The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1898-09-30

CULLEN
God; for we rest On thee.-2 Chron. l4:lL
THE SECTION includes the history of
Judah from the disruption till the close
of Asa's reign q Chron. L to 16); first 90
years of Judah; reigns of Rehoboam. Abb
jah and Asa.
TIME.-Asa's reign lasted Il years, from
e55 to GA com chron., or 917-S7S, rev.
chron The battle of Zerah was probably
in his fourteenth year e Chron. 1910
PLACE.-Asa reigned in Jerusalem The
great victory over Zerah, the invader was
at Mareshah, 25 miles southwest of Jeru-
salem.
Having studied the course of the
history of Israel to the end OF that
kingdom, we now turn back the leaves
of time to the disruption when the his
tory divided into two streams. Begin
ming at this point we are to study, for
the present quarter, the leading events
of the Kingdom of judah. The history
is quite different in character from
that of Israel.
We will consider briefly the first
go years of the kingdom of Judah, in
its bearing on the religious develop
ment of the people and the kingdom OF
God.
L. Rehoboam's Reign of Seventeen
Years. He inherited large extent of
territory, a capital almost impreg-
nable; a glorions temple and its serv-
ices well adapted to teach the true
religion; an organized government; a
well-equipped army; a considerable
religious literature; all the means and
machinery for developing God-fear-
ing, well-educated, prosperous nation.
He refused wise counselors, and lived
selfish, sinful life. forsaking God and
His religion. The people built high
places" set up images, allowed Sodom-
ties and heather abomina tions Il
Kings 14:22-24).
II. Asa, the Grandson of Rehoboam.
First. King Asa (V. p was the grand
son of Rehoboam, and Maachah an
idolatress and a descendant of lamar
and Absalom.
2. "And Asa did that which was
right" This was the general char
acter of his reign.
Second. The Reformation.-Vs. 3-5.
9. HE took away the affairs of the
strange gods" The idols of the sur
rounding nations whose worship was
mingled with that of the true God.
'And the high places:" 1t was the Gus
tom of the Canaanites, in common with
the Persians, Greeks, ETC., to build al
tars on the tops of hills (Num. 22:4D.
The Israelites naturally fell into the
practice Il Sam. 9:12; / Kings 1929.
II was forbidden by the law of Moses
(Deut. 12:11-14; Lev. 26:50); but it did
not cease, even in the kingdom of Jul
dab, till the reign of Josiah e Kings
$3.50.
4. "And commanded JUDAH" He
not only did right himself, but he
taught and trained his people to do
right.
He took away, etc.:" All pub
lie objects and relics of idolatry, not
only in Jerusalem, but throughout the
nation. "And the kingdom was quiet:"
At peace for ten years (V. y. This was
Il period of prosperity and religious
and mental growth.
Third. Strengthening the Kingdom.
VS.. 6-8. 6. "He built fenced (forti-
fied) eities:" These were not for at
tack, but for defense. "The Lord had
given him rest:" Even what comes to
us from others, and through natural
channels, is so controlled by God that
"all things shall work together for
good to them that love Him"
Z. Because we have sought the
Lord Il. He hath given us rest:"
II was both the reward and the nat
ural fruit of the revival of religion.
8. "And Asa had an army" consisting
OF $4,000 men of valor. This was not
a standing army, but rather trained
militia, usually at home and busy with
their farms or business, but ready to
be summoned on occasion.
Fourth. The Great Victory.-Vs. O.
IL. 9. "And there came out against
them Zerah, the Ethiopian" Zerah
was either Osorkon l., the second king
of the twenty-second Egyptian dy-
nasty and successor of Shishak, who
may have been of Ethiopian descent,
or else Zerah was his general leading
the ethiopian FORCES from the south of
Egypt. "a thousand thousand:" A
million, the largest collected army of
which we hear in Scripture
II. CASA cried unto the Lord:" He
had done all he could, but his hope
was in God only. Lord, it is nothing
with Thee to helps" The Lord is SO
strong that the question of large or
small in reference to men was of no
account to Him. "For we rest on
Thee:" He had rested on God in ten
years of reformation in peace, and
thus had learned to trust Him in dam
ger. "Let not man prevail against
Thee:" He did not expect that God
would come over to his side, as Saul
had done when he sent the ark to the
battlefield, while he himself was dis
obeying God, and hence was defeated;
but Asa had gone over to the Lords
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