050. Prayer Of Asa.

Prayer Of Asa. The Prayer as recorded.—2 Chronicles 14:11. The Lord’s Answer.—2 Chronicles 14:12-13.

Asa was son and successor of Abijam, on the throne of Judah, and employed the first part of his reign, which was peaceful, in the furtherance of religion and peaceful overthrowing of idolatry. At the time this prayer was made, Asa was characterized by exemplary piety, and his prayer was one of faith and dependence on God. Zerah, an Ethiopian king, came into his territories with “a host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots;” Asa met him with six hundred thousand, and defeated him; the Ethiopians were entirely overthrown and dispersed, and the spoil which had been deposited in Gerar, of the Philistines, and in other cities of the vicinity was taken. Here the whole man, the whole army, is given over to the care and guardianship of God; there is a call for help, the confession that just such a protector is needed, as God would be in the fierce battle before Asa and his hosts Experience has taught him that God has never yet failed to hear prayer, and the future is filled with hope drawn from the promises of a God of truth and mercy.