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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1708)
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>S E C O N D C H R O N I C L E S</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>CHAP. XV.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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</CENTER>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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Asa and his army were now returning in triumph from the battle, laden
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with spoils and adorned with the trophies of victory, the pious prince,
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we may now suppose, studying what he should render to God for this
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great favour. He knew that the work of reformation, which he had begun
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in his kingdom, was not perfected; his enemies abroad were subdued, but
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there were more dangerous enemies at home that were yet
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unconquered--idols in Judah and Benjamin: his victory over the former
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emboldened him vigorously to renew his attack upon the latter. Now here
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we have,
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I. The message which God sent to him, by a prophet, to engage him to,
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and encourage him in, the prosecution of his reformation,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+15:1-7">ver. 1-7</A>.
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II. The life which this message put into that good cause, and their
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proceedings in pursuance of it. Idols removed,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+15:8">ver. 8</A>.
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The spoil dedicated to God,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+15:9-11">ver. 9-11</A>.
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A covenant made with God, and a law for the punishing of idolaters,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+15:12-15">ver. 12-15</A>.
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A reformation at court,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+15:16">ver. 16</A>.
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Dedicated things brought into the house of God,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+15:18">ver. 18</A>.
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All well, but that the high places were permitted,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+15:17">ver. 17</A>.
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And the effect of this was great peace,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+15:19">ver. 19</A>.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="2Ch15_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ch15_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ch15_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ch15_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ch15_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ch15_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ch15_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>God's Message to Asa.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 945.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded:
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2 And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me,
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Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> <I>is</I> with you, while ye
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be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if
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ye forsake him, he will forsake you.
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3 Now for a long season Israel <I>hath been</I> without the true
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God, and without a teaching priest, and without law.
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4 But when they in their trouble did turn unto the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> God of
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Israel, and sought him, he was found of them.
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5 And in those times <I>there was</I> no peace to him that went out,
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nor to him that came in, but great vexations <I>were</I> upon all the
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inhabitants of the countries.
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6 And nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city: for God
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did vex them with all adversity.
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7 Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for
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your work shall be rewarded.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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It was a great happiness to Israel that they had prophets among them;
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yet, while they were thus blessed, they were strangely addicted to
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idolatry, whereas, when the spirit of prophecy had ceased under the
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second temple, and the canon of the Old Temple was completed (which was
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constantly read in their synagogues), they were pure from idolatry; for
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the scriptures are of all other the <I>most sure word of prophecy,</I>
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and most effectual, and the church could not be so easily imposed upon
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by a counterfeit Bible as by a counterfeit prophet. Here was a prophet
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sent to Asa and his army, when they returned victorious from the war
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with the Ethiopians, not to compliment them and congratulate them on
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their success, but to quicken them to their duty; this is the proper
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business of God's ministers, even with princes and the greatest men.
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The <I>Spirit of God came</I> upon the prophet
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+15:1"><I>v.</I> 1</A>),
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both to instruct him what he should say and to enable him to say it
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with clearness and boldness.</P>
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<P>
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I. He told them plainly upon what terms they stood with God. Let them
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not think that, having obtained this victory, all was their own for
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ever; no, he must let them know they were upon their good behaviour.
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Let them do well, and it will be well with them, otherwise not.
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1. <I>The Lord is with you while you are with him.</I> This is both a
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word of comfort, that those who keep close to God shall always have his
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presence with them, and also a word of caution: "He is <I>with you,
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while you are with him,</I> but no longer; you have now a signal token
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of his favourable presence with you, but the continuance of it depends
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upon your perseverance in the way of your duty."
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2. "<I>If you seek him, he will be found of you.</I> Sincerely desire
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his favour, and aim at it, and you shall obtain it. Pray, and you shall
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prevail. He never said, nor ever will, <I>Seek you me in vain.</I>" See
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Heb+11:6">Heb. xi. 6</A>.
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But,
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3. "If you forsake him and his ordinances, he is not tied to you, but
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will certainly forsake you, and then you are undone, your present
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triumphs will be no security to you; woe to you when God departs."</P>
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<P>
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II. He set before them the dangerous consequence of forsaking God and
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his ordinances, and that there was no way of having grievances
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redressed, but by repenting, and returning unto God. When Israel
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forsook their duty they were over-run with a deluge of atheism,
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impiety, irreligion, and all irregularity
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+15:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>),
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and were continually embarrassed with vexatious and destroying wars,
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foreign and domestic,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+15:5,6"><I>v.</I> 5, 6</A>.
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But when their troubles drove them to God they found it not in vain to
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seek him,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+15:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>.
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But the question is, What time does this refer to?
