The Book of Second kings

Chapter 14

[1] In the second year of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel reigned Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah.
[2] He was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.
[3] And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, yet not like David his father: he did according to all things as Joash his father did.
[4] Howbeit the high places were not taken away: as yet the people did sacrifice and burnt incense on the high places.

1) The Survey of the Kingdom (1-4)

Amaziah, the son of Joash (reformer), became the King of Judah at the age of 25 (he ruled 29yr)

Like his father, he did right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart (like King David)

He allowed the existence of high places and the people could serve in idolatry

[5] And it came to pass, as soon as the kingdom was confirmed in his hand, that he slew his servants which had slain the king his father.
[6] But the children of the murderers he slew not: according unto that which is written in the book of the law of Moses, wherein the LORD commanded, saying, The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children be put to death for the fathers; but every man shall be put to death for his own sin.

2) The Submission of the King

A. Scripturally Responsible (5-6)

Amaziah slew all those conspirators who assassinated his father, the king

But he did not kill their children. The children could raise up and seek revenge

He was obedient to the teachings of the Lord’s Scriptures (Dt 24:16)

[7] He slew of Edom in the valley of salt ten thousand, and took Selah by war, and called the name of it Joktheel unto this day.

B. Subjectively Reverent (7)

2 Chr 25:5-12 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.
[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.
[11] And Amaziah strengthened himself, and led forth his people, and went to the valley of salt, and smote of the chidren 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.

Amaziah gathered 300,000 warriors to fight against Edom

The king also hired 100,000 mercenaries from neighboring Israel

God sent a man of God to warn the king not to use the Israeli mercenaries

(God will not bless the rebellious idolatrous people of Israel)

Amaziah questioned, as he had spent good money on the mercenaries

The man of God said “The LORD is able to give thee much more than this”

* Whatever obedience costs IT IS cheaper than disobedience

Amaziah, took the loss and sent the mercenaries away. God blessed his faith and gave victory

C. Strangely Rebellious

2 Chr 25:14-16 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.

Upon victory, Amaziah turned his heart from the Lord to serve the idols of the Edomites

He turned to false gods that were unable to protect and lost the battle to him !!!

God sent a man of God to warn him and the king rebuked the man of God

[8] Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one another in the face.
[9] And Jehoash the 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.
[10] Thou hast indeed smitten Edom, and thine heart hath lifted thee up: glory of this, and tarry at home: for why shouldest thou meddle to thy hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee?
[11] But Amaziah would not hear. Therefore Jehoash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face at Beth-shemesh, which belongeth to Judah.
[12] And Judah was put to the worse before Israel; and they fled every man to their tents.
[13] And Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh, and came to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto the corner gate, four hundred cubits.
[14] And he took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house, and hostages, and returned to Samaria.

3) The Smugness of Kingship (8-14)

A. Power

Amaziah had served God and God gave him a powerful victory

But Amaziah got lifted up in himself and his head swelled to big for the crown

B. Pride (8-11)

When Amaziahs hired mercenaries were sent away they were angry (though they were paid in ful)

They think they would have gotten more from the spoils of victory

2 Chr 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 Beth-horon, and smote three thousand of them, and took

much spoil.

The mercenaries attacked Judah and killed 3000 men and took spoils anyway

* Amaziahs proposal was sinful to begin with

* You may have been forgiven of sin & delivered but there are still consequences to sin

Because of the mercenaries attack, coupled with Amaziahs victory, He is motivated to attack Israel

The King of Israel said “a thistle and a tree were united, but a beast crushed the thistle & the tree stood”

The King of Israel counsels the king of Judah to enjoy his victory over Edom & stay home

But Amaziah, the King of Judah would not hear

C. Punishment (12-14)

Amaziah led his people to battle against Israel and lost

Amaziah lost his freedom “he was taken” (vs 13)

Judah lost their defense “wall broken down”

Lost Treasures of gold and silver from the House of the Lord (14)

Lost his people “hostages”

[15] Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash which he did, and his might, and how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
[16] And Jehoash slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; and Jeroboam his son reigned in his stead.
[17] And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years.
[18] And the rest of the acts of Amaziah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
[19] Now they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem: and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish, and slew him there.
[20] And they brought him on horses: and he was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in the city of David.
[21] And all the people of Judah took Azariah, which was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah.
[22] He built Elath, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers.

4) The Support of the Kingly (15-22)

Amaziah is serving in captivity and the King of Israel died. Maybe Amaziah was freed at this time

He lived 15 yrs, BUT his people resented him and would not follow him

His foolishness had undermined his support

The people conspired against him and he fled to Lachish BUT the found him and slew him in Lachish

(21) The took his son, maybe during his imprisonment, Azariah (also known as Uzziah) and made him king

[23] In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria, and reigned forty and one years.
[24] And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.
[25] He restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the sea of the plain, according to the word of the LORD God of Israel, which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet, which was of Gath-hepher.
[26] For the LORD saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter: for there was not any shut up, nor any left, nor any helper for Israel.
[27] And the LORD said not that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven: but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash.
[28] Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did, and his might, how he warred, and how he recovered Damascus, and Hamath, which belonged to Judah, for Israel, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
[29] And Jeroboam slept with his fathers, even with the kings of Israel; and Zachariah his son reigned in his stead.

5) The Scepter of the Kingless (23-29)

Upon his fathers death, Jeroboam, the son of Jehoash, became the king of Israel. He reigned 41 yrs

He did evil in the sight of the Lord as he continued to allow the people to serve in idolatry

YET, he did obey the message of Jonah and for his obedience God, in mercy, blessed the evil king

God allowed economic recovery and material prosperity

BUT according to Hosea and Amos (both ministered during this time) there was no spiritual awakening

Upon, the death of Jeroboam, his son Zachariah reigned in his stead. (4^th in lineage of Jehu)