2 Chronicles

2 Chronicles 15: Asa and Judah seek the LORD

Begin in prayer

Before reading about Judah's promise to seek the LORD, ask God to teach your family what it means to seek Him. Ask Him to show you Jesus Christ, who came to seek the lost.

I love those who love me. Those who seek me diligently will find me.

Proverbs 8:17

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Show us that You are found by those who seek You, and lead us to Jesus. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

The Spirit of God comes on Azariah, who tells Asa that the LORD is with them while they are with Him. He says that if they seek the LORD He will be found, and if they forsake Him He will forsake them. He recalls that Israel was long without the true God and without law, but He was found when they turned to Him. Asa takes courage, removes the idols from Judah and Benjamin, and renews the LORD's altar. In Asa's fifteenth year, all Judah gathers at Jerusalem and sacrifices to the LORD. They enter a covenant to seek Him with all their heart. The LORD is found by them and gives them rest all around.

As you read 2 Chronicles 15, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

The LORD was found by Asa and Judah when they sought Him with all their heart.

The Spirit of God came on Azariah, and he met Asa with a word from the LORD (verses 1 and 2). He said, “Yahweh is with you, while you are with him” (verse 2). He added that if they sought Him, He would be found, and if they forsook Him, He would forsake them (verse 2). Azariah looked back on a long time when Israel had no teaching priest, no law and no peace (verses 3 to 6). Yet when they turned to the LORD in their distress and sought Him, He was found by them (verse 4). Asa heard it and took courage, put away the idols and renewed the LORD's altar (verse 8). All Judah then entered a covenant to seek the LORD with all their heart and soul (verse 12). They rejoiced at the oath, and “he was found by them,” and the LORD gave them rest all around (verse 15). This shows a God who is near to those who seek Him, and who gives rest.

How does 2 Chronicles 15 show us that the LORD was found by Asa and Judah when they sought Him with all their heart?

Azariah told Asa that the LORD is with those who seek Him.

The Spirit of God came on Azariah, and he met Asa with a word (verses 1 and 2). He said the LORD is with them while they are with Him (verse 2). He said that if they sought Him, He would be found by them (verse 2). He said that if they forsook Him, He would forsake them (verse 2).

Asa put away the idols and renewed the LORD's altar.

When Asa heard the words, he took courage and put away the abominations from the land (verse 8). He renewed the LORD's altar before the porch of the LORD's house (verse 8). People came from Ephraim, Manasseh and Simeon when they saw the LORD was with him (verse 9). Asa also removed his own mother from being queen, because she had made an image for an Asherah (verse 16).

Judah promised to seek the LORD, and He was found by them.

They entered into a covenant to seek the LORD with all their heart and all their soul (verse 12). They swore with a loud voice, with shouting and trumpets (verse 14). All Judah rejoiced, for they had sworn with all their heart (verse 15). The LORD was found by them, and He gave them rest all around (verse 15).

Jesus came to seek and to save the lost.

Jesus said that the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19 verse 10). Judah sought the LORD with all their heart, and they found Him. The Son of Man came to find the lost, and He gave His life for them.

Memorise

But when in their distress they turned to Yahweh, the God of Israel, and sought him, he was found by them.

2 Chronicles 15:4

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, am I seeking God with all my heart, and do I need Jesus?

The LORD was found by Asa and Judah when they sought Him with all their heart. Jesus said that He came to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19 verse 10). The God who is found by those who seek Him has sent His Son to look for sinners.

None of us has sought God as we should, and our sin stands between us and Him. So Jesus took the place of His people at the cross and carried their sin. His death was enough for them all, and God asked for no more. God raised Him up, and He is alive today.

So seek Him now. Turn from your sin and put your trust in Jesus. Everyone who trusts Him will find forgiveness, and will find God.

Parent's note

Tell your children that the LORD was found by Asa and Judah, and that Jesus came to seek the lost. Parents, verse 13 tells of a law that put people to death, so please explain it gently as part of Israel's covenant. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God that He is found by those who seek Him, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

The humble have seen it, and are glad. You who seek after God, let your heart live.

Psalm 69:32

Father, thank You that You let Asa and Judah find You. Thank You for Jesus, who came to seek sinners and who rose again. Please give each of us a heart that seeks You and trusts Him. Amen.