1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:04,600 Speaker 1: Let it us pray, and he took away the Sodomites out 2 00:00:04,640 --> 00:00:07,440 Speaker 1: of the land and removed all the idols that his 3 00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:13,680 Speaker 1: fathers had made First Kings fifteen twelve. Dear Lord, more 4 00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:17,040 Speaker 1: than ever, I desire to be a change agent in 5 00:00:17,120 --> 00:00:20,840 Speaker 1: the world to day. I desire to make a difference 6 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:23,840 Speaker 1: wherever I go, because I know that I am a 7 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:28,280 Speaker 1: world changer whenever I enter a room or a new 8 00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:31,920 Speaker 1: place I have not yet been. Give me the ability 9 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:35,800 Speaker 1: to be a physician to the hearts of others. Give 10 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:38,920 Speaker 1: me the right words to speak at just the right 11 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:44,360 Speaker 1: time if there are any ungodly idols and limiting beliefs, 12 00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:47,920 Speaker 1: like a skilled surgeon with a scalpel. Allow me to 13 00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:51,440 Speaker 1: operate in the areas of their lives that hinder them 14 00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:55,080 Speaker 1: so they are free to experience the full life you 15 00:00:55,280 --> 00:00:59,720 Speaker 1: desire to bring to and through them, Give me the 16 00:00:59,760 --> 00:01:03,600 Speaker 1: boldness of asa to do what's right at the perfect time. 17 00:01:04,880 --> 00:01:09,160 Speaker 1: Thank you that, through you and your power, I can 18 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:14,840 Speaker 1: bring restoration and reconciliation to a broken world filled with 19 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:23,279 Speaker 1: limitless potential. In Jesus's name, Amen, listening to these daily 20 00:01:23,360 --> 00:01:27,399 Speaker 1: prayers strengthens your relationship with God. Continue hearing from the 21 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:31,840 Speaker 1: Lord by listening to today's Bible in a Year, brought 22 00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:34,120 Speaker 1: to you by Bible in a Year dot. 23 00:01:33,920 --> 00:01:49,680 Speaker 2: Com Abaijah and his son Atha. In our last story, 24 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:53,640 Speaker 2: we learned about the downward spiral of Judah and Israel. 25 00:01:54,360 --> 00:01:58,880 Speaker 2: They're kings, Riaboum and Jeroboem led their people into an 26 00:01:58,920 --> 00:02:03,200 Speaker 2: era of idle world worship, war, and cynicism. The past 27 00:02:03,280 --> 00:02:06,800 Speaker 2: glory of David and Solomon seemed like a distant memory, 28 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:10,880 Speaker 2: and the people of Israel grew accustomed to sin and shame. 29 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:14,800 Speaker 2: In this story, we witness the next generation of kings 30 00:02:14,880 --> 00:02:17,640 Speaker 2: rise up. They too seemed to be lost in the 31 00:02:17,760 --> 00:02:22,920 Speaker 2: unhealthy patterns of idolatry and sin, just as their fathers. However, 32 00:02:23,120 --> 00:02:26,919 Speaker 2: small glimpses of future hope emerge in the midst of suffering. 33 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 2: Inspired by the Book of First Kings. 34 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:36,080 Speaker 3: Hello, this is Jack Graham with today's episode of the 35 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:39,480 Speaker 3: Bible in a Year. In our previous time together, we 36 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:43,160 Speaker 3: heard about the descent of Judah and Israel into idolatry 37 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:48,200 Speaker 3: and wickedness and therefore judgment under kings Jeroboam and Raaboam. 38 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:53,000 Speaker 3: God's people moved further and further away from the commandments 39 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:57,079 Speaker 3: of God. And the two nations suffered greatly because of it. 40 00:02:57,800 --> 00:03:00,840 Speaker 3: These days were a far cry from the former glory 41 00:03:00,840 --> 00:03:04,720 Speaker 3: of the unified nation of Israel under David and Solomon. 