"Also he removed Maachah his grandmother from being queen mother, because she had made an obscene image of Asherah. And Asa cut down her obscene image and burned it by the Brook Kidron." v.13
Read chapter 15
We have a good king finally! Asa is described as doing right in the eyes of the Lord as David. It had been a couple generations now between David and Asa. Asa had to fight against the norm I bet and make some big changes than what the people had been used to over the years of the last few kings. It always seems hard when a new leader steps in and wants to change everything but sometimes it's for better than we realize. I'm impressed by Asa removing his own grandmother. I'm sure she wasn't this sweet old little lady as you would picture a typical grandma. She was probably a very strong, evil woman as she was queen mother and set up an Asherah pole (a large sex image). Most likely it was taking her power from her. "Asa's times were times of reformation. He removed that which was evil; there reformation begins, and a great deal he found to do. When Asa found idolatry in the court, he rooted it out thence. Reformation must begin at home. Asa honours and respects his mother; he loves her well, but he loves God better. Those that have power are happy when thus they have hearts to use it well. We must not only cease to do evil, but learn to do well; not only cast away the idols of our iniquity, but dedicate ourselves and our all to God's honour and glory" (Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary).
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