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1. Some think it looks as far back as the days of the Judges. <I>A long
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season</I> ago Israel was <I>without the true God,</I> for they
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worshipped false gods; it was a time of ignorance, for, though they had
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priests, they had no teaching priests, though they had elders, yet no
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law to any purpose,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+15:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>.
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These were sad times, when they were frequently oppressed by one enemy
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or other and grievously harassed by Moabites, Midianites, Ammonites,
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and other nations. They were <I>vexed with all adversity</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+15:6"><I>v.</I> 6</A>),
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yet when, in their perplexity, they turned to God by repentance,
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prayer, and reformation, he raised up deliverers for them. Then was
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that maxim often verified, that God is with us while we are with him.
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Whatsoever things of this kind were written aforetime were written for
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our admonition.
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2. Others think it describes the state of the ten tribes (who were now
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properly called <I>Israel</I>) in the days of Asa. "<I>Now,</I> since
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Jeroboam set up the calves, though he pretended to honour the God that
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brought them out of Egypt, yet his idolatry has brought them to
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downright infidelity; they are <I>without the true God,</I>" and no
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marvel when they were without teaching priests. Jeroboam's priests
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were not teachers, and thus they came to be without law. It is next to
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impossible that any thing of religion should be kept up without a
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preaching ministry. In those times there was no peace,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+15:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>.
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Their war with Judah gave them frequent alarms; so did the late
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insurrection of Baasha and other occasions not mentioned. They provoked
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God with all iniquity, and then he <I>vexed them with all
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adversity;</I> yet, <I>when they turned to God,</I> he was entreated
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for them. Let Judah take notice of this; let their neighbours' harms be
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their warnings. Give no countenance to graven images for you see what
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mischiefs they produce.
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3. Others think the whole passage may be read in the future tense, and
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that it looks forward: Hereafter <I>Israel will be without the true God
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and a teaching priest,</I> and they will be destroyed by one judgment
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after another till they <I>return to God</I> and <I>seek him.</I> See
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ho+3:4">Hos. iii. 4</A>.</P>
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<P>
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III. Upon this he grounded his exhortation to prosecute the work of
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reformation with vigour
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+15:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>):
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<I>Be strong, for your work shall be rewarded.</I> Note,
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1. God's work should be done with diligence and cheerfulness, but will
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not be done without resolution.
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2. This should quicken us to the work of religion, that we shall be
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sure not to lose by it ultimately. It will not go unrewarded. How
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should it, when the work is its own reward?</P>
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<A NAME="2Ch15_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ch15_9"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ch15_10"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ch15_11"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ch15_12"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ch15_13"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ch15_14"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ch15_15"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ch15_16"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ch15_17"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ch15_18"> </A>
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<A NAME="2Ch15_19"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec2"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>Asa Reforms His Kingdom.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 940.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>8 And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the
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prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out
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of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities
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which he had taken from mount Ephraim, and renewed the altar of
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the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, that <I>was</I> before the porch of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>.
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9 And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers
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with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for
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they fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that
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the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> his God <I>was</I> with him.
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10 So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the
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third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa.
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11 And they offered unto the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> the same time, of the spoil
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<I>which</I> they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand
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sheep.
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12 And they entered into a covenant to seek the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> God of
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their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul;
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13 That whosoever would not seek the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> God of Israel should
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be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.
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14 And they sware unto the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> with a loud voice, and with
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shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets.
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15 And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with
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all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he
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was found of them: and the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> gave them rest round about.
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16 And also <I>concerning</I> Maachah the mother of Asa the king, he
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removed her from <I>being</I> queen, because she had made an idol in a
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grove: and Asa cut down her idol, and stamped <I>it,</I> and burnt
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<I>it</I> at the brook Kidron.
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17 But the high places were not taken away out of Israel:
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nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.
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18 And he brought into the house of God the things that his
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father had dedicated, and that he himself had dedicated, silver,
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and gold, and vessels.
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19 And there was no <I>more</I> war unto the five and thirtieth year
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of the reign of Asa.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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We are here told what good effect the foregoing sermon had upon
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Asa.</P>
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<P>
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I. He grew more bold for God than he had been. His victory would
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inspire him with some new degrees of resolution, but this message from
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God with much more. Now he took courage. he saw how necessary a further
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reformation was, and what assurance he had of God's presence with him
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in it; and this made him daring, and helped him over the difficulties
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which had before deterred him and driven him off from the undertaking.
