Like a lion stalking its prey until the moment is right to pounce, pride can creep up on us over time—slowly, almost imperceptibly—until suddenly we are overtaken by sin. This must have been how pride got the best of Asa.
In general, the Bible speaks very highly of King Asa of Judah. His first ten years of rule were marked by peace and by his efforts to remove idolatry from Judah. He strengthened Judah’s defenses and even defeated a great army from Cush (modern Sudan) that had come up against him (2 Chronicles 14).
Later a prophet named Azariah encouraged him to continue following the Lord, and Asa’s efforts to remove idolatry grew. It became so evident that the Lord was with him that many people from the northern kingdom of Israel left their country to join him in Judah (2 Chronicles 15).
But even as Asa grew in his accomplishments, pride must have been growing in him as well. This first became evident when Asa was at war with King Baasha of Israel. Instead of relying on the Lord to help him, Asa bribed the Arameans, who bordered Israel on the northeast, to attack Israel. When the prophet Hanani rebuked Asa for this, Asa became enraged and put him in prison. He also began to brutally oppress some of the people.
A few years later, Asa contracted a foot disease and refused to seek help from the Lord, relying instead only on physicians (2 Chronicles 16). The pride in Asa’s heart had come to full flower.
Asa allowed pride to creep up in his heart even as he was doing great things for the Lord. Perhaps it was these great deeds themselves that led Asa to become prideful. Is pride gaining a foothold in your heart? Find your security in God and not in your own accomplishments.
