38 lines
2.6 KiB
Markdown
38 lines
2.6 KiB
Markdown
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title = "2 Chronicles 25:14–28"
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date = "2025-04-26"
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### [Read the passage.](https://biblia.com/bible/esv/2Chronicles25.14-28)
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Though the Lord was with the men of Judah when they struck down the Edomites, Amaziah made a critical mistake in his victory.
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Along with the other goods that were carried off by his army, Amaziah brought the Edomite idols back and set them up to receive worship.
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Up to this point, he had been following the Lord faithfully, so this seems like a very strange thing to do.
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The prophet that God sends to rebuke Amaziah makes this point to the king.
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"Why have you sought the gods of a people who did not deliver their own people from your hand?" (_v. 15_)
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The Lord granted Amaziah victory, even after dismissing the Israelite mercenaries, so the defeated Edomites' idols get the worship?
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It's incredibly stupid.
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Amaziah does not listen, though, and even threatens the prophet's life for calling him out.
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The unnamed prophet does as the king commands and stops trying to get him to listen, but he gives a final warning that the Lord will strike him down for his idolatry.
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This prophecy comes true some time later when Amaziah picks a fight with Joash, king of Israel.
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Joash responds dismissively, saying Amaziah is puffed up from his victory over Edom and now thinks he can take on whomever he wishes.
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He warns Amaziah that it will not go well with him or with Judah if he continues down this path.
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He is entirely correct, but Amaziah does not listen because this is what the Lord decreed would happen.
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Israel defeats Judah at Beth-shemesh, a Judean city.
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The army of Judah flees, and Israel captures Amaziah there.
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They bring Amaziah back home to Jerusalem, knock down a large chunk of its wall, and carry off the gold and silver that was in the house of God, Amaziah's house, and carried off hostages from the city.
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As a final insult, it seems Joash leaves Amaziah there in Jerusalem when he departs for Samaria.
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The king of Judah is so thoroughly defeated that leaving him in charge of his whole country is not a threat.
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In fact, Amaziah outlives Joash by fifteen years.
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As Amaziah ruled for twenty-nine years, that places this incident in the first half of his reign.
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However, all that we have of the latter half is that there was a conspiracy against him because of his idolatry.
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Amaziah fled to Lachish because of it, but they caught him there and killed him, just as they killed his father.
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We say "they" because we don't know who is responsible, but it's hard to tell if "they" refers to the same group each time.
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"They" had the same motivations for killing the king: his idolatry and forsaking the Lord.
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* * *
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Hold us fast and keep us in faithfulness to You, O God.
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