AMAZIAH ALSO TURNS AGAINST GOD

AMAZIAH ALSO TURNS AGAINST GOD 

PROCLAMATION

“… 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.”  2 Chronicles 25:14 (KJV)

EXPLANATION

Amaziah the son of Joash was twenty-five years old when he began to reign as king of Judah.  Initially, He did that which was right in the sight of The Lord but not wholeheartedly.  When the kingdom was firmly under his control he killed all of his servants who had killed his father. (2 Chronicles 25:1-4)  Then he gathered the men of Judah together and made an army of three hundred thousand men.  He also hired an additional one hundred thousand men from Israel.  But there came a man of God to him saying let not the army of Israel go with you, for The Lord is not with Israel. (2 Chronicles 25:5-7)  He was told that if he kept the men from Israel and went to war that he would fall before his enemy.  So, Amaziah told the men of Israel to go home and they returned home, but they were angry with him. (2 Chronicles 25:8-10)  When he led his men to war and defeated the men of Seir, the soldiers of Israel that he had sent home attacked the cities of Judah, killed three thousand people, and took great quantities of plunder.  Amaziah returned after slaughtering the Edomites but he brought back the gods of the people of Seir and set them up as his own gods and worshiped them. (2 Chronicles 25:11-14)  The prophet of The Lord came to him and asked why he worshiped the gods of a people that could not save them?  Amaziah asked the prophet, have we appointed you as my advisor?  The prophet replied, God has determined to destroy you because you have done this thing and have not listened to me. (2 Chronicles 25:15-16)  After Amaziah consulted his advisors, he sent a challenge to Jehoahaz king of Israel to face each other in battle.  Jehoahaz replied saying why are you asking for trouble and trying to cause your downfall and the fall of Judah?  Amaziah would not listen to him, he attacked Israel, and Judah was routed and Amaziah was captured by Jehoahaz.  He took all of the gold and silver from the temple and the palace along with hostages and returned to Samaria. (2 Chronicles 25:17-24)  Some in Jerusalem conspired against Amaziah because he turned away from God, and they sent men after him and killed him. (2 Chronicles 25:25-28)

APPLICATION

God does not like lukewarm believers, (Revelation 3:16) either we follow Him wholeheartedly or not at all.  No man can serve two masters. (Matthew 6:24 and Luke 16:13)  We need to choose whom we will serve.  There is only one true and living God. (Jeremiah 10:10)  He is omnipotent (all powerful), omniscient (all knowing), and omnipresent (everywhere at the same time).  And, He does not need our help to protect us or to fight our battles.