42 00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:08,799 Speaker 3: Today we'll learn of the kings that follow Jeroboam and Reebaam, 43 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:12,840 Speaker 3: and tragically it will be more and more of the same, 44 00:03:14,240 --> 00:03:17,919 Speaker 3: more evil and more judgment. But even in the midst 45 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:21,600 Speaker 3: of such unfaithfulness, we will see how God remains faithful 46 00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:25,560 Speaker 3: to the descendants of David, to his spiritual family Israel. 47 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:29,240 Speaker 3: And even in the presence of great suffering, there is 48 00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:32,720 Speaker 3: a promise of hope for his people. A king will 49 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:36,040 Speaker 3: rise up in Judah who will have a heart for God. 50 00:03:36,520 --> 00:03:38,720 Speaker 3: So let's listen now to today's reading. 51 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:44,240 Speaker 2: The sun set on the painful empire of King Rio Boham, 52 00:03:44,840 --> 00:03:47,920 Speaker 2: the tyrant son of Solomon, ruled the nation of Judah 53 00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:53,000 Speaker 2: with harshness, arrogance, and ignorance. There was a hopelessness that 54 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:56,880 Speaker 2: permeated the streets of Jerusalem. Men who did not die 55 00:03:56,920 --> 00:03:59,680 Speaker 2: in battle were destined to die in the hot sun. 56 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:04,000 Speaker 2: King for the king. When Riebauam died, his sin did 57 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:07,920 Speaker 2: not die with him. Out of his line came Abaijum 58 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:11,480 Speaker 2: the next King of Judah. He was harsh like his 59 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:15,560 Speaker 2: father and filled with a pompous spirit. His rule was 60 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:20,240 Speaker 2: marked with war and suffering. He fought against Israel constantly 61 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:24,080 Speaker 2: and only lived to rule three years. Yet even in 62 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:28,760 Speaker 2: the sadness and despair, God continued to allow David's grandchildren 63 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:32,279 Speaker 2: to rule. God had made a promise to David that 64 00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:35,680 Speaker 2: his descendants would bring about peace to the world. The 65 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:38,920 Speaker 2: evil of Riaboam and Abijah was but a small stain 66 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:43,240 Speaker 2: on the vast tapestry of God's story. Redemption would come, 67 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:47,920 Speaker 2: just not yet. When Abaijem died, his son Aetha became king. 68 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:51,920 Speaker 2: One day, Atha was walking the city streets. As new 69 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:55,360 Speaker 2: King of Judah. He desired to truly know who was ruling. 70 00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:59,440 Speaker 2: He watched as shrine prostitutes lured men and women into 71 00:04:59,440 --> 00:05:03,880 Speaker 2: their arms. He smelled the incense burning at altars dedicated 72 00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:07,080 Speaker 2: to false gods. He heard the screams and cries of 73 00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:11,120 Speaker 2: women and children being taken advantage of. Unlike his father 74 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:14,560 Speaker 2: and grandfather before him, Aitha looked at these things with 75 00:05:14,720 --> 00:05:18,440 Speaker 2: sadness in his soul. Ather was gifted with a righteous 76 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:21,240 Speaker 2: heart and looked to God as a source of strength 77 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:24,159 Speaker 2: and wisdom. The heart of David was still