Asa

Asa became king following the death of his father, Abijah. As a result of his faithful leadership, Judah lived at peace during the first 10 years of his reign. The prophet Azariah prophesied concerning Asa, “The LORD is with you while you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you” (15:2). Asa took the prophet’s words to heart and immediately set about making religious reforms, including repair of the altar in the temple. He gathered the people together to make a covenant, commanding that anyone who would not seek the Lord would be put to death. Sadly, the last five years of Asa’s reign were marked by spiritual and physical decline, as the king began to trust human alliances and ability rather than God. (2 Chronicles 15:8–19)