The Tragic End Of A Great Leader

The Tragic End Of A Great Leader 

I Kings 15:17-19 NKJV

[17] And Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah. [18] Then Asa took all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of the house of the Lord and the treasuries of the king’s house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants. And King Asa sent them to Ben-Hadad the son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, who dwelt in Damascus, saying, [19] “Let there be a treaty between you and me, as there was between my father and your father. See, I have sent you a present of silver and gold. Come and break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, so that he will withdraw from me.”

Everything looked promising for King Asa. He should have ended well, but he failed. When a tragic end comes to a great leader, you feel like weeping for them. Seen afterwards, you will wish he made a different choice.  It is accedited to  Abba Eban  to have said, " Tragedy is the difference between what is and what could have been.”   Asa could have been it. He had every opportunity to have ended well, but, he missed it with a casual attitude to the things of God. He was more concerned with winning that he could give out sacred temple items to a heathen king. Daniel Groenewald describes a tragic hero as " A promising hero( who )sets out on a journey but is undermined by an unchecked personal flaw which leads to their unnecessary and untimely death". He was not thinking of King Asa when that was written. An Indeed carrer guide outlines several reasons for the failures of leaders like King Asa, but they failed to include in  the list, a spiritual direction. When you read the details of this story in 2nd Chronicles 16, you hear that God was not happy with him. Be a great leader, but seek to please God. He died, diseased on his foot. How would you rate your current walk with God. You started well. Are you going to end well? Good morning