alive and 78 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:27,159 Speaker 2: well in him. Aitha knew he had to take a 79 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:30,880 Speaker 2: hard stance against the evil that gripped Judah's heart. While 80 00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:34,159 Speaker 2: his father saw the enemy as Israel, Athos saw the 81 00:05:34,240 --> 00:05:38,640 Speaker 2: true enemy as idols. Aitha waved a righteous hand through 82 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:41,640 Speaker 2: the streets of Jerusalem. He called for his men to 83 00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:46,000 Speaker 2: banish the shrine prostitutes and topple the idols of foreign gods. 84 00:05:46,560 --> 00:05:50,080 Speaker 2: Aitha even banished his own grandmother, who was responsible for 85 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:53,480 Speaker 2: leading hundreds of people astray with the worship of Asherah. 86 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:56,599 Speaker 2: Aitha desired for Judah's heart to be cleansed with the 87 00:05:56,640 --> 00:06:00,480 Speaker 2: refreshing wave of God's presence. He knew that this would 88 00:06:00,480 --> 00:06:04,039 Speaker 2: be no easy task. He restored riches back into the 89 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:08,320 Speaker 2: Temple of God. However, conflict still knocked on Atha's door. 90 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:11,640 Speaker 2: The nation of Israel was still in a season of wickedness. 91 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:16,359 Speaker 2: King Basha of Israel launched attack after attack against Judah. 92 00:06:16,880 --> 00:06:21,320 Speaker 2: Arrows and steel penetrated the walls of Jerusalem. Atha remained 93 00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:24,640 Speaker 2: calm before he launched a counter attack. He took some 94 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:26,479 Speaker 2: of the riches from the temple and put it to 95 00:06:26,520 --> 00:06:29,320 Speaker 2: good use. He used it to form an alliance with 96 00:06:29,360 --> 00:06:33,000 Speaker 2: the nation of Damascus. Together, they formed a treaty and 97 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:37,320 Speaker 2: fortified Judah to withstand the onslaught of Israel. Israel had 98 00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:41,120 Speaker 2: been building fortification within the borders of Judah. However, when 99 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:44,240 Speaker 2: they heard that Judah had gained an ally, they abandoned 100 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:48,240 Speaker 2: their project and left. Atha was a thoughtful man and 101 00:06:48,320 --> 00:06:51,520 Speaker 2: wise beyond his years. Like Solomon, he knew that the 102 00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:54,880 Speaker 2: people needed to take care of their land. He believed 103 00:06:54,920 --> 00:06:58,280 Speaker 2: strongly that if the people of Judah banned together, they 104 00:06:58,279 --> 00:07:01,720 Speaker 2: would be stronger and closer. So Atha sent a royal 105 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:05,560 Speaker 2: decree throughout the land, having every citizen cleaned the wreckage 106 00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:08,960 Speaker 2: that had been caused by Israel's armies. Together, the people 107 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:12,960 Speaker 2: galvanized under the leadership of Atha. His reign was marked 108 00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:17,000 Speaker 2: with growth in many ways. Atho worked as a physician 109 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:20,320 Speaker 2: over the sick hearts of Judah. He cleansed them of 110 00:07:20,360 --> 00:07:24,120 Speaker 2: the disease of idolatry. He strengthened them with the presence 111 00:07:24,160 --> 00:07:29,040 Speaker 2: of God. When Aitha died, his son Jehusaphat became king 112 00:07:29,320 --> 00:07:32,160 Speaker 2: over Judah. 