2 Chronicles 16 is talking about a king of Israel. This king had sought out God throughout his life but in the end of life he had a situation come up that tested his walk with God. This king did not seek God’s help but rather solved it in human wisdom. The result was the problem was resolved, but, God wanted to prove His power to the king by resolving it for him. Since the king did not seek God, it was said of the king by God. “You missed your chance! Don’t you remember what happened to the Ethiopians and Libyans and their vast army, with all of their chariots and charioteers? At that time you relied on the LORD, and he handed them over to you. The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. WHAT A FOOL YOU HAVE BEEN! From now on you will be at war.”
From then on this king did not seek God. What a way to end one’s life. There is a quote that I use a lot, “You will be remembered by how you finish not how you start.” This king who did great things for God early in his life will now be remembered as a man who missed his chance.