Year 2, Week 1, Day 2 Bible Reading Observations

Year 2, Week 1, Day 2

I have a brief observation for today’s reading of 2 Chronicles 25; Jonah 1.

Today’s reading adds further details concerning the reign of Amaziah, King of the Southern Kingdom of Judah. The parallel historical account of Amaziah is found in 2 Kings 14, which was a part of yesterday’s reading. 2 Chronicles 25, in its summary description of Amaziah, son of Joash, was a mixed review: “And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, yet not with a whole heart” (2 Chronicles 25:2). Amaziah’s half-heartedness would spiral into full idolatry. Amaziah was a man who had a penchant for battle: “Then Amaziah assembled the men of Judah and set them by fathers’ houses under commanders of thousands and of hundreds for all Judah and Benjamin. He mustered those twenty years old and upward, and found that they were 300,000 choice men, fit for war, able to handle spear and shield. He hired also 100,000 mighty men of valor from Israel for 100 talents of silver” (2 Chronicles 25:5-6). This will play into his undoing as he will bring shame on Judah and live out his final days in exile. Today’s reading also takes us to the Book of Jonah by way of introduction: “Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it” (Jonah 1:1-2).

One of the things that struck me from today’s reading was how the height of Amaziah’s victory over Edom, led to the humiliation of defeat by Israel. Seemingly unbeknownst to Amaziah, he was not the cause of his victory over Edom. As Amaziah was preparing for battle against Edom, the LORD spoke to the prophet concerning his army: “O king, do not let the army of Israel go with you, for the LORD is not with Israel, with all these Ephraimites. But go, act, be strong for the battle. Why should you suppose that God will cast you down before the enemy? For God has power to help or to cast down” (2 Chronicles 25:7-8). Amaziah had hired men from the Northern Kingdom of Israel to strengthen the size of his forces. Amaziah was relying on human might and not the LORD’s might. The prophet directed Amaziah to look to the LORD. Amaziah did dismiss the mercenaries from Israel, and he did defeat Edom: “Amaziah took courage and led out his people and went to the Valley of Salt and struck down 10,000 men of Seir. The men of Judah captured another 10,000 alive and took them to the top of a rock and threw them down from the top of the rock, and they were all dashed to pieces” (2 Chronicles 25:11-12).

But Amaziah did not recognize the LORD’s hand. In fact, he embraced the gods of the defeated Edomites: “After Amaziah came from striking down the Edomites, he brought the gods of the men of Seir and set them up as his gods and worshiped them, making offerings to them” (2 Chronicles 25:14). The LORD sent a prophet to Amaziah, but as Amaziah demanded the prophet to shut up, the prophet concluded with: “I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this and have not listened to my counsel” (2 Chronicles 25:16b). It does not seem that Amaziah thought much about the prophet’s words as he immediately challenged Israel to a battle: “Then Amaziah king of Judah took counsel and sent to Joash the son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us look one another in the face” (2 Chronicles 25:17). Amaziah is a portrait of foolhardy arrogance; and it would get him killed. The truth is that Amaziah’s heart-handedness was a part of the judgment he was under: “But Amaziah would not listen, for it was of God, in order that he might give them into the hand of their enemies, because they had sought the gods of Edom” (2 Chronicles 25:20).

The battle against Israel did not go well for Amaziah: “And Judah was defeated by Israel, and every man fled to his home. And Joash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, son of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh” (2 Chronicles 25:22-23a). Defeat and capture, but it went even further: “and brought him to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem for 400 cubits, from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate. And he seized all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of God” (2 Chronicles 25:23b-24a). Amaziah was not immediately killed by Northern Kingdom’s King Joash; he experienced perhaps something worse: he lived in shame as a defeated king: “Amaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah, lived fifteen years after the death of Joash the son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel” (2 Chronicles 25:25). While he lived, he lived to see his people turn against him to the point where he had to flee for his life: “From the time when he turned away from the LORD they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish” (2 Chronicles 25:27a). But eventually Amaziah was located: “But they sent after him to Lachish and put him to death there” (2 Chronicles 25:27b). Turn away from the LORD and His Word and expect demise to follow. It makes a difference who you worship: “Why have you sought the gods of a people who did not deliver their own people from your hand?” (2 Chronicles 25:15b).

What struck you in today’s reading? What questions were prompted from today’s reading?

Pastor Joe