2 Chronicles 16:9a - God Strengthens the wholehearted - those fully committed to Him.
2 Chronicles 16:9a: God Strengthens the wholehearted - those
fully committed to Him.
2 Chr 16:9a (KJV) For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro
throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them
whose heart is perfect toward him.
2 Chr 16:9a (NIV) For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the
earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.
2 Chr 16:9a (NCV) The LORD searches all the earth for people
who have given themselves completely to him. He wants to make them
strong.
2Chr 16:9a (NAB) The eyes of the LORD roam over the whole
earth, to encourage those who are devoted to him wholeheartedly.
2 Chr 16:9a (NRSV) For the eyes of the LORD range throughout
the entire earth, to strengthen those whose heart is true to him.
2 Chr 16:9a (TEV) The LORD keeps close watch over the whole
world, to give strength to those whose hearts are loyal to him.
2Chr 16:9a (CWR) The Lord keeps an eye on everything that goes
on in this world. He strengthens the hands of those who love Him
and are loyal to Him.
CONTEXT
King Asa (14:1-16:14)
War with Israel (16:1-10)
King Asa's War with King Baasha
Asa's Last Years (16:1-14)
CROSS REFERENCES
Proverbs 15:3 (KJV) The eyes of the Lord are in every place,
beholding the evil and the good.
Job 34:21 (KJV) For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he
seeth all his goings.
Psalm 34:15 (KJV) The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous,
and his ears are open unto their cry.
Jeremiah 32:19 (KJV) Great in counsel, and mighty in work: for
thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to give
every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his
doings:
1 Cor. 15:36 (KJV) Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not
quickened, except it die:
COMMENTARY / APPLICATION
Overview
Asa relied on the LORD when Judah was invaded (14:1-15), and led
his nation to swear fresh allegiance to the LORD (15:1-19). In old
age Asa became autocratic and failed to rely on God (16:1-14). [The
365-Day Devotional Commentary]
Completely His. Lit., whole; i.e., wholeheartedly devoted to
him. [Ryrie SB]
Heaven's plan of salvation is broad enough to embrace the whole
world. God longs to breathe into prostrate humanity the breath of life.
And He will not permit any soul to be disappointed who is sincere in
his longing for something higher and nobler than anything the world
can offer. Constantly He is sending His angels to those who, while
surrounded by circumstances the most discouraging, pray in faith for some
power higher than themselves to take possession of them and bring
deliverance and peace. {PK 377}
God's eyes are everywhere, always searching for those who are
wholehearted in service, that through them He might reveal His great power
and perform His wondrous works. Through the deeds of righteous men
the world becomes acquainted with the nature and power of God. [SDA
Commentary]
Asa's spiritual life had gone sour. Instead of responding
positively to the word of God, he became angry (16:10). The result was
further divine discipline (16:12). [New Bible Companion]
Even a vital, spiritual revival is no guarantee of continuing
godliness. We must be careful to keep our hearts fixed on God. Some 17
years after Asa stimulated revival in Judah, the king himself failed
to seek or to rely on the LORD. Rather than trust God for victory
when threatened by Israel, Asa paid the Arameans (Syrians) to attack
them, not knowing that the Syrians would become an even greater threat
in the future. When rebuked by a prophet, Asa imprisoned him. He
began to oppress others, and even when he contracted a severe disease
Asa failed to turn to the LORD. What a warning for us. Just because
we relied on the LORD in the past is no guarantee of the future.
The only way to ensure continued blessings is to actively seek and
trust God each new day. [The 365-Day Devotional Commentary]
Judah and Israel never learned! Although God had delivered them
even when they were outnumbered (13:3 ff; 14:9 ff), they repeatedly
sought help from pagan nations rather than from God. That Asa sought
help from Aram was evidence of national spiritual decline. With help
from God alone, Asa had defeated the Cushites in open battle. But his
confidence in God had slipped, and now he sought only a human solution to
his problem. When confronted by the prophet Hanani, Asa threw him in
prison, revealing the true condition of his heart. It is not sin to use
human means to solve our problems, but it is sin to trust them more
than God, to think they are better than God's ways, or to leave God
completely out of the problem-solving process. [Life Application SB]
Hanani rebuked Asa for depending on Syria instead of trusting in
God. No matter what the odds, God could have delivered Judah without
the help of Syria's army. We must learn that God is the only one
able to deliver us from our dependencies. Though there is an
overwhelming array of individuals and programs to help us deal with our
problems, none of these programs is sufficient without God's help. We need
to put our trust in him. [Life Recovery SB]
Stand in the middle of the floor, reach down, grasp your
shoelaces (straps, buckles, or whatever else is holding your shoes on),
and see how far off the floor you can lift yourself. Try it three
times.
Things were looking bad for King Asa. Baasha, king of Israel,
had sealed off all escape routes, and the situation looked hopeless.
So Asa grabbed hold of his own bootstraps and gave them a good
yank. He turned to Ben-hadad, king of Syria, and bribed him to come to
his rescue. From all outward appearances, the strategy worked!
But God saw the situation differently. Previously, Asa had
trusted in the Lord, not in foreign powers. Now he was turning from
trust in God to trust in bootstraps, and God disciplined him for doing
so.
What is the pattern of your life: belief or bootstraps? faith or
footwork? trust or trickery? God or self? Each time you put on or change
your shoes today remind yourself that it's always safe to trust the
Lord. [Your Daily Walk SB]
Like with so many verses, we read the first part and stop,
thinking we already know the rest. We hear messages on this verse that
do the same thing - use the first phrase without going on. Yes,
the Lord sees all that is going on in the world; yes, He sees the
unspeakable atrocities, the unimaginable sufferings, the undeniable
sinfulness. But this verse of Scripture isn't talking about that. The Lord
is aggressively seeking to bless those who are living according to
His standards. He is anxious to move mightily on behalf of those
who have put Him first, who are surrendered and committed. Are you
one of those whom the Lord is watching? Surrender your life and
commit your way to Him and He will show Himself strong on your behalf.
[In His Time; Walk With Wisdom]
Relying on God has to begin all over again every day as if
nothing had yet been done. C.S. Lewis [The 365-Day Devotional
Commentary]
Do what it takes to be in position to receive His blessing. The
best position to be in is as close to God as you can get, right smack
dab in the center of his will... You take care of His business and
He will take care of yours. Michelle McKinney Hammond
George Mueller, at more than ninety years of age, in an address
to ministers and other Christian workers, said, "I was converted in
November 1825, but I didn't come to the point of total surrender of my
heart until four years later, in July 1829. It was then I realized my
love for money, prominence, position, power, and worldly pleasure was
gone. God, and He alone, became my all in all. In Him I found
everything I needed, and I desired nothing else. By God's grace, my
understanding of His sufficiency has remained to this day, making me an
exceedingly happy man. It has led me to care only about the things of God.
And so, dear believers, I kindly ask if you have totally surrendered
your heart to God, or is there something in your life you refuse to
release, in spite of God's call? [Streams in the Desert by Cowman]
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