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2 Chronicles 15
The Spirit of God Comes upon Azariah
The Spirit of God came upon Azariah son of Oded. He went out before Asa and said to him, “Hear me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin! The LORD is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you abandon him, he will abandon you. For many days Israel was without the true God, without a teaching priest, and without instruction. But in their distress they returned to the LORD, the God of Israel, and sought him, and he was found by them. In those times there was no peace for the one going out or the one coming in, for great disturbances were upon all the inhabitants of the lands. Nation was crushed by nation and city by city, for God troubled them with every kind of distress. But you, be strong and do not let your hands grow weak, for there is reward for your work.”
Asa Removes Idols
When Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he strengthened himself and removed the detestable idols from all the land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities he had captured in the hill country of Ephraim. He repaired the altar of the LORD that was before the porch of the LORD. He gathered all Judah and Benjamin and those who lived with them from Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon, for many from Israel had fallen to him when they saw that the LORD his God was with him. They gathered at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of Asa’s reign. They sacrificed to the LORD on that day from the spoil they had brought, seven hundred cattle and seven thousand sheep.
Judah Enters a Covenant to Seek the LORD
They entered into a covenant to seek the LORD, the God of their ancestors, with all their heart and with all their life. Whoever would not seek the LORD, the God of Israel, was to be put to death, from small to great, from man to woman. They swore to the LORD with a loud voice, with shouting, trumpets, and ram’s horns. All Judah rejoiced over the oath, for they had sworn with all their heart and sought him with their whole desire. He was found by them, and the LORD gave them rest on every side.
Asa Removes Maacah
King Asa even removed Maacah his mother from being queen mother because she had made a horrid image for Asherah. Asa cut down her horrid image, crushed it, and burned it at the Wadi Kidron. But the high places were not removed from Israel. Nevertheless, Asa’s heart was whole all his days. He brought into the house of God the holy things of his father and his own holy things: silver, gold, and vessels. There was no war until the thirty-fifth year of Asa’s reign.