks in his strength. Rather, he puts his unassailable strength on display by helping those who are weak, and who admit it and ask for help. So strong is our God, and so ready to help the weak, that his eyes scour the earth looking for those humble enough to ask — and when they do, he pounces, as it were, to give strong support to them in his perfect timing.
Admit and Ask
This is the same God whom we know today in Christ as our heavenly Father. He is indeed strong but not distant. He is strong and near. Our God is not just willing to send his help but eager. His eyes run to and fro, looking for needy people, with humble hearts, ready to admit their need and seek his help.
Such a vision of our God in Asa’s story reminds us not to posture ourselves as strong before heaven’s eyes. We are weak, and we dare not pretend to be strong and so disqualify ourselves from his strong support. Rather, own your need for his help. Cry out to him for help. Lean on him like Abijah and the young Asa, and wait on him to send his strong support to your rescue, and to show himself strong through your weakness.
Desiring God