The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-07-14
Asa'S Good Reign.

he fortified the key cities of the south
eEp kingdom, but then he relapsed in
lolatry and polygamy. He was
on forced to buy a truce from the
king of Egypt, for which he paid the
treasures of David and the golden
shields of Solomon. OF Rehoboam's
son and successor, the shameful rec
ord is, "he walked in all the sins of
his father"
But Asa, the third king of Judah,
in spite of his vicious ancestry and
unfavorable environment, proved
himself noble, heroic, and pious. a
high and hopeful note is struck in
the dolorous record when it is said of
him, He did that which was good"
Instead of being effected by the ten
denotes of his times, he changed those
tendencies. He burst like cyclone
upon the seats and emblens of idol
airy and laid them low. He command
ed Israel to seek the Lord. He show
ed his sincerity by dethroning his own
mother and burning the idol and
grove she had established. He began
this blessed work of reformation at
his very accession. The goodness of
Asa was not of the negative kind.
He was no contemplative recluse, but
q forceful and aggressive man, and
.ccording to current standards, by
5hich alone he can be fairly judged,
he was prominently correct.
He was not content with the moral
reformation of his kingdom, he looked
well to its military defenses, building
fortress cities and modelling an army
of upwards of half million of we'll
armed and drilled men.
Humanity speaking, it would seem
that Asa's piety and prudence ought
to have been better rewarded. But
hardly had his excellent reforms been
effected before the inyincible army of
a great world power invaded his ter
ritory-Ierah, the magnificent, ="
led an army, the sheer weight of whose
numbers seemed destined to obliter-
ate Judah. A modern analogy main
tains in the ineXhaustible numbers
availa BILE in Russia, as compared with
those of Japan. Asa was not ignorant
of the fearful odds against him, but
he did not hesitate. He led his army
in person. He chose the field of bat
10 Ir,ifl, el-i1I nh, ,,,,,
row valley gave him every advantage
wing first done everything that
litary genius could suggest, he
IN had recourse TO that tTusty
apon of prayer.
A finer form of prayer in case of
national peril can not be imagined.
1t is brief, yet comprehensive. 1t is
the drawing of draft on omnipo-
tence. The argument is that it is an
Indifferent matter to Almightiness
+ that Asa's army is outnumbered two
to Ole by this heather horde. That
is nothing to Thee, Lord" The
kings prayer is heard and answered.
A phenomenal victory is won. The
largest army of which record is made
in Scripture, is irretrievably routed.
One of the first of the world powers is
defeated by the tiny kingdom of Ju-
dab and it is the only instance of its
kind named in the Bible. Not for
three centuries did Egypt venture to
send an army into Palestine.
The Teachers Lantern.
Less apology can be made for the
idolatry of Judah than that of Israel.
+ The temple was within its territory.
1t had all the prizes is. Yet in spite of
& these advantages Judah seemed to
sink as deep in this sin as Israel.
Three kings in succession fostered it,
Asa's name signifies Healer He
was well named, for he certainly
healed his country of their disease,
though his methods were heroic.
ae took away the affairs ofthe strange
gods, broke down the images, and
hewed down the votive pillars which
.SGOOu dTOuuu us UIllCh as IOreSb trees.
He seems to have met with but
little opposition. 1t illustrates the
fact that vice is naturally cowardlY.
A bold front need only to be present
ed to it and it sneaks away.
In time of peace Asa prepared for
war. The current form of fortifica-
ton is APPLY described, "he built
walls about the cities and towers,
gates, and bars" reproductions of
this style of fertilization are found in
the bass-relief of that age.
The causes of the attempted inva-
sion of Judah by Zerah may have
been, ~ Asa may haye declined to
continue as vassal to Egypt as Re-
9oam had been; (2) He may have
" used tribute; (3) Zerah may haye
wished to punish Asa for organizing
such an army; a. or he may have
been in quest of spoil.