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Now he ventured to destroy all the abominable idols (and all idolatries
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are abominable,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Pe+4:3">1 Pet. iv. 3</A>)
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as far as ever his power went. Away with them all. He also <I>renewed
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the altar of the Lord,</I> which, it seems, had gone out of repair,
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though it was not above thirty-five years since Solomon's head was
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laid, who erected it. So soon did these ceremonial institutions begin
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to wax old, as things which, in the fulness of time, must <I>vanish
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away,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Heb+8:13">Heb. viii. 13</A>.</P>
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<P>
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II. He extended his influence further than before,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+15:9"><I>v.</I> 9</A>.
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He summoned a solemn assembly, and particularly brought the strangers
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to it, who had come over to him from the ten tribes.
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1. Their coming was a great encouragement to him; for the reason of
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their coming was because <I>they saw that the Lord his God was with
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him.</I> It is good to be with those that have God with them, to come
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into relation to, and contract acquaintance and friendship with, those
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that live in the fear and favour of God. <I>We will go with you, for we
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have heard that God is with you,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Zec+8:23">Zech. viii. 23</A>.
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2. The cognizance he took of them, and the invitation he gave them to
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the general assembly, were a great encouragement to them. All strangers
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are to be helped, but those that cast themselves upon God's good
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providence, purely to keep a good conscience, are worthy of double
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honour. Asa gave orders for the gathering of them together
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+15:9"><I>v.</I> 9</A>),
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yet it is said
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+15:10"><I>v.</I> 10</A>)
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that they <I>gathered themselves together,</I> made it their own act,
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so forward were they to obey the king's orders. This meeting was held
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in the third month, probably at the feast of Pentecost, which was in
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that month.</P>
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<P>
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III. He and his people offered sacrifices to God, as his share of the
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spoil they had got,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+15:11"><I>v.</I> 11</A>.
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Their offering here was nothing to Solomon's
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+7:5"><I>ch.</I> vii. 5</A>),
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which was owing to the diminution either of their zeal or of their
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wealth, or of both. These sacrifices were intended by way of
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thanksgiving for the favours they had received, and supplication for
|
|
further favours. Prayers and praises are now our spiritual sacrifices.
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And, as he took care that the altar should have its gift, so he took
|
|
care that the temple should have its gold: <I>He brought into the house
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|
of God all the dedicated things,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+15:18"><I>v.</I> 18</A>.
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It is honesty to render to God the things that are his. What has been
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long designed for him, and long laid by for him, as it should seem
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|
these dedicated things had been, should at length be laid out for him.
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Will a man rob God, or make slow payment to him, who is always ready to
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do us good?</P>
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<P>
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IV. <I>They entered into covenant with God,</I> repenting that they had
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violated their engagements to him and resolving to do better for the
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future. It is proper for penitents, for converts, to renew their
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covenants. It should seem, the motion came not from Asa, but from the
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people themselves. Let every man be a volunteer that covenants with
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God. <I>Thy people shall be willing,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+110:3">Ps. cx. 3</A>.
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Observe,</P>
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<P>
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1. What was the matter of this covenant. Nothing but what they were
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|
before obliged to; and, though no vow or promise of theirs could lay
|
|
any higher obligation upon them than they were already under from the
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|
divine precept, yet it would help to increase their sense of the
|
|
obligation, to arm them against temptations, and would be a testimony
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|
to the equity and goodness of the precept. And, by joining all together
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|
in this covenant, they strengthened the hands one of another. Two
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|
things they engaged themselves to:--
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|
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(1.) That they would diligently seek God themselves, seek his precepts,
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|
seek his favour. What is religion but seeking God, enquiring after him,
|
|
applying to him, upon all occasions? We shall not enjoy him till we
|
|
come to heaven; while we are here we must continue seeking. They would
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|
seek God as the <I>God of their fathers,</I> in the way that their
|
|
fathers sought him and in dependence upon the promise made to their
|
|
fathers; and they would do it <I>with all their heart</I> and <I>with
|
|
all their soul,</I> for those only seek God acceptably and successfully
|
|
that are inward with him, intent upon him, and entire for him, in their
|
|
seeking him. We make nothing of our religion if we do not make
|
|
heart-work of it. God will have all the heart or none; and, when a
|
|
jewel of such inestimable value as the divine favour is to be found, it
|
|
is worth while to seek it <I>with all our soul.</I>
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|
|
|
(2.) That they would, to the utmost of their power, oblige others to
|
|
seek him,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+15:13"><I>v.</I> 13</A>.