113 00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:36,880 Speaker 3: As today scripture passage begins Rae Boam's reign has ended, 114 00:07:37,280 --> 00:07:41,960 Speaker 3: but his legacy endures through his son Avajam. Where David 115 00:07:42,240 --> 00:07:45,040 Speaker 3: was a humble king and quick to repent when he sinned, 116 00:07:45,040 --> 00:07:47,400 Speaker 3: and a ruler who truly cared for the souls of 117 00:07:47,440 --> 00:07:52,640 Speaker 3: his people, Raa Boam had been prideful and cruel. David 118 00:07:52,680 --> 00:07:55,000 Speaker 3: the Great King was a man who had a vision 119 00:07:55,040 --> 00:07:59,520 Speaker 3: for God's glory, but Rae Boam had only his own 120 00:07:59,640 --> 00:08:02,600 Speaker 3: glory in mind, and so the people had suffered and 121 00:08:02,760 --> 00:08:08,920 Speaker 3: perished under his terrible rule. Abijam followed in his father's footsteps, 122 00:08:09,520 --> 00:08:13,000 Speaker 3: surely having observed his father. We tend to think of 123 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:16,080 Speaker 3: legacies in a positive light, but the truth is that 124 00:08:16,120 --> 00:08:18,880 Speaker 3: we all leave a legacy for our children and for 125 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:22,840 Speaker 3: our families, whether it is good or whether it is bad. 126 00:08:23,480 --> 00:08:28,360 Speaker 3: And Abijam was left with a legacy of idolatry, pride, 127 00:08:28,840 --> 00:08:33,080 Speaker 3: and cruelty. And so Judah continued to suffer, and the 128 00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:36,400 Speaker 3: people gave their hearts to false gods and their own 129 00:08:36,480 --> 00:08:40,920 Speaker 3: wicked desires. We have to wonder why God continued to 130 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:44,360 Speaker 3: allow these evil kings to rule his people. But we 131 00:08:44,440 --> 00:08:48,520 Speaker 3: also remember from God's word that our Lord had promised 132 00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:51,920 Speaker 3: David that one of his descendants would one day bring 133 00:08:52,040 --> 00:08:56,160 Speaker 3: peace to the world. And God always keeps his promises. 134 00:08:56,640 --> 00:08:59,000 Speaker 3: You can count on the fact that God is always 135 00:08:59,120 --> 00:09:03,240 Speaker 3: true to his word. He is faithful. And though the 136 00:09:03,280 --> 00:09:05,559 Speaker 3: time had not yet come for the true and one 137 00:09:05,640 --> 00:09:08,239 Speaker 3: final Prince of Peace to enter the scene, the Messiah, 138 00:09:08,640 --> 00:09:11,680 Speaker 3: God did allow David's family to remain on the throne, 139 00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:15,280 Speaker 3: and sometimes one of those descendants offered just a bit 140 00:09:15,320 --> 00:09:18,480 Speaker 3: of hope in an otherwise dark time of history for 141 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:22,839 Speaker 3: the people of God. When Abajan died, he was succeeded 142 00:09:22,880 --> 00:09:26,679 Speaker 3: by his son Asa, and this young man was different. 143 00:09:27,360 --> 00:09:31,360 Speaker 3: Unlike his father and his grandfather, Asa loved the Lord. 144 00:09:31,960 --> 00:09:35,160 Speaker 3: It really is time for some good news and our reading, 145 00:09:35,280 --> 00:09:39,120 Speaker 3: isn't it. This man Asa loved the Lord and sought 146 00:09:39,160 --> 00:09:43,640 Speaker 3: after God. Asa was likened not to his immediate predecessors, 147 00:09:43,920 --> 00:09:49,160 Speaker 3: but to Israel's great king, First King fifteen eleven says this, 148 00:09:49,800 --> 00:09:52,480 Speaker 3: and Asa did what was right in the eyes of 149 00:09:52,520 --> 00:09:56,560 Speaker 3: the Lord, as David his father had done. We should 150 00:09:56,559 --> 00:09:59,400 Speaker 3: pray that we would leave a godly legacy with our 151 00:09:59,520 --> 00:10:04,439 Speaker 3: children and our children's children. The fact is that all 152 00:10:04,480 --> 00:10:07,800 Speaker 3: of our titles, our wealth, our social standing or status, 153 00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:10,640 Speaker 3: none of those things matter if we do not do 154 00:10:10,800 --> 00:10:14,760 Speaker 3: what is right in the eyes of the Lord. Aesa 155 00:10:15,400 --> 00:10:18,240 Speaker 3: was a godly king, and he saw the sin in 156 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:21,920 Speaker 3: Judah and the suffering of God's people. He understood that 157 00:10:21,960 --> 00:10:25,760 Speaker 3: the cause was unfaithfulness to God's sin against a holy God. 158 00:10:26,080 --> 00:10:29,160 Speaker 3: So he tore down the shrines and banished the prostitutes 159 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:32,880 Speaker 3: who stood outside the shrines. But Asa did not just 160 00:10:33,000 --> 00:10:35,720 Speaker 3: clean up the streets and remove the idols from the people. 