The Goodness of King Asa

Thus far I have tried to carefully explain to you in past sessions what our Confession is saying when it says that the most wise, righteous, and gracious God doth oftentimes leave for a season his own children to manifold temptations and the corruptions and deceitfulness of their hearts. He leaves them for a season; He draws back from them and is not "with" them for a time, for very good reasons which are a part of their sanctification; their becoming more holy even as God is holy. He does this so that they may be humbled for their past sins, and that He might raise them up to a more close and constant dependence upon Himself and to make them more watchful against all future occasions of sin. And then, it says, "And for other just and holy ends". And then this further explanatory statement – "So that whatsoever befalls any of His elect is by His appointment, for His glory, and their good."

I want to illustrate these phrases at the end of Paragraph 5 by having you turn with me to 2nd Chronicles 14, 15, and 16; to consider how many good principles of righteousness were fleshed out in the life of king Asa. I want you to understand that in the heart and life of any Christian there are many things in righteousness which they must learn to do. There are many things that the Lord must deal with in relation to their learning to do righteously, in order that they might become holy; many lessons of truth related to being righteous which need to be worked through. This is illustrated in a wonderful way for us in these chapters.