2 Chronicles 15:1 - Meaning and Application

It was a great blessing for Israel to have prophets among them. Yet, while they had this gift, they were strangely drawn to idolatry. Later, when prophetic voices had stopped under the second temple and the Old Testament writings were complete and regularly read in the synagogues, they were free from idolatry. Scripture is the surest kind of prophecy, and it works more powerfully than anything else. The church could more easily be misled by a false prophet than by a fake Bible.

Here, a prophet was sent to Asa and his army after they returned victorious from the war with the Ethiopians. He did not come to flatter them or simply congratulate them on success. He came to stir them up to do their duty. That is the proper work of God’s ministers, even with kings and the most powerful people. The Spirit of God came upon the prophet (2 Chronicles 15:1), both to show him what to say and to give him courage and clarity in saying it.

He first told them plainly what their standing with God was. They must not think that, because they had won this battle, everything was secure for good. No, they needed to know they were still being tested. If they did what was right, things would go well with them. If they did not, it would not. “The Lord is with you while you are with him” is both comfort and warning. Those who stay close to God will have his presence, but that presence continues only as they continue in duty.

“If you seek him, he will be found by you.” If you sincerely desire God’s favor and aim for it, you will receive it. Pray, and you will prevail. He never says, and never will say, “Seek me in vain.” See Hebrews 11:6. But if you forsake him and his ordinances, his appointed ways of worship and obedience, he is not bound to stay with you. He will certainly forsake you, and then you are ruined. Present victories are no guarantee. Woe to those from whom God departs.

The prophet then set before them the dangerous results of forsaking God and his ordinances, and he showed that grievances can be made right only by repentance and returning to God. When Israel turned away from duty, they were swept into a flood of atheism, ungodliness, and disorder (2 Chronicles 15:3). They were constantly troubled by harmful wars, both foreign and civil (2 Chronicles 15:5, 2 Chronicles 15:6). But when trouble drove them back to God, they found it was not in vain to seek him (2 Chronicles 15:4). The question is, what time does this refer to?

Some think it reaches back to the days of the judges. Long ago Israel was without the true God, because they worshiped false gods. It was a time of ignorance. They had priests, but no teaching priests. They had elders, but no law that was really guiding them, verse 3. Those were sad days, when they were often pressed down by one enemy or another, especially the Moabites, Midianites, Ammonites, and others. They were “vexed with all adversity” (verse 6), yet when they turned to God in repentance, prayer, and reform, he raised up deliverers for them. In that, the principle was often proven true, God is with us while we are with him. Everything written before was written for our instruction.

Others think this describes the state of the ten tribes, who were now the main people called Israel, in Asa’s time. Since Jeroboam set up the calves, he claimed to honor the God who brought Israel out of Egypt, but his idolatry really led them into plain unbelief. They were without the true God, and that is no surprise when they were without teaching priests. Jeroboam’s priests were not teachers, so the people came to be without law. It is almost impossible to keep religion alive without a preaching ministry. In those days there was no peace (2 Chronicles 15:5). Their war with Judah kept them in constant fear, and so did Baasha’s recent rebellion and other troubles not named here. They provoked God with all kinds of sin, and he troubled them with all kinds of distress. Yet when they returned to God, he answered them. Judah should take note of this. Let their neighbors’ harm be their warning. They should give no support to carved images, because they can see what misery such things bring.

Others think the whole passage should be read in the future tense, as a warning about what would happen later. Then Israel would be without the true God and without a teaching priest, and they would be crushed by one judgment after another until they returned to God and sought him. See Hosea 3:4.

On that basis, the prophet urged them to press on with reform boldly and steadily (2 Chronicles 15:7): “Be strong, for your work will be rewarded.” God’s work should be done with diligence and a willing heart, but it will not be done without firm resolve. This should encourage us in religion, because we can be sure we will not lose by it in the end. It will not go unrewarded. How could it, since the work itself is its own reward?