161 00:10:36,200 --> 00:10:39,280 Speaker 3: He cleaned his own house, and he banished his own 162 00:10:39,320 --> 00:10:42,600 Speaker 3: mother because she was leading people astray and into idol worship. 163 00:10:43,240 --> 00:10:46,160 Speaker 3: Years later, our Lord Jesus would say, you must be 164 00:10:46,240 --> 00:10:50,240 Speaker 3: willing to leave father and mother if necessary, to follow me. 165 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:55,040 Speaker 3: That nothing can be above me, not even the bond 166 00:10:55,080 --> 00:11:00,000 Speaker 3: of family can be stronger than our commitment to follow Jesus. 167 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:04,120 Speaker 3: Ssah understood this about his relationship with God. He not 168 00:11:04,160 --> 00:11:06,840 Speaker 3: only took down the pagan symbols, but he also honored 169 00:11:06,840 --> 00:11:11,120 Speaker 3: God by restoring treasures to the temple in Jerusalem. Powerful 170 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:15,319 Speaker 3: changes were being made in Judah. Revival was happening as 171 00:11:15,400 --> 00:11:19,040 Speaker 3: people were turning their hearts back to God, but all 172 00:11:19,200 --> 00:11:22,400 Speaker 3: was still not well in Judah. From the north, Israel's 173 00:11:22,440 --> 00:11:25,560 Speaker 3: king Bhatia attacked and began to fortify the city of 174 00:11:25,640 --> 00:11:31,680 Speaker 3: Rama within Judah's borders, Asa remained focused and calm. Rather 175 00:11:31,720 --> 00:11:34,839 Speaker 3: than rushing into war and costing many lives in his army, 176 00:11:35,280 --> 00:11:39,679 Speaker 3: Asa formed an alliance with Damascus. Together they fortified Judah 177 00:11:39,679 --> 00:11:43,120 Speaker 3: for a potential war, and this alone sent Israel packing 178 00:11:43,200 --> 00:11:47,040 Speaker 3: fearful of a conflict with Judah and its ally. Because 179 00:11:47,080 --> 00:11:51,160 Speaker 3: Asad turned back to God and turned his nation from idolatry, 180 00:11:51,480 --> 00:11:55,280 Speaker 3: he was able to unify the people, and God's powerful 181 00:11:55,360 --> 00:11:59,600 Speaker 3: presence returned to Judah. Tomorrow we will meet a man 182 00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:02,800 Speaker 3: whose heart was also on fire for God, and he 183 00:12:02,840 --> 00:12:06,640 Speaker 3: would become a powerful force in the kingdom, speaking God's 184 00:12:06,679 --> 00:12:11,240 Speaker 3: truth to a stubborn and sinful people. Dear God, we 185 00:12:11,360 --> 00:12:14,960 Speaker 3: thank you for the story of King Asa. It's such 186 00:12:14,960 --> 00:12:18,040 Speaker 3: a positive and hopeful word in the midst of so 187 00:12:18,160 --> 00:12:22,440 Speaker 3: much judgment and sin and suffering in Israel. We thank 188 00:12:22,480 --> 00:12:25,040 Speaker 3: you that you raised up this godly man to continue 189 00:12:25,040 --> 00:12:29,040 Speaker 3: the line of Christ through the Bible. We pray that we, 190 00:12:29,360 --> 00:12:32,800 Speaker 3: like Asa, will make good decisions in our lives and 191 00:12:32,960 --> 00:12:36,840 Speaker 3: always turn our lives and our families towards You. May 192 00:12:36,880 --> 00:12:41,360 Speaker 3: our legacy be a legacy of faith and faithfulness to You. 193 00:12:42,080 --> 00:12:46,560 Speaker 3: In Jesus' name, Amen. Thank you for listening to today's 194 00:12:46,559 --> 00:12:50,479 Speaker 3: Bible in a Year podcast. I'm Pastor Jack Graham of Dallas, Texas. 195 00:12:50,840 --> 00:12:53,240 Speaker 3: I would encourage you to download the pray dot com 196 00:12:53,240 --> 00:12:57,360 Speaker 3: app and certainly to make Bible study and prayer a 197 00:12:57,440 --> 00:13:00,280 Speaker 3: priority in your life. I would encourage you to go 198 00:13:00,320 --> 00:13:02,439 Speaker 3: to church and be a part of a Bible believing 199 00:13:02,600 --> 00:13:07,560 Speaker 3: Christ exalting church. If you enjoyed this podcast, tell a friend, 200 00:13:07,800 --> 00:13:11,200 Speaker 3: let someone else know, because the Word of God changes lives. 201 00:13:11,960 --> 00:13:14,440 Speaker 3: And if you want more resources as to how you 202 00:13:14,520 --> 00:13:16,600 Speaker 3: can know and love God and follow Him all the 203 00:13:16,679 --> 00:13:19,880 Speaker 3: days of your life, be sure to visit Jack Graham 204 00:13:19,960 --> 00:13:23,440 Speaker 3: dot org as we have many resources available to you 205 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:27,559 Speaker 3: as you journey with the Lord. God bless you.