| |
11 Chronicles Chapter 25
Amaziah Reigns in Judah
- 2Chronicles 25:1 Amaziah was
twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned
twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was
Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.
- 2 And he did that
which was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect
heart.
- 3 Now it came to
pass, when the kingdom was established to him, that he slew his
servants that had killed the king his father.
- 4 But he slew not
their children, but did as it is written in the law in the book
of Moses, where the LORD commanded, saying, The fathers shall
not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the
fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin.
Amaziah took vengeance on those the
killed his father but spared the children, not holding them
accountable for what their fathers did. He knew the law of Moses and
spared their lives. That is the way it is under Christ also. Every
individual is held accountable for their own sins, not those of the
parents or children when the children become the age of
accountability.
The children may suffer from
the sins of their parents because of bad influences but they are not
judged by God for the sins of their parents.
Amaziah's Victories
- 2Chronicles 25:5
Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together, and made them captains
over thousands, and captains over hundreds, according to the
houses of their fathers, throughout all Judah and Benjamin: and
he numbered them from twenty years old and above, and found them
three hundred thousand choice men, able to go forth to war, that
could handle spear and shield.
- 6 He hired also an
hundred thousand mighty men of valour out of Israel for an
hundred talents of silver.
- 7 But there came a
man of God to him, saying, O king, let not the army of Israel go
with thee; for the LORD is not with Israel, to wit, with all the
children of Ephraim.
- 8 But if thou wilt
go, do it, be strong for the battle: God shall make thee fall
before the enemy: for God hath power to help, and to cast down.
- 9 And Amaziah said
to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents
which I have given to the army of Israel? And the man of God
answered, The LORD is able to give thee much more than this.
This is one thing that separated
Amaziah from some of the former kings. He obeyed the words of the
prophet even though he kind of disagreed with them. They were not to
make alliances with the northern kingdom of Israel because of the
great sins of departing from God and committing idolatry and doing
evil like Ahab and Jezebel did. That transgression against God
brought down even the good kings. Jehoshaphat made an alliance with
Ahab. Asa made an alliance with the king of Syria instead of
trusting God.
-
2Chronicles 25:10 Then
Amaziah separated them, to wit, the army that was come to him
out of Ephraim, to go home again: wherefore their anger was
greatly kindled against Judah, and they returned home in great
anger.
The northern kingdom of Israel got
angry over this and returned home.
- 2Chronicles 25:11
And Amaziah strengthened himself, and led forth his people, and
went to the valley of salt, and smote of the children of Seir
ten thousand.
- 12 And other ten
thousand left alive did the children of Judah carry away
captive, and brought them unto the top of the rock, and cast
them down from the top of the rock, that they all were broken in
pieces.
This were not young children but the
descendents of Esau that fought against Israel and Judah many times
throughout history. Sometimes the word children is used for
descendents. These were grown men that fought against Judah at this
time.
-
2Chronicles 25:13 But the
soldiers of the army which Amaziah sent back, that they should
not go with him to battle, fell upon the cities of Judah, from
Samaria even unto Bethhoron, and smote three thousand of them,
and took much spoil.
Those from the northern kingdom were so
mad at Judah for sending them back so they could not help fight
against the Edomites that they attacked some of the cities of Judah
and killed 3,000 of them. This wouldn't have happened if Amaziah
would not have made an alliance in the first place.
Amaziah's Idolatry
- 2Chronicles 25:14
Now it came to pass, after that Amaziah was come from the
slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the
children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down
himself before them, and burned incense unto them.
- 15 Wherefore the
anger of the LORD was kindled against Amaziah, and he sent unto
him a prophet, which said unto him, Why hast thou sought after
the gods of the people, which could not deliver their own people
out of thine hand?
- 16 And it came to
pass, as he talked with him, that the king said unto him, Art
thou made of the king's counsel? forbear; why shouldest thou be
smitten? Then the prophet forbare, and said, I know that God
hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this,
and hast not hearkened unto my counsel.
It's hard to understand why Amaziah did
this and brought judgment upon himself when he started out good. I
would guess that his compromising we read about in verse 2 which
states that he was right in the sight of God but not with a perfect
heart. He was half hearted. This led to idolatry.
Israel Defeats Amaziah
- 2Chronicles 25:17
Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice, and sent to Joash, the
son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come,
let us see one another in the face.
- 18 And Joash king of
Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that
was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying,
Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild
beast that was in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle.
This was another Joash that was king of
Israel while Amaziah's father Joash was the former king of Judah.
This parable was a warning not to mess with them. We see that
Amaziah was lifted up in pride after his victory over the Edomites
and it caused him to compromise with idolatry and depart from the
Lord. Sometimes we get victory over things that the Lord helped us
overcome and then we fail to give God the glory and in our minds and we
think it was by our own goodness or military might that in his case
gave him the victory.
One would think as we get older and
closer to our time of leaving this old body, we would draw closer to
God but sometimes people fall away as they get older. Those that
stay faithful though will reap eternal rewards in Heaven if they
stay true to our wonderful God.
I'm reminding myself many times as I
read these accounts of the kings that they didn't have the personal
relationship with Jesus and the indwelling Holy Spirit that is
available to us today. It makes a big difference but we still have
to have determination to stay faithful and not depart from our first
love for the Lord and His call on our own lives.
-
2Chronicles 25:19 Thou
sayest, Lo, thou hast smitten the Edomites; and thine heart
lifteth thee up to boast: abide now at home; why shouldest thou
meddle to thine hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and
Judah with thee?
The king of the northern kingdom was
warning Amaziah of his pride. Not to provoke the northern kingdom
into a battle but remain at home.
This was actually God's judgment upon
Amaziah for turning to idolatry.
- 2Chronicles 25:21 So
Joash the king of Israel went up; and they saw one another in
the face, both he and Amaziah king of Judah, at Bethshemesh,
which belongeth to Judah.
- 22 And Judah was put
to the worse before Israel, and they fled every man to his
tent.
- 23 And Joash the
king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the
son of Jehoahaz, at Bethshemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem,
and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to
the corner gate, four hundred cubits.
- 24 And he took all
the gold and the silver, and all the vessels that were found in
the house of God with Obededom, and the treasures of the king's
house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria.
- 25 And Amaziah the
son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Joash son of
Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years.
- 26 Now the rest of
the acts of Amaziah, first and last, behold, are they not
written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel?
- 27 Now after the
time that Amaziah did turn away from following the LORD they
made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem; and he fled to
Lachish: but they sent to Lachish after him, and slew him
there.
- 28 And they brought
him upon horses, and buried him with his fathers in the city of
Judah.
Another bad ending which didn't have to be if
only he would have stayed with the Lord. The northern kingdom won
this victory.
Half-heartedness, compromising with
evil, not being steadfast and determined to live for God has
results in the long run. God has better things for us if we continue in
the faith and stay true to Him. In this life we may suffer hardship
at times but in eternity nothing can ever harm us again. DC
The words of Paul to Timothy:
The quick is another word for the
living.
- 2Timothy 4:2
Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove,
rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
- 3 For the time
will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after
their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having
itching ears;
- 4 And they shall
turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto
fables.
- 5 But watch thou
in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist,
make full proof of thy ministry.
- 6 For I am now
ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
- 7 I have fought
a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
- 8 Henceforth
there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the
Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to
me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
11
Chronicles Chapter 26
|
|