Last week we compared the leadership of Jeroboam and Rehoboam. One humbled himself before God and the other did not. Because Rehoboam listened to God, Judah lived in peace and prosperity. That is for the most part of his reign. But as is the case with us humans, when surrounded by earthly prosperity, we become complacent. Why is that? Why do we forget the very one who has provided our peace? Well, it did happen to Rehoboam as well. So how can we cross the finish line with Glory even though we are so broken?
When the rule of Rehoboam was established and he was strong, he abandoned the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him. 2 In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, because they had been unfaithful to the Lord, Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem 3 with 1,200 chariots and 60,000 horsemen. And the people were without number who came with him from Egypt—Libyans, Sukkiim, and Ethiopians. 2 Chronicles 12: 1-3 (ESV)
So, despite having started so well, Rehoboam at one point abandoned God. Was that the end? What about us? How often do we get distracted and turn away from God?
Example of Faith to Cross the Finish Line with Glory
Martin Luther had written his thesis. The Catholic church of his day wanted him dead, destroyed. Yet he said, “I am more afraid of my own heart than of the pope and all his cardinals. I have within me the great pope, Self.”[1]
The same is true of me. Their deep within my heart lies a rebellious self-absorbed heart screaming out desires, demands, and anger at times. That deep broken part that cannot love anything so much as my own pitiful wants which do not even then satisfy. But such are we. Broken and somewhat pitiful. But what about God’s response?
2 Chronicles 12:5-8 (ESV)
5 Then Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam and to the princes of Judah, who had gathered at Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said to them, “Thus says the Lord, ‘You abandoned me, so I have abandoned you to the hand of Shishak.’” 6 Then the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, “The Lord is righteous.” 7 When the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah: “They have humbled themselves. I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance, and my wrath shall not be poured out on Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. 8 Nevertheless, they shall be servants to him, that they may know my service and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.”
A bittersweet ending note was that right before the recording of his death, God’s words read.
“14 And he did evil, for he did not set his heart to seek the Lord.” 2 Chronicles 12:14
Have you set your heart to seek the Lord? Firmly fixing your eyes on God, the author and finisher of your faith. Well Rehoboam’s life example most likely affected his son to follow him: because we read.
To Cross the Finish line with Glory or not?
Abijam began to reign over Judah. 2 He reigned for three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom. 3 And he walked in all the sins that his father did before him, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father. 4 Nevertheless, for David’s sake the Lord his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, setting up his son after him, and establishing Jerusalem, 5 because David did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and did not turn aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite. 1 Kings 15: 1-5.
But then, despite his not following after God, his son Asa did. Men of true faith interweave throughout all of history. Thereby fulfilling God’s ultimate purpose of salvation for all who would seek Him.
Finding the Strength to Do What is Right
9 In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa began to reign over Judah, 10 and he reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom. 11 And Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as David his father had done. 12 He put away the male cult prostitutes out of the land and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.
13 He also removed Maacah his mother from being queen mother because she had made an abominable image for Asherah. And Asa cut down her image and burned it at the brook Kidron. 14 But the high places were not taken away. Nevertheless, the heart of Asa was wholly true to the Lord all his days. 15 And he brought into the house of the Lord the sacred gifts of his father and his own sacred gifts, silver, and gold, and vessels.
Faith stood Strong
When King Asa kept his eyes on God and sought him with all his heart, his faith stood strong as exampled below.
Asa had an army of 300,000 from Judah, armed with large shields and spears, and 280,000 men from Benjamin that carried shields and drew bows. All these were mighty men of valor.9 Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men and 300 chariots, and came as far as Mareshah. 10 And Asa went out to meet him, and they drew up their lines of battle in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.
11 And 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.” 12 So the Lord defeated the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah, and the Ethiopians fled. 2 Chronicles 14:8-12
Then God spoke a warning:
“Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: The Lord is with you while 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, and without a teaching priest and without law, 4 but when in their distress they turned to the Lord, the God of Israel, and sought him, he was found by them.
5 In those times there was no peace to him who went out or to him who came in, for great disturbances afflicted all the inhabitants of the lands. 6 They were broken in pieces. Nation was crushed by nation and city by city, for God troubled them with every sort of distress. 7 But you, take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded.” 2 Chronicles 15:1-7
As soon as he heard these words, King Asa busily worked and labored for the Lord. He broke down the idols. Restoring the altar and sacrifice to its rightful place, he brought revival throughout the land. Then he too became complacent with time. He had done so well but did not finish the job he began. Altars remained in the high places to idols which he never got around to. Don’t we do the same thing? We think we have done so well, but we stop short. The report card would read incomplete.
Did King Asa Cross the Finish Line with Glory?
Unfortunately, no. The next time a conflict arose, he looked for outside help rather than for God. He went and made a treaty with Syria, giving them gold so they would go against Israel. The faith that had gained him victory before was soon forgotten. Then God sent a seer to tell him he was wrong.
“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. 8 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. 9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless[b] toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars.” 10 Then Asa was angry with the seer and put him in the stocks in prison, for he was in a rage with him because of this. And Asa inflicted cruelties upon some of the people at the same time.
11 The acts of Asa, from first to last, are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 12 In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was diseased in his feet, and his disease became severe. Yet even in his disease he did not seek the Lord, but sought help from physicians.
Don’t we do the same? We get angry at the ones who point out we have done wrong instead of looking within at our own sin. So what are the lessons here and how can we possibly cross the finish line with glory?
7 steps to cross the finish line with Glory
- Get and remain serious about scriptures. Satan knows this is our only offensive weapon against him and he will try everything to keep you out of the word
- Be serious as to what will be your legacy. Will it be for Christ or something else.
- Kept fighting until the end. Don’t drop down after the first punch and cry out in defeat.
- Press toward the mark of the prize of God
- Keep the faith, recall everything he has done for you
- Focus on the Finish line
- Spend time alone with God. Even Jesus when on this earth withdrew to pray.
CONCLUDING THOUGHT
We serve a God of completion. He finishes what He begins. Even as Christ upon the cross stated, “Tetelestai” (It is finished). He has won the victory and now we can know beyond a shadow of doubt that He will carry us across that finish line with Glory. His glory.
[1] https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/martin_luther_151430
DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.
Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.
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DISCLOSURES
©Effie Darlene Barba, 2021
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. Furthermore, I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Credits
New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New English Translation (NET)
NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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