WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.920 Emily: Welcome To Immerse: The Daily Bible Reading Experience. 00:00:03.020 --> 00:00:04.510 Day 300 and 41. 00:00:05.105 --> 00:00:08.765 When AB Baja died, he was buried in the city of David. 00:00:09.485 --> 00:00:12.245 Then his son Asa, became the next king. 00:00:13.025 --> 00:00:15.485 There was peace in the land for 10 years. 00:00:17.165 --> 00:00:20.825 Asa did what was pleasing and good in the sight of the Lord his God. 00:00:21.335 --> 00:00:24.515 He removed the foreign altars and the pagan shrines. 00:00:24.905 --> 00:00:29.015 He smashed the sacred pillars and cut down the ashera poles. 00:00:29.735 --> 00:00:34.325 He commanded the people of Judah to seek the Lord the God of their ancestors. 00:00:34.685 --> 00:00:37.235 And to obey his law and his commands. 00:00:38.345 --> 00:00:43.055 Asa also removed the pagan shrines as well as the incense alt alters 00:00:43.055 --> 00:00:44.975 from every one of Judah's towns. 00:00:46.175 --> 00:00:51.515 So Asana's kingdom enjoyed a period of peace during those peaceful years. 00:00:51.845 --> 00:00:55.265 He was able to build up the fortified towns throughout Judah. 00:00:56.255 --> 00:00:58.925 No one tried to make war against him at this time. 00:00:59.645 --> 00:01:02.225 For the Lord was giving him rest from his enemies. 00:01:03.695 --> 00:01:08.435 Asa told the people of Judah let us build towns and fortify them with 00:01:08.435 --> 00:01:11.435 walls, towers, gates, and bars. 00:01:12.185 --> 00:01:16.295 The land is still ours because we sought the Lord our God and he 00:01:16.300 --> 00:01:18.485 has given us peace on every side. 00:01:19.625 --> 00:01:23.225 So they went ahead with these projects and brought them to completion. 00:01:24.845 --> 00:01:29.315 King Asa had an army of 300,000 warriors from the tribe of Judah, 00:01:29.885 --> 00:01:32.075 armed with large shields and spears. 00:01:32.555 --> 00:01:37.325 He also had an army of 280,000 warriors from the tribe of Benjamin. 00:01:37.805 --> 00:01:42.515 Armed with small shields and bows, both armies were composed 00:01:42.515 --> 00:01:44.135 of well-trained fighting men. 00:01:45.125 --> 00:01:49.748 Once an Ethiopian named Zero attacked Judah with an arm of 1 00:01:49.748 --> 00:01:55.205 million men and 300 chariots, they advanced to the town of Maisha. 00:01:55.775 --> 00:01:59.165 So Asa deployed his armies for battle in the valley north of Maia. 00:02:00.560 --> 00:02:05.690 Then Asa cried out to the Lord his God, oh Lord, no one. 00:02:05.690 --> 00:02:08.720 But you can help the powerless against the mighty. 00:02:09.470 --> 00:02:13.940 Help us, oh Lord our God, for we trust in you alone. 00:02:14.540 --> 00:02:18.080 It is in your name that we have come against this vast hode. 00:02:18.950 --> 00:02:21.110 Oh Lord, you are our God. 00:02:21.740 --> 00:02:24.410 Do not let mere men prevail against you. 00:02:25.295 --> 00:02:30.125 So the Lord defeated the Ethiopians in the presence of Asa and the army 00:02:30.125 --> 00:02:35.585 of Judah, and the enemy fled Asa and his army pursued them as far as 00:02:35.585 --> 00:02:40.295 Gira, and so many Ethiopians fell that they were unable to rally. 00:02:41.195 --> 00:02:43.835 They were destroyed by the Lord and his army. 00:02:44.345 --> 00:02:50.395 And the army of Judah carried off a vast amount of plunder while they were at Gira. 00:02:50.960 --> 00:02:54.680 They attacked all the towns in that area, and terror from the 00:02:54.680 --> 00:02:56.630 Lord came upon the people there. 00:02:57.530 --> 00:03:02.150 As a result, a vast amount of plunder was taken from these towns too. 00:03:03.020 --> 00:03:08.600 They also attacked the camps of herdsmen and captured many sheep, goats, and camels 00:03:08.750 --> 00:03:10.250 before finally returning to Jerusalem. 