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King Asa fails to trust God and faces conflict

King Asa robs the temple treasury.
Contributed by Sweet Publishing
Story also available on our translated websites: Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, Romanian, German, Hindi, Simplified Chinese
1
King Asa had ruled the Kingdom of Judah for 35 years. In the 15th year of his reign the vast Cushite army had attacked Judah but Asa had trusted God for victory. The nation had promised to obey God with all their hearts and had enjoyed 20 years of peace – Slide 1
2
The Israelites were divided into two nations. King Asa ruled the two Jewish tribes in the southern kingdom of Judah while King Baasha ruled the 10 Jewish tribes in the northern kingdom of Israel. – Slide 2
3
In the 36th year of King Asa’s reigh, King Baasha gathered his army and moved south to the border of Judah. Baasha had made an alliance with the King of Aram and gathered a powerful force to threaten King Asa. – Slide 3
4
King Baasha’s troops moved into the border territory of the tribe of Benjamin to the city of Ramah which controlled a main trade route in and out of Judah. – Slide 4
5
Baasha’s army took the city and fortified it. They now controlled the border so no-one could go in and out of Judah. – Slide 5
6
King Asa needed to recapture Ramah but knew that would be difficult while King Baasha had the support of the powerful King Ben-Haddad of Aram and his army. Instead of asking God for help and trusting Him, Asa devised his own plan. – Slide 6
7
Earlier in his reign Asa had given silver and gold to the temple treasury. He now gave orders for the Temple treasury to be raided, and gold and silver to be gathered and sent to King Ben-Haddad of Aram as a bribe. – Slide 7
8
The Temple treasure arrived in Damascus with a message from King Asa, ‘Let there be a treaty between Judah and Aram as there was between my father and your father. I am sending you silver and gold. Now break your treaty with King Baasha of Israel so he will have to withdraw.’ – Slide 8
9
Ben-Hadad took the gold and silver belonging to God and agreed a treaty. He immediately gathered his army to attack Israel. – Slide 9
10
Commanders and troops were dispatched to conquer the towns of Ijon, Dan, Abel Maim and other nearby places where food was stored. When Baasha heard that he was being attacked in the north he withdrew his troops in the south to defend his land. King Asa moved in to regain Ramah and plunder the building stones and timber Baasha had left. He used these materials to fortify the border towns. – Slide 10
11
God was not pleased that Asa had robbed the Temple treasury. He sent the prophet Hanani to declare, ‘As you relied on the King of Aram and not on the Lord God, the army of Aram has escaped from your control. God gave you victory over the mighty Cushite army when you trusted Him and He always strengthens those who are fully committed to Him. You have done a foolish thing and from now on you will be at war.’ – Slide 11
12
King Asa was so enraged with God’s message that he put the prophet Hanani in prison. He became arrogant and brutally oppressed some of the people he ruled over. – Slide 12
13
Three years later King Asa was afflicted with a severe disease in his feet. He turned to doctors to heal him but they could not. He refused to ask God for help. He died two years later. – Slide 13
14
King Asa was buried in a tomb and a huge fire was lit in his honour. When King Asa sought God’s help he enjoyed victory and peace but when he tried to solve problems without God’s help he faced greater difficulties. – Slide 14
15
(The events before this can be shown with a set of images at FreeBibleimages.org entitled ‘King Asa trusts God for victory and peace’). – Slide 15