Metaphysical Bible Interpretation of II Chronicles Chapter 14
Metaphysically Interpreting II Chronicles 14:1-8
14:1So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David; and Asa his son reigned in his stead. In his days the land was quiet ten years. 14:2And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of Jehovah his God: 14:3for he took away the foreign altars, and the high places, and brake down the pillars, and hewed down the Asherim, 14:4and commanded Judah to seek Jehovah, the God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.14:5Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the sun-images: and the kingdom was quiet before him. 14:6And he built fortified cities in Judah; for the land was quiet, and he had no war in those years, because Jehovah had given him rest. 14:7For he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars; the land is yet before us, because we have sought Jehovah our God; we have sought him, and he hath given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered. 14:8And Asa had an army that bare bucklers and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin, that bare shields and drew bows, two hundred and fourscore thousand: all these were mighty men of valor.
Metaphysically Interpreting II Chronicles 14:9-15
14:9And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an army of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and he came unto Mareshah. 14:10Then Asa went out to meet him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.14:11And Asa cried unto Jehovah his God, and said, Jehovah, there is none besides thee to help, between the mighty and him that hath no strength: help us, O Jehovah our God; for we rely on thee, and in thy name are we come against this multitude. O Jehovah, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee. 14:12So Jehovah smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled. 14:13And Asa and the people that were with him pursued them unto Gerar: and there fell of the Ethiopians so many that they could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed before Jehovah, and before his host; and they carried away very much booty. 14:14And they smote all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear of Jehovah came upon them: and they despoiled all the cities; for there was much spoil in them. 14:15They smote also the tents of cattle, and carried away sheep in abundance, and camels, and returned to Jerusalem.
April 2, 1922: II Chronicles 14:1-12
Metaphysically interpreted, what does Asa represent? Asa, king of Israel, represents the will directing constructively. The word Asa means physician or healer. In body consciousness, the work of Asa is the rebuilding process, which goes on in the subconscious, directed by the will to be well.
What is it to do that which is good and right in the eyes of Jehovah, as Asa did? To do that, which is good and right in the eyes of Jehovah, is first to observe the law of right thinking based upon the Truth of being, then to do away with the tendency to form mental images, or limited concepts of God called in this lesson “sun-images.”
What is the meaning of building cities with walls and towers and gales and bars? By peaceful, constructive thinking, we build up the cells of the body; by this means mental walls are constructed to protect us against adverse environment.
What do the armies of Judah and Benjamin represent? Judah represents praise, and Benjamin, faith. Praise and faith become established in consciousness, and are the “mighty men of valor.”
What do the Ethiopians represent? The Ethiopians represent the undisciplined and undeveloped thought forces in the subconscious. These forces are destructive, but they cannot withstand the power of the Israelites, when directed by King Asa, the healer. “And Asa cried unto Jehovah his God, and said, Jehovah, there is none besides thee to help, between the mighty and him that hath no strength: help us, O Jehovah our God; for we rely on thee, and in thy name are we come against this multitude. O Jehovah, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee.”
July 23, 1939: II Chronicles 14:2-12
What does the name Asa mean, and what is its significance? Asa means “healer,” “making whole,” and signifies the will working constructively. The work of Asa is the rebuilding process that goes on in the subconscious mind, directed by the will to be well.
Why is the work of Asa described as good and right in the eyes of Jehovah? The rebuilding process that is centered in the subconsciousness is a function of the divine law, and its action is good and right.
What do the foreign altars, the high places, the pillars, and the Asherim, all of which Asa did away with, represent? The foreign altars represent the exalting of false ideals in consciousness. The high places and the pillars are the aspirations of man directed to serve unworthy ends. The Asherim represent human love with its animal propensities.
Is it right for one to force a religious faith on others? No. This action on Asa's part is symbolic of the zeal and single-mindedness with which the will that is directing the subconscious forces does its work of healing in the body.
Why was the kingdom quiet before Asa in the beginning of his reign? The subjective forces of the body work harmoniously and without interruption, when they are established in right relation to Divine Mind. They are so established, when man understands that his vitality (Judah) is a power founded in Mind and coming from within him, not dependent on any external effect.
What is the meaning of the fortified cities with walls and towers, gates and bars, that Asa and Judah built during the years of peace in the land? These cities in Judah represent the reserves of vitality that are stored up in man's body through his consistent keeping of the law of life. Consciousness of safety and security (rest) adds to these reserves on the inner side of life, and the law of increase fortifies them from encroachment from without.
When does Jehovah give man rest? When man realizes peace within himself, he realizes God-given rest.
Why did the peace-loving King Asa have a large army of defense? King Asa’s army represents the positive forces within man that hold themselves in readiness to offset the negative or destructive trend of his thoughts (the Ethiopian army).
What situation gives the strongest impetus to man's faith? A situation without apparent remedy in an external sense or one that seems desperate is most effectual in whipping man's faith into action. Against the Ethiopian army of a million men, representing the undisciplined and undeveloped thought forces of the subconscious mind, Asa, the will of man directing constructively, pitted little more than half that number of mighty men of valor (positive forces within man), relying on Jehovah as his true stay and defense.
Transcribed by Lloyd Kinder on 01-09-2014
