God often showed his power to his people throughout their history. He made an elderly couple, who could not have children, the ancestors of a great nation. He saved this nation from the powerful ruler of Egypt. He performed many miracles to help them survive in the wilderness.
He also won victories over their enemies many times during the conquest, the time of the judges, and the period of kings. Yet, throughout their history, the people of Israel often did not trust the Lord. They chose to rely on human strength instead.
Once, Asa, King of Judah, asked the king of Aram for help. Aram was a long-time enemy of God's people. Asa gave him treasures from the temple and palace so he would attack Baasha, King of Israel (2 Chronicles 16:1–6). The prophet Hanani criticized Asa, warning that Aram would remain an enemy to Judah. Past battles showed that Asa only needed God as support (16:8).
Asa's dependence on the king of Aram showed a deeper spiritual issue. Asa forgot that "the eyes of the LORD roam to and fro over all the earth" (2 Chronicles 16:9; see also Zechariah 4:10). When Hanani showed Asa his mistakes, Asa quickly put the prophet in prison. The angry king also unfairly harmed the people (2 Chronicles 16:10).
Asa shows how people often rely on their own resources and get angry when corrected (see Proverbs 11:7; Isaiah 31:1; Jeremiah 17:5–6). Even those who have seen the Lord's power can act this way. This was true for the Israelites rescued from slavery in Egypt. It is better to trust the Lord and accept his guidance (compare Psalms 33:18; 37:7; Isaiah 50:10; Jeremiah 17:7–8; Acts 13:43).
Life teaches us to trust God. We might start by doing good and right (2 Chronicles 14:1–6). But our spiritual impact is not complete until our last action (see Romans 2:6–11; 1 Corinthians 4:1–5). We must not let personal ambitions make weak our faithfulness to God's kingdom.
Passages for Further Study
Deuteronomy 13:4; 2 Kings 6:15–18; 2 Chronicles 16:1–10; 32:7–8; Psalms 20:6–8; 37:3–7; 60:11–12; Proverbs 11:7–8; 18:10–12; Ecclesiastes 3:14; Isaiah 31:1–5; Jeremiah 17:5–8; Matthew 10:26–31; Romans 2:6–11; 1 Corinthians 4:1–5; Revelation 2:8–11