Azariah the Son of Oded

2023-05-06

After the LORD delivered king Asa of Judah from a massive army of Ethiopians, the prophet Azariah came to him with encouragement in 2 Chronicles 15:1-7.

Asa was admonished that the LORD was with him if he would continue to trust in Him. Otherwise, He would forsake the king. Reminding them of their northern neighbors, Azariah said that even Israel, who had long forgotten the Lord, any teaching priest, or His law, they would be delivered of their troubles when they sought Him.

Moreover, in Asa’s day was a very turbulent time when cities and kingdoms were being overturned, “for God did vex them with all adversity” (2 Chronicles 15:6). However, peace would be found in the Lord. “Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded” (2 Chronicles 15:7).

What was Asa’s response?

  1. Asa took courage. “...he took courage...” (2 Chronicles 15:8).
  2. Asa removed idols out of the land. “...and put away the abominable idols out of all the land...” (2 Chronicles 15:8). “And also concerning Maachah the mother of Asa the king, he removed her from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove: and Asa cut down her idol, and stamped it, and burnt it at the brook Kidron” (2 Chronicles 15:16).
  3. Asa strengthened that which was spiritual. “...renewed the altar of the LORD, that was before the porch of the LORD” (2 Chronicles 15:8).
  4. People came to Judah out of other lands because the LORD was with Asa. “And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the LORD his God was with him” (2 Chronicles 15:9).
  5. The people offered a major offering and made a covenant and an oath to serve the LORD. “And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul” (2 Chronicles 15:12).
  6. They rejoiced. “And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire...” (2 Chronicles 15:15).
  7. They were found of the LORD. “and he was found of them” (2 Chonicles 15:15).
  8. The LORD gave them rest. “and the LORD gave them rest round about” (2 Chronicles 15:15).

This is the story of faith. The Word of the Lord is heard, it is believed, and the people respond. This is much the same for us today. The LORD seeks us, proclaims His Word of Jesus’ death for us and His raising again, we believe, and we respond.

This is all we see of Azariah the son of Oded, whom the word calls Oded the prophet in 2 Chronicles 15:8. It is not sure why he is called Oded here, the name of his father, unless he was delivering a message his father received of the Lord. There is another Oded, but this is likely a different man due to expanse of time between them.

Though this is all we see of him, this one message from the Lord made a difference in the lives of many in Judah and in those beyond the borders of the southern kingdom. When many in Israel saw there was hope for them, they went to Judah. The LORD was honored. People were changed and delivered from their enemies. In Christ, the LORD is also honored in us, and we are changed by the power of the preaching of His Word.

In the unstable times where “God did vex them with all adversity,” trust in the unchanging deliverance and power of the Lord.