Rest in the LORD

2 Chronicles 14:1-15 

    1 So Abijah rested with his fathers, and they buried him in the City of David. Then Asa his son reigned in his place. In his days the land was quiet for ten years.

    2 Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God, 3 for he removed the altars of the foreign gods and the high places, and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the wooden images. 4 He commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to observe the law and the commandment. 5 He also removed the high places and the incense altars from all the cities of Judah, and the kingdom was quiet under him. 6 And he built fortified cities in Judah, for the land had rest; he had no war in those years, because the LORD had given him rest. 7 Therefore he said to Judah, "Let us build these cities and make walls around them, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us, because we have sought the LORD our God; we have sought Him, and He has given us rest on every side." So they built and prospered. 8 And Asa had an army of three hundred thousand from Judah who carried shields and spears, and from Benjamin two hundred and eighty thousand men who carried shields and drew bows; all these were mighty men of valor.

    9 Then Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots, and he came to Mareshah. 10 So Asa went out against him, and they set the troops in battle array in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. 11 And Asa cried out to the LORD his God, and said, "LORD, it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power; help us, O LORD our God, for we rest on You, and in Your name we go against this multitude. O LORD, You are our God; do not let man prevail against You!"

    12 So the LORD struck the Ethiopians before Asa and Judah, and the Ethiopians fled. 13 And Asa and the people who were with him pursued them to Gerar. So the Ethiopians were overthrown, and they could not recover, for they were broken before the LORD and His army. And they carried away very much spoil. 14 Then they defeated all the cities around Gerar, for the fear of the LORD came upon them; and they plundered all the cities, for there was exceedingly much spoil in them. 15 They also attacked the livestock enclosures, and carried off sheep and camels in abundance, and returned to Jerusalem.

Abijah had ruled well, then passed the torch of the light of the LORD to his heir, Asa.  This king did what was right according to God, ridding the stumbling blocks of idols from among his people of Judah.  He went further by leveraging the theocracy of Judah’s government to ensure the people would seek the LORD and keep His commandments by decree.  He did not have a separation of church and state, but made the congregation follow the LORD as His state, for Asa knew that it all belonged to God, as all are ruled by His appointment (Romans 13:1-2, 5, Daniel 2:21) as his ancestor king David and down the line to himself.  The LORD gave them rest from war in Himself because they put Him first and none other second; they prospered in obedience and with hearts for God, for their leader Asa set the example.  When a million-man march of a foreign army threatened Judah, Asa trusted God and prayed out loud in trust for undeserved help (grace).  Asa and Judah followed the LORD in victory over the immense opposition forces and triumphed gloriously (Exodus 15:1-2) over their enemy.  We find that true victory is shadowed in the physical realm here to the spiritual war and faithfulness of the soldier of Christ (2 Timothy 2:3-4, 2 Corinthians 10:4, Ephesians 6:12).  We find rest in the Lord Christ (Romans 5:1, Revelation 14:13) by His strength and sovereign rule over all opposition for His glory, in life and in death.  May we live in obedience to all of His word and in submission under that authority.  This is an example of following God to find rest and victory in Him alone, not in pursuit of our own kingdom in disobedience.