God judgment for not listening to Him

                                                                     2 Kings 14:15-2

 

October 18, 2021

 

 

How the rest of the acts of Jehoash that 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?   And Jehoash slept with his fathers and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel, and Jeroboam his son reigned in his place.

Amaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah, lived fifteen years after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel.   Now the rest of the deeds of Amaziah, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?   And they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish. But they sent after him to Lachish and put him to death there.   And they brought him on horses, and he was buried in Jerusalem with his fathers in the city of David.   And all the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah.   He built Elath and restored it to Judah after the king slept with his fathers.

A summary of Jehoash's life is found in 2 Kings 13:11, King Joash of Israel ruled for sixteen years and “did evil in the eyes of the Lord and did not turn away from any of the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit; he continued in them”

 

The Bible summarizes Amaziah’s reign thus: “He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, but not as his father David had done, (2 Kings 14:3). Amaziah later conquered the Edomites and foolishly brought back their gods and sacrificed to them. This idolatry resulted in an unnamed prophet coming to Amaziah and rebuking him. We have that account 2 Chronicles 25:16,  But as he was speaking, the king said to him, “Have we made you a royal counselor? Stop! Why should you be struck down?” So the prophet stopped, but said, “I know that God has determined to destroy you because you have done this and have not listened to my counsel.”

 

After this victory, he became very arrogant and challenged Israel to war and Jehoash understood he was full of himself and tried to talk him out of picking a fight he could not win.  He lost and it cost not only Amaziah but the people of Judah.  He live 15 years after and we do not know when he was allowed to return to Judah, but like his father the people killed him. 

 

It is easy to see the failure in these kings, in your family, and others, but much harder to see it in one on life.  Have you given thought to what your life summary will look like?

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice