“The reign of Solomon was followed by that of his son Abijah, who came under attack from jeroboam, but prevailed because he trusted in the Lord and had the true priests of God on his side. After him, his son Asa reigned in Judah. Asa was initially blessed because ‘ he did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord God.’

Negatively, he removed the foreign altars and high places, broke down the pillars and wooden images, removed Asa’s mother from her position of usurped authority and destroyed an obscene image of Asherah she had made. Positively, he commanded all Judah to seek the Lord and to observe the law and commandment, under penalty of death. He restored the altar of the Lord in the Temple, and led the people into a covenant to seek the Lord with all their heart and with all their soul. He saw a great victory against a million-man army of Ethiopians because he had confidence in the power of God to save by many or by few.

But later in his reign he lost that confidence and entered into a foolish alliance with the king of Syria for which he was chastised by the Lord. He was followed by his son Jehoshaphat. ‘The Lord established the kingdom in his hands,’ because he ‘walked in His commandments and not according to the acts of Israel.’ Israel’s acts were the acts of Jeroboam, who implemented his own time, place, manner, and authority over worship. Jehoshaphat ‘took delight in the ways of the Lord’ and sought to ensure the conformity of the people to God’s commands by sending his leaders, along with certain Levites and priests, throughout the cities of Judah to teach the law. As a result, the fear of the Lord fell on all the kingdoms of the lands that were around Judah and they did not make war against Jehoshaphat.’

The clear connection can be observed between conformity to God’s law of worship and the strength of a people. If the Church today is to be restored to her former strength and glory, it must begin with a reformation of worship according to God’s commands, through careful and systematic instruction leading to heartfelt obedience. But strength and glory must be understood in terms of God’s view, rather than the view of the world.” (Comin, 139-140)