INTRODUCTION: Amaziah gave to the Lord a mixed level of devotion. In turn, he received a mixed level of blessing. God wants our whole heart. He is not willing to share the throne with other gods.
- THE BEGINNING OF AMAZIAHS REIGN (2 Chronicles 25:1-4)
- The Details of the Reign (2 Chronicles 25:1)
- Began when he was 25 years old
- Reigned for 29 years in Jerusalem
- His mother was Johoaddan of Jerusalem.
- The Character of His Reign (2 Chronicles 25:2)
- Did what was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart
- That is, not like his father David (2 Kings 14:3; 1 Kings 11:4-6)
- Retaliation for His Fathers Death (2 Chronicles 25:3-4)
- The conspiracy against Joash (2 Chronicles 24:25-26)
- The reign of Amaziah established (2 Chronicles 25:3)
- The slaying of the conspirators (2 Chronicles 25:3)
- Note: This began with the conspiracy of Joash against the sons of Jehoiada, the high priest that saved his life and restored him to the throne (2 Chronicles 24:21). It will continue with a conspiracy against Amaziah that will take his life (2 Chronicles 25:27). We do not always understand the cycle that one sin will begin or how long it may take for the cycle to complete.
- The sparing of the children (2 Chronicles 25:4)
- He slew not their children.
- According to the commandment of Moses (Deuteronomy 24:16)
- Fathers not to die for the children
- Children not to die for the fathers
- Every man to die for his own sin
- The soul that sinneth, it shall die (Ezekiel 18:20).
- AMAZIAHS VICTORY OVER EDOM (2 Chronicles 25:5-12)
- The Gathering of an Army (2 Chronicles 25:5-6)
- The host of Judah (2 Chronicles 25:5)
- With captains of thousands and hundreds
- According to the houses of their fathers
- From throughout Judah and Benjamin
- From twenty years old and upward
- Finding 300,000 soldiers
- Choice men
- Able to go forth to war
- That could handle spear and shield
- The host of Israel (2 Chronicles 25:6)
- 100,000 mighty men of valour
- Hired with 100 talents of silver
- The amount used in the sockets of the tabernacle (Exodus 38:27)
- The tribute a later Jehoahaz paid to Pharaoh of Egypt (2 Kings 23:31-33)
- The Warning of the Man of God (2 Chronicles 25:7-9)
- The warning given (2 Chronicles 25:7-9)
- Do not let the army of Israel go with you (2 Chronicles 25:7).
- The Lord is not with Israel.
- The Lord is not with the children of Ephraim (Hosea 4:17).
- To avoid this warning means disaster (2 Chronicles 25:8).
- You can go and be your strongest.
- But God will make you fall before the enemy.
- He has power to help.
- He has power to cast down.
- The objection answered (2 Chronicles 25:9)
- What about the 100 talents of silver?
- The LORD is able to give thee much more than this.
- The Dismissal of the Army of Israel (2 Chronicles 25:10)
- Amaziah sent them home.
- Their anger was greatly kindled.
- The Victory over the Edomites (2 Chronicles 25:11-12)
- Amaziah fought Edom in the valley of salt (2 Chronicles 25:11).
- Amaziah smote 10,000 Edomites in the battle (2 Chronicles 25:11).
- Another 10,000 Edomites were captured (2 Chronicles 25:12).
- Taken to the top of the rock
- Cast down to be broken in pieces
- AMAZIAHS DEFEAT BY JOASH OF ISRAEL (2 Chronicles 25:13-24)
- The Reaction of the Army of Israel (2 Chronicles 25:13)
- They fell upon the cities of Judah.
- They smote 3,000 people.
- They took much spoil.
- Amaziahs Worship of the Gods of Edom (2 Chronicles 25:14-16)
- He set up the gods of Edom (2 Chronicles 25:14).
- He made them his gods.
- He bowed himself before them.
- He burned incense unto them.
- The Lord sent a prophet to Amaziah (2 Chronicles 25:15-16).
- He had chosen the gods who could not deliver their own people (2 Chronicles 25:15).
- Amaziah questioned the authority of the prophet (2 Chronicles 25:16).
- Amaziah threatened to kill the prophet (2 Chronicles 25:16).
- The prophet recognized that God had determined to destroy Amaziah (2 Chronicles 25:16).
- Because he had done this
- Because he refused good counsel
- Amaziahs Challenge to Joash of Israel (2 Chronicles 25:17-20)
- The challenge given (2 Chronicles 25:17)
- According to advice
- Come, let us see one another in the face.
- The proverb of Joash (2 Chronicles 25:18-19)
- The thistle desired the daughter of the cedar to wife (2 Chronicles 25:18).
- The thistle was trampled by a wild beast in Lebanon (2 Chronicles 25:18).
- Amaziah had smitten the Edomites (2 Chronicles 25:19).
- Amaziah had lifted his heart in pride (2 Chronicles 25:19).
- Amaziah was now meddling to his own hurt (2 Chronicles 25:19).
- The determination of Amaziah (2 Chronicles 25:20)
- He would not hear.
- It came of God that God might deliver him to his enemies.
- Because he sought after of the gods of Edom
- Amaziahs Defeat in Battle (2 Chronicles 25:21-24)
- The battle at Bethshemesh (2 Chronicles 25:21); the place where the people looked into the ark of God and died in great numbers (1 Samuel 6:12-21)
- The defeat of Judah (2 Chronicles 25:22)
- The taking of Amaziah (2 Chronicles 25:23)
- The partial destruction of the wall of Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 25:23)
- The taking of treasures from Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 25:24)
- The taking of hostages (2 Chronicles 25:24)
- THE END OF AMAZIAHS REIGN (2 Chronicles 25:25-28)
- The Remaining Life of Amaziah (2 Chronicles 25:25-26)
- He reigned 15 years after the death of Joash of Israel (2 Chronicles 25:25).
- The rest of his acts are in the book of the kings (2 Chronicles 25:26).
- The Death of Amaziah (2 Chronicles 25:27-28)
- The conspiracy against him in Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 25:27)
- His flight to Lachish and death there (2 Chronicles 25:27)
- His burial in Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 25:28)
- THE BEGINNING OF AZARIAHS REIGN (2 Kings 14:21-22)
- The Reign of Azariah (2 Kings 14:21)
- Established by the people of Judah
- When he was 16 years old
- The Work of Azariah (2 Kings 14:22)
- He built Elath and restored it to Judah.
- After the king slept with his fathers
- THE REIGN OF JEROBOAM OVER ISRAEL (2 Kings 14:23-25)
- The Beginning of the Reign of Jeroboam (2 Kings 14:23)
- The Character of the Reign of Jeroboam (2 Kings 14:24)
- The Work of Jeroboam (2 Kings 14:25)
- He restored the coast of Israel.
- According to the word of Jonah (see Jonah 1:1)
CONCLUSION: Amaziah began well, but failed when he refused to listen to godly counsel. This refusal led to defeat in Judah and his own death.