Day #188

Sermon - Audio
2 Kings 14 & 2 Chronicles 25 - Audio
2 Kings 14 & 2 Chronicles 25 - Reading

Daily Insights - Please Comment

2 Kings

1-6 King Amaziah is really the only king recognized as an okay king. The rest of them throughout this period were not men of God, like David.

7 - "valley of salt" - See 1 Kings 8:20-22

15-17 - The surprising repetition of this information concerning Jehoash in the context of Amaziah’s reign (cf. 13:12–13) may be intended to contrast the two kings in their deaths: Jehoash, who did not seek conflict with fellow Israelites, came to a natural and peaceful end, while Amaziah, the aggressor who acted as Rehoboam had been forbidden to act, met a violent death (14:19–20; cf. 1 Kings 12:22–24). It is also possible, however, that Jehoash is highlighted here because he was the effective ruler of Judah in this period, as was his son Jeroboam after him; Amaziah is not said to have “ruled” in Judah after Jehoash’s death, but only to have “lived” there. On the Chronicles of the Kings (also 2 Kings 14:18, 28), see note on 1 Kings 14:19. -ESVSB-

25 - “Jonah son of Amittai” was the same reluctant prophet whose story is told in the book of Jonah.

27 - Even though Israel deserves to be utterly wiped out, God continues to show mercy to His people.

2 Chronicles

2 Chronicles 25: Amaziah’s name means “the strength of Yahweh” As is often the case the question implicit in the story is, “Will Amaziah live up to his name?”

2 Chronicles 25.2: The theme of “double-mindedness” or not following God with a whole heart is one of the continuing themes in the Bible. To be a double-minded person means that at times you are committed to and desire God’s wisdom, at other times you would want to live a life of following the ways of foolishness. The Psalmist says to God, Psa. 86:10 For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God. 11 Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. God’s promise to his people is that he will give us an undivided heart (one heart) Ezek. 11:19 And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh….

25.3: As often happens with royal transitions it takes some time for power to be consolidated. As soon as it was, he carried out justice for his father. Even though Joash had done wrong, it is God’s work to bring about a king’s end, not people. When David was in the wilderness and he was encouraged to kill Saul he refused because Saul was the Lord’s anointed.

25.4: Here we find that his heart is committed to God’s ways. He follows the directions of Deuteronomy 24.16 “Fathers shall not be put to death because of their children, nor shall children be put to death because of their fathers. Each one shall be put to death for his own sin.

25.5-8: Again, we discover another of the continuing concerns of the writer of Chronicles, namely, building an alliance with the Northern Kingdom. While it is good for people from the North to come and join Judah, it is not fine for the Southern Kingdom to look to the north for help.

25.8: The themes of Chronicles keep being played over and over again. Here the words call to mind the words of 2 Chronicles 16.9 that God will strongly support (a reference to help in battle) those whose hearts are fully committed to him. This will be a problem for this king since his heart is only partially committed to God.

25.9: Amaziah has a practical question, he has just spent a lot of money. Is it really wise not to get a return on investment. The prophet promises that God can give a better return if he is obedient.

25.10: The anger of the dismissed men is because of their loss of booty in the coming battle. They will solve this problem and show their true nature by attacking cities of Judah.

25.11: A brutal battle and a brutal style of execution. Certain passages in the Scripture leave us wondering.

25.13: The death and plundering in Judah most likely speaks to two things. First, that the Chronicler acknowledges that even when we do good, bad things can still happen. Second, it may be the reason that Amaziah challenges Jehoash of Israel after his battle victory against Seir (another name for the nation of Edom).

25.14: Amaziah may worship these gods as tribal deities who he needs to appease because of his defeat of them and their people. He’s a person who is covering his bases. Such action shows his lack of understanding that Yahweh is the great God above all gods and that idols are simply wood and stone.

25.15-16: A prophet comes to act as a counselor. Rather than listening and repenting, Amaziah threatens and refuses to listen. It is the beginning of his downfall. The theme of listening to the right counselors again shows itself.

25.17: Amaziah listens to the wrong counselors, it leads to war.

25.19: Even a foreign king provides better advice than Amaziah’s counselors. Amaziah doesn’t count the cost of the upcoming battle nor does he see the reality of his weakness compared with the strength of the Northern Kingdom.

25.20: The reason for the fall: God. As Rehoboam caused the split in kingdom, as Ahab listened to false prophets, so Amaziah refuses wise counsel because God is at work bringing about punishment.

25.24: Hostages are taken to assure payment of tribute and to keep another nation from rebelling