00:03:12.630 --> 00:03:16.310 Then the spirit of God came upon Azariah, son of ODed. 00:03:17.060 --> 00:03:20.930 And he went out to meet King Asa as he was returning from the battle. 00:03:21.920 --> 00:03:24.710 Listen to me Asa, he shouted. 00:03:25.250 --> 00:03:30.620 Listen, all you people of Judah and Benjamin, the Lord will stay with 00:03:30.620 --> 00:03:32.840 you as long as you stay with him. 00:03:33.530 --> 00:03:36.380 Whenever you seek him, you will find him. 00:03:37.010 --> 00:03:40.160 But if you abandon him, he will abandon you. 00:03:40.820 --> 00:03:46.280 For a long time, Israel was without the true God, without a priest to teach them. 00:03:46.655 --> 00:03:48.845 And without the law to instruct them. 00:03:49.895 --> 00:03:53.795 But whenever they were in trouble and turned to the Lord, the God 00:03:53.795 --> 00:04:00.035 of Israel and sought him out, they found him during those dark times. 00:04:00.040 --> 00:04:03.935 It was not safe to travel problems troubled the people of 00:04:03.935 --> 00:04:09.605 every land nation fought against nation and city against city. 00:04:09.845 --> 00:04:13.145 For God was troubling them with every kind of problem. 00:04:13.985 --> 00:04:19.925 But as for you, Be strong and courageous for your work will be rewarded. 00:04:21.695 --> 00:04:27.155 When Asa heard this message from Azariah the prophet, he took courage and removed 00:04:27.160 --> 00:04:32.195 all the detestable idols from the land of Judah and Benjamin and in the towns he 00:04:32.195 --> 00:04:34.955 had captured in the hill country of Raim. 00:04:35.585 --> 00:04:39.215 And he repaired the altar of the Lord, which stood in front of the 00:04:39.215 --> 00:04:40.955 entry room of the Lord's temple. 00:04:42.260 --> 00:04:47.240 Then Asa called together all the people of Judah and Benjamin, along 00:04:47.240 --> 00:04:53.150 with the people of Raim, Manasa, and Simeon, who had settled among them for 00:04:53.150 --> 00:04:57.770 many from Israel, had moved to Judah during As a's Reign when they saw 00:04:57.770 --> 00:04:59.660 that the Lord, his God was with him. 00:05:00.590 --> 00:05:06.020 The people gathered at Jerusalem in late spring, during the 15th year of a's Reign. 00:05:07.640 --> 00:05:14.240 On that day, they sacrificed to the Lord 700 cattle and 7,000 sheep and goats from 00:05:14.240 --> 00:05:16.070 the plunder they had taken in the battle. 00:05:17.090 --> 00:05:20.990 Then they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord, the God of their 00:05:20.990 --> 00:05:23.960 ancestors with all their heart and soul. 00:05:24.230 --> 00:05:28.460 They agreed that anyone who refused to seek the Lord, the God 00:05:28.460 --> 00:05:34.160 of Israel would be put to death, whether young or old man or woman. 00:05:35.105 --> 00:05:39.335 They shouted out their oath of loyalty to the Lord with trumpets, blaring and 00:05:39.335 --> 00:05:45.605 rams horns sounding All in Judah were happy about this covenant for they had 00:05:45.605 --> 00:05:47.615 entered into it with all their heart. 00:05:48.365 --> 00:05:53.345 They earnestly sought after God and they found him, and the Lord gave them 00:05:53.375 --> 00:05:55.625 rest from their enemies on every side. 00:05:57.020 --> 00:06:02.810 King Asa even deposed his grandmother Meka from her position as Queen mother because 00:06:02.810 --> 00:06:05.150 she had made an obscene a share a pole. 00:06:05.960 --> 00:06:10.970 He cut down her obscene pole, broke it up, and burned it in the Kidron Valley. 