Were the Ethiopians and the Lubim not a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet, because you relied on the LORD, He delivered them into your hand. For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. 2 Chronicles 16: 8, 9a, NKJV
Dear Lord, Your promise has made us feel so secure. Be with us as we continue to study. Amen
What a sweet promise! Doesn’t it just warm your heart to know that in the midst of this unsafe world the eyes of the Lord are running to and fro? Even when we face enemies that are bigger, more fierce, or more in number than us, God who sees our hearts, comes to our defense. Isn’t it wonderful to know that our God can handle any situation? Someone may say, but that does not stop evil from happening. All I intend to say about that, for now, is, can you imagine what it would be like if He was not “watching over us?”
Yes, bad things are happening all around us, but God has not lost control! Praise His name! His ways are not our ways, nor His thoughts our thoughts; so we may not always understand why God allows some things to happen the way they do. What we do know is that He sees everything that happens! The other key thought is, they that rely on the LORD, will conquer in spite of the odds!
The question that God asks Asa forms a part of our promise for today. Baasha, king of Israel, had come out to war against Asa, king of Judah. So Baasha seized, and fortified, Ramah, situated not far from Jerusalem, to the north; in order that no one could come in or go out. In this way he cut off all manner of communication between Judah and Israel (2 Chronicles 16: 1). While in the past an incident such as this, would have led Asa to look to the LORD for deliverance, he now strips the temple of all the gifts he had formerly dedicated to the service of the Lord, to hire the services of Benhadad, king of Syria (2). He was going to pay a foreigner to help him fight against his own people, separated though they were at this time; and he was going to use God’s money to do it! But God was watching.
It is at this time that God sends Hanani, the prophet, with the message that is found in our promise for today. He wanted to show Asa the futility of his ways. God reminded him that when he was willing to rely on the Lord, God had delivered a mighty army into his hand. It is because God can see the hearts of humankind, and He sees those who are willing to be faithful to Him come what may. He had seen Asa’s humility and total depedence upon Him at that time, and had delivered him. His eyes are constantly searching throughout the earth, in an effort to bless and to save! That is the purpose of God; it always has been, and always will be: to seek and to save the lost, who are willing to be saved.
That is what is so precious about this promise, His eyes are not roaming the earth seeking who to punish, but who to bless, who to save. He shows Himself strong on their behalf! Why not rely on the Lord today. Then when He looks at you and me, He will find our hearts faithful to Him! I thank God that He is watching over us!