Tuesday, October 24, 2017
Daily reading assignment – 2 Chronicles 25-28
Our reading in 2 Chronicles continues today with chapters 25-28. The reigns of four kings is found in today’s devotional commentary; Amaziah (2 Chronicles 25), Uzziah (2 Chronicles 25), Jotham (2 Chronicles 26), and Ahaz (2 Chronicles 28). 2 Chronicles 25 and the reign of Amaziah is the focus of my commentary.
As a background, I remind you that Joash, the father of Amaziah, became king as a seven-year-old boy, guided by the godly counsel of the high priest Jehoiada (2 Chron. 24). Judah experienced a spiritual renaissance during the early years of Joash’s reign and the kingdom prospered until Jehoiada died at the ripe old age of 130 years old (2 Chron. 24:15).
With the high priest dead, wicked men began to counsel Joash (24:17-18) and when Zechariah, the son of the late high priest Jehoiada withstood them, they killed him. Joash gave neither rebuke nor sought justice for Zecharaiah’s death, the son of the man who served as his counsel throughout his reign (24:22). Tragically, Joash’s reign ended with him turning from the LORD and his assassination when his own servants revenged the slaying of Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada (24:24-26).
Following Joash’s death, his son Amaziah became king in Judah (2 Chron. 24:27, 28:1). Like his father before him, Amaziah’s reign began well and we read, “he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart” (25:2).
It is that last phrase, “but not with a perfect heart” (25:2), that shadow’s the life and reign of Amaziah. Amaziah exacted justice for his father’s assassination, killing those who murdered his father; however, unlike other kings, he did not prevail upon the families of the assassins, and spared the lives of the assassins’ sons and daughters according to the law (Deuteronomy 24:16).
Amaziah began his reign well, organizing his army and numbering three hundred thousand men who could go to war; however, he foolishly turned to the northern ten tribes of Israel and numbered among his army one hundred thousand mercenaries from that wicked nation (25:6).
God sent a prophet to Amaziah, warning him the mercenaries from Israel was not the will of God (25:7). Amaziah heeded the caution of the “man of God” and sent the men of Israel home (25:10). However, as Amaziah led his army into battle, the soldiers from Israel turned back and attacked cities in Judah in the absence of their fathers and sons that had gone to war (25:13).
Remembering Amaziah was a man who lacked “a perfect heart” for the LORD, we read he committed idolatry (25:14) following his victory over Edom. The LORD sent a prophet to warn the king he had provoked God’s judgment (25:15-16). Amaziah, however, refused to hear the prophet’s admonition and threatened to kill the LORD’s prophet (25:16).
Rejecting the rebuke of the prophet and his heart lifted up in pride, Amaziah made a pretense of seeking an alliance (25:17) with the wicked king of Israel. Israel’s king; however, though a wicked man reigning over a rebellious nation, saw through Amaziah’s motive and warned the king to not meddle in the affairs of Israel (25:17-19).
The verses that follow (25:20-28) reveal not only the curse of pride, but a lesson regarding the sovereignty of the LORD. The LORD will accomplish His purpose, even guiding the proud heart of a rebellious man to His own end.
Pride distorted Amaziah’s heart and God determined to use his illusion of greatness to judge him. We read, “Amaziah would not hear; for it came of God” (25:20). Amaziah rejected the caution of Israel’s king and invaded Israel. Amaziah’s army fled from the battlefield, humiliating the king who was taken prisoner, and his treasury plundered by the king of Israel (25:21-23).
Amaziah lived in exile in Samaria for fiftenn years after his defeat; however, when he returned to Jerusalem he suffered his final humiliation: His servants conspired against him and the king was eventually assassinated (25:28).
I close with an observation: Pride distorts a man’s reasoning, blinds him to his weaknesses, and invariably brings him to ruin. A proverb of Solomon is sufficient to support this truth:
Proverbs 16:18 – Pride [arrogancy] goeth before destruction [calamity; breach], and an haughty [proud; self-sufficient] spirit before a fall [ruin].
Copyright 2017 – Travis D. Smith