Treaty with Man, or Trust in God?

2 Chronicles 16:1-14 

    1 In the thirty-sixth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah and built Ramah, that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah. 2 Then Asa brought silver and gold from the treasuries of the house of the LORD and of the king's house, and sent to Ben-Hadad king of Syria, who dwelt in Damascus, saying, 3 "Let there be a treaty between you and me, as there was between my father and your father. See, I have sent you silver and gold; come, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, so that he will withdraw from me."

    4 So Ben-Hadad heeded King Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel. They attacked Ijon, Dan, Abel Maim, and all the storage cities of Naphtali. 5 Now it happened, when Baasha heard it, that he stopped building Ramah and ceased his work. 6 Then King Asa took all Judah, and they carried away the stones and timber of Ramah, which Baasha had used for building; and with them he built Geba and Mizpah.

    7 And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said to him: "Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on the LORD your God, therefore the army of the king of Syria has escaped from your hand. 8 Were the Ethiopians and the Lubim not a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet, because you relied on the LORD, He delivered them into your hand. 9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars." 10 Then Asa was angry with the seer, and put him in prison, for he was enraged at him because of this. And Asa oppressed some of the people at that time.

    11 Note that the acts of Asa, first and last, are indeed written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 12 And in the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa became diseased in his feet, and his malady was severe; yet in his disease he did not seek the LORD, but the physicians.  13 So Asa rested with his fathers; he died in the forty-first year of his reign. 14 They buried him in his own tomb, which he had made for himself in the City of David; and they laid him in the bed which was filled with spices and various ingredients prepared in a mixture of ointments. They made a very great burning for him.

Asa's Treaty with Syria was a reliance on a foreign might to replace absolute trust in the LORD to fight the battles for His people.  When fellow children of the chosen people, Israel, surrounded Judah’s capital of Jerusalem, he took dedicated items of value from the LORD’s and the king’s houses to buy military support.  The Syrian forces stopped the battle, but lost the war for Asa because he did not rely on God, but on someone infinitely less capable.  The war of faith, of trusting reliance on God’s promises of protection and enabling strength to fight the good fight, was then lost to him.  A prophet had to remind king Asa of past times of victory and deliverance by the mighty hand of the LORD.  The key verse is 9, where it is shown that God is looking everywhere for those with a loyal heart completely trusting in Him, that He might demonstrate His strength supporting them for their good.  It is the same sovereign grace of Romans 8:27-28 which is given to His people in Christ who trust His ways in every situation are in His good hands, and He searches our hearts to sustain us in His victory (1 Corinthians 15:57).  If we but humble ourselves in complete reliance on Christ instead of our own will and supposed strength, He will be strong on our behalf and lift us up as 1 Peter 5:6-7, 10-11 reminds us for His glory.  Because Asa failed to continue to give God all his heart in truth as in the beginning, he faced many more battles ahead.  Unfortunately, His pride lifted him up and out of God’s mighty hand of protection, putting the messenger who warned him in jail and allowing his heart to be hardened instead of humbled.  He eventually became sick and died because he still refused to seek the LORD, relying solely on men who failed him as he himself had done to God.  In the end, he simply was burned up.  May we learn from this example not to stop relying on the Lord, to continue to be teachable according to His word, and giving Him all of our heart in trust and willingly obedience out of love because He first loved us so much!  Do we make treaties with man or trust in God for victory?