00:06:12.050 --> 00:06:16.490 Although the pagan shrines were not removed from Israel, AAA's heart remained 00:06:16.495 --> 00:06:18.560 completely faithful throughout his life. 00:06:19.265 --> 00:06:23.855 He brought into the temple of God, the silver and gold, and the various items 00:06:23.855 --> 00:06:30.035 that he and his father had dedicated so there was no more war until the 35th 00:06:30.040 --> 00:06:38.315 year of A's Reign in the 36th year of a's Reign King Bacha of Israel invaded 00:06:38.315 --> 00:06:42.785 Judah and fortified Rama in order to prevent anyone from entering or 00:06:42.785 --> 00:06:45.425 leaving King ACEs territory in Judah. 00:06:47.060 --> 00:06:50.630 Asa responded by removing the silver and gold from the treasuries of the 00:06:50.630 --> 00:06:53.090 temple of the Lord and the royal palace. 00:06:53.570 --> 00:06:58.310 He sent it to King Ben Hayad of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus. 00:06:58.490 --> 00:07:04.490 Along with this message, let there be a treaty between you and me, like the 00:07:04.490 --> 00:07:06.920 one between your father and my father. 00:07:07.595 --> 00:07:10.775 C I am sending you silver and gold. 00:07:11.285 --> 00:07:15.815 Break your treaty with King Beha of Israel so that he will leave me alone. 00:07:17.495 --> 00:07:21.995 Ben Hayad agreed to King ASO's request and sent the commanders of his 00:07:22.000 --> 00:07:24.155 army to attack the towns of Israel. 00:07:24.785 --> 00:07:29.855 They conquered the towns of I, John Dan Abel, Beth Meka, and 00:07:29.855 --> 00:07:31.565 all the store cities in nafta. 00:07:31.565 --> 00:07:31.895 Lie. 00:07:33.065 --> 00:07:37.235 As soon as Beha of Israel heard what was happening, he abandoned 00:07:37.240 --> 00:07:40.895 his project of fortifying Rama and stopped all work on it. 00:07:42.035 --> 00:07:45.785 Then King Asa called out all the men of Judah to carry away the 00:07:45.785 --> 00:07:50.135 building stones and timbers that Beha had been using to fortify. 00:07:50.135 --> 00:07:55.895 Rama Asa used these materials to fortify the towns of Giba and mpa. 00:07:56.645 --> 00:08:00.935 At that time, Hane Nai, the seer, came to King Asa and told him. 00:08:01.580 --> 00:08:05.420 Because you have put your trust in the King of Aram instead 00:08:05.420 --> 00:08:06.770 of in the Lord your God. 00:08:07.220 --> 00:08:10.670 You missed your chance to destroy the army of the King of Aram. 00:08:11.660 --> 00:08:15.590 Don't you remember what happened to the Ethiopians and Libyans and their 00:08:15.590 --> 00:08:20.540 vast army with all of their chariots and chariot tears at that time? 00:08:20.960 --> 00:08:24.440 You relied on the Lord and he handed them over to you. 00:08:25.355 --> 00:08:26.555 The eyes of the Lord. 00:08:26.585 --> 00:08:30.275 Search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts 00:08:30.275 --> 00:08:31.865 are fully committed to him. 00:08:32.495 --> 00:08:33.485 What a fool. 00:08:33.485 --> 00:08:37.175 You have been from now on you will be at war. 00:08:38.945 --> 00:08:43.115 Asa became so angry with HeNe NAI for saying this, that he threw him 00:08:43.115 --> 00:08:45.305 into prison and put him in stocks. 00:08:46.265 --> 00:08:49.895 At that time, ASA also began to oppress some of his people. 00:08:51.335 --> 00:08:53.495 The rest of the events of a's Reign. 00:08:53.870 --> 00:08:59.210 From beginning to end are recorded in the book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 00:09:00.530 --> 00:09:05.060 In the 39th year of his reign, ASA developed a serious foot disease. 00:09:05.780 --> 00:09:09.860 Yet even with the severity of his disease, he did not seek the Lord's 00:09:09.865 --> 00:09:12.380 help, but turned only to his physicians. 00:09:13.310 --> 00:09:16.100 So he died in the 41st year of his reign. 00:09:17.120 --> 00:09:18.440 He was buried in the tomb. 00:09:18.440 --> 00:09:21.200 He had carved out for himself in the city of David. 00:09:22.160 --> 00:09:25.910 He was laid on a bed perfumed with sweet spices and fragrant 00:09:25.910 --> 00:09:30.440 ointments, and the people built a huge funeral fire in his honor.