2 Chronicles 16:12

        This passage is both edifying and scary at the same time. It speaks of God’s divine ability to heal, and it also reveals how sometimes we can hinder our own healing. Here in this enlightening passage, instead of looking to God for healing and relief, the King we are told trusted unequivocally in the doctors, even when his sickness became progressively, extremely worse. The passage is worth repeating here, not just for emphasis but for our education and practical knowledge. May it serve as a constant warning to us, especially in these times of so-called advanced medical knowledge and science. It plainly states “And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until the disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians” (2 Chronicles 16:12).

        Certainly, we thank God for the doctors, their skills, and their knowledge, but God forbid that we should ever look to them more than the Almighty. May we never forget that it is the Creator/God who ultimately heals us and who, the Psalmist declares, can “heal all our diseases” (Psalm 103: 3). Let Zion always remember that! When He heals us, all praise, all honor, and all glory must go to Him, who alone is worthy. We must always keep things in proper perspective!

According to the passage’s immediate context, the reader discovers that this is not the first time King Asa made such a tragic mistake. Previously, in a matter of grave national crisis he did a similar thing. Instead of relying on the supreme Lord of hosts, who indeed had an impeccable record of fighting for His people and winning, he unwisely decided to trust in the King of Syria for Israel’s safety and defense (v7-10). For this, he was made to pay an exceedingly great price. He lost the favor of God.

Here we perceive that the tragedy is not in making mistakes, but it occurs when we stubbornly refuse to learn from our mistakes. Instead of repenting and turning from the error of his ways King Asa doubles down in committing more folly by imprisoning the prophet and oppressing those who refuse to support his views (v10). It is said that “Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.” King Asa failed to learn the simple but powerful lesson “Vain is the help of man” (Psalm 60:11-12). The Psalmist declares “Give us help from trouble: For vain is the help of men. Through God we shall do valiantly: For he it is that shall tread down our enemies” The apostle Paul makes a similar point to the Galatians when he pointedly asked them “Are ye so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? (Galatians 3: 3). 

Brethren, please note on every level, people can only help us so much and no more. In times of crisis, great and small, national or international, personal and domestic, medical or otherwise, may we always be mindful to consult with our loving, supreme God first, foremost, and throughout. How He chooses to succor and sustain us is certainly up to Him. We dare not do like King Asa and leave Him out of the equation altogether. Asa started out well but ended so tragically! May God help us not only to learn from our mistakes but also from the mistakes of others. How awfully sad “…In his disease he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians” (2 Chronicles 16: 12). Big mistake! Leaving God out is the worst mistake we could ever make!