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|
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They agreed that <I>whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel</I>
|
|
(that is, would either worship other gods or refuse to join with them
|
|
in the worship of the true God, that was either an obstinate idolater
|
|
or an obstinate atheist) he should be put to death. This was no new
|
|
law of their own making, but an order to put in execution that law of
|
|
God to this purport,
|
|
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|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+17:2-5">Deut. xvii. 2</A>,
|
|
|
|
&c. If this law had been duly executed, there would
|
|
not have been so many abominable idols found in Judah and Benjamin,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+15:8"><I>v.</I> 8</A>.
|
|
|
|
Whether men may now, under the gospel, be compelled by such methods as
|
|
these to seek the Lord is justly questioned; for the weapons of our
|
|
warfare are not carnal, and yet mighty.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
2. In what manner they made this covenant.
|
|
|
|
(1.) With great cheerfulness, and all possible expressions of joy:
|
|
<I>The swore unto the Lord;</I> not secretly, as if they were either
|
|
ashamed of what they did or afraid of binding themselves too fast to
|
|
him, but with a loud voice, to express their own zeal and to animate
|
|
one another; and they all rejoiced at the oath,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+15:14,15"><I>v.</I> 14, 15</A>.
|
|
|
|
They did not swear to God with reluctancy (as the poor debtor confesses
|
|
a judgment to his creditor), but with all the pleasure and satisfaction
|
|
imaginable, as the bridegroom plights his troth to the bride in the
|
|
marriage covenant. Every honest Israelite was pleased with his own
|
|
engagements to God, and they were all pleased with one another's. They
|
|
rejoiced in it as a hopeful expedient to prevent their apostasy from
|
|
God and a happy indication of God's presence with them. Note, The times
|
|
of renewing our covenant with God should be times of rejoicing, and
|
|
national reformation cannot but give general satisfaction to all that
|
|
are good. It is an honour and happiness to be in bonds to God.
|
|
|
|
(2.) They did it with great sincerity, zeal and resolution: <I>They
|
|
swore to God with all their hearts,</I> and <I>sought him with their
|
|
whole desire.</I> The Israelites were now in an extraordinarily good
|
|
frame. O that there had always been such a heart in them! This comes in
|
|
as the reason why they rejoiced so much in what they did: it was
|
|
because they were hearty in it. Note, Those only experience the
|
|
pleasure and comfort of religion that are sincere and upright in it.
|
|
What is done in hypocrisy is a mere drudgery. But, if God has the
|
|
heart, we have the joy.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
V. We are told what was the effect of this their solemn covenanting
|
|
with God.
|
|
|
|
1. God did well for them: <I>He</I> was <I>found of them, and gave them
|
|
rest round about</I>
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+15:15"><I>v.</I> 15</A>),
|
|
|
|
so that there was no war for a long time after
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+15:19"><I>v.</I> 19</A>),
|
|
|
|
no open general war, though there were constant bickerings between
|
|
Judah and Israel upon the frontiers,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+15:16">1 Kings xv. 16</A>.
|
|
|
|
National piety procures national blessings.
|
|
|
|
2. They did, on the whole, well for him. They carried on the
|
|
reformation so far that Maachah the queen-mother was deposed for
|
|
idolatry and her idol destroyed,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+15:16"><I>v.</I> 16</A>.
|
|
|
|
This was bravely done of Asa, that he would not connive at idolatry in
|
|
those that were nearest to him, like Levi, that <I>said to his father
|
|
and mother, I have not seen him,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+33:9">Deut. xxxiii. 9</A>.
|
|
|
|
Asa knows he must honour God more than his grandmother, and dares not
|
|
leave an idol in an apartment of his palace while he is destroying
|
|
idols in the cities of his kingdom. We may suppose this Maachah was so
|
|
far convinced of her sin that she was willing to subscribe the
|
|
association mentioned
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+15:12,13"><I>v.</I> 12, 13</A>),
|
|
|
|
binding herself to seek the Lord, and therefore was not put to death as
|
|
those were that refused to sign it, great as well as small, women as
|
|
well as men: probably it was with an eye to her that <I>women</I> were
|
|
specified. But because she had been an idolater Asa thought fit to
|
|
divest her of the dignity and authority she had, and probably he
|
|
banished her the court and confined her to privacy, lest she should
|
|
influence and infect others. But the reformation was not complete; the
|
|
high places were not all taken away, though many of them were,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+15:3,5"><I>ch.</I> xiv. 3, 5</A>.
|
|
|
|
Those in the cities were removed, but not those in the cities of Judah,
|
|
but not those in the cities of Israel which were reduced to the house
|
|
of David; or those that were used in the service of false gods, but not
|
|
those that were used in the service of the God of Israel. These he
|
|
connived at, and yet his heart was perfect. There may be defects in
|
|
some particular duties where yet the heart, in the man, is upright with
|
|
God. Sincerity is something less than sinless perfection.</P>
|
|
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|
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