“Good Starter, Good Finisher”

One of the most famous names in auto-racing history, Mickey Thompson, was known for building “flying machines” that regularly broke down. Although they were often the fastest cars on the track, the engines, carburetors, and gearboxes failed so often that, in Thompson’s first 29 races, none of his cars even finished the race! (Our Daily Bread)

Paul, the Apostle, could say in his last recorded words, written from a Roman prison cell, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” (2 Tim.4:7). Finishing well ought to be the goal of every believer. Hours before he faced a cruel crucifixion, our Savior prayed: “I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do.” (John 17:4) And on the cross he simply said, “It is finished.” He finished well and became the premier example of how we, His followers, should strive to finish.

Written for our admonition are many Old Testament stories of men and women, often detailing how their walk with God began and ended. (I Cor. 10:11)  For our learning, I’d like to focus on one such character—Asa, a king of Judah, whose story is told in I Kings 15 and II Chron. 14,15.

After Solomon died, the kingdom split into two entities: the northern 10 tribes, commonly referred to as Israel, and the southern two tribes, known primarily after that time as Judah (Judah and Benjamin being the two tribes whose capitol was Jerusalem). Asa, a great-great grandson of Solomon, was the third of the 19 kings of Judah, the captivity and destruction of Jerusalem occurring in 605 B.C. (first wave). The northern division, with its capital of Samaria, was dispersed in 722 B.C after their 20^th king, Hoshea, met his demise. (2 Kings 17:22) Sadly, not one of the 20 kings of Israel, after the kingdom was split following Solomon’s death, was a good king. From Jeroboam I to Hoshea, each was an evil ruler.

In the south, of the 19 kings portrayed in the books of Chronicles and Kings following the divide, only eight were characterized as “good” kings. Asa was the first. So, his life is instructive.

Asa had a good start in his leadership over Judah. Believing what God had said through Samuel to the newly anointed King Saul 100 years earlier—when he declared that “to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken than the fat of rams”—Asa, upon his inauguration, immediately took away altars to strange gods, broke down images, and cut down groves where idol worship flourished. (II Chron. 14:2-8) We learn that because of his obedience, God gave his kingdom peace, prosperity, and power. (II Chron. 14:6-8)

But after a time of peace and prosperity, Zerah, king of Ethiopia, challenged Asa by coming against the armies of Judah with a million troops and 300 chariots. Though Asa’s army was formidable—with almost 600,000 well-trained soldiers—it was no match for this Ethiopian army, with its war tanks (chariots). Asa went to God, crying out to Him, acknowledging that “it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power, and in thy name we go against this multitude, O Lord, Thou art our God, let not man prevail against Thee.” (II Chron. 14:11) God heard, God answered, and the Lord smote the Ethiopians with a mighty arm.

That victory was followed by a nationwide revival when, after a powerful message by the prophet Azariah, Asa led the nation in a renewed campaign against idolatry. Cleansing ensued, covenanting with God followed, and Asa, demonstrating courage and conviction, went so far as to remove his mother from being queen, because she was worshipping her own personal idol in a grove. (II Chron. 15:1-16) Another period of about 20 years of peace and prosperity followed this revival, but then Baasha, King of Israel, marshalled his troops for war against Judah.

This time, unlike what he had done years before when threatened by the Ethiopians, Asa appealed to the king of Syria, Benhadad, for help, asking him to join with him against Israel. Benhadad accepted the challenge, resulting in Baasha recalling his army and retreating from his entrenched positions against Judah.

Hanani, the seer, then approached Asa with a hard-hitting but well-deserved rebuke, reminding the king that when he had been overwhelmed by the million-man army of the Ethiopians, God delivered them Judah after Asa pleaded humbly to God for help. The seer’s message included that memorable reminder, “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.” (II Chron. 16:9)

Asa did not take well to this rebuke from God’s man; in fact, he had him thrown into prison and then he “oppressed some of the people at the same time.” (II Chron. 16:10)

We are then told that, soon thereafter, King Asa became diseased in his feet and became very sick; but he refused to seek help from the God who had so singularly blessed him when he was younger. Instead, he sought help from his physicians and did not live long thereafter. His start was so promising, but his finish was so disappointing.

In 2011, Indy 500 racing rookie JR Hildebrand was a quarter mile from winning the centennial Indianapolis 500 race; just “a tap-in for the Masters title; a lay-up for the NBA championship.” (Bob Kravitz, Indianapolis Star) But, rather than slowing down to accommodate back-marker Charlie Kimball on the final turn of lap 200, JR kept cruising, “got high on the track, found some marbles and . . . bang. Broken car, broken heart.” (Kravitz) A quarter mile from immortality. He had such a grand start—but such a heart-breaking finish.

How about us? Let’s learn from this Old Testament account that we have not finished until we cross the finish line; let’s finish well, so that we may hear our Master’s commendation.

“His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful in a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” (Matt. 25:21,23)