SCRIPTURE: 2 KINGS 14
BIBLE VERSE:
“Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their fathers; each is to die for his own sins” (v. 6)
AMAZIAH – KING OF JUDAH (vs. 1-22)
Amaziah was the son of Joash, king of Judah who succeeded him as king. He was 25 years old when he became king and he reigned in Jerusalem for 29 years. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord but he did not remove the high places. So people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.
Amaziah executed the officials who had murdered his father. But he did not put the sons of the assassins to death. He defeated ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt and captured Sela in battle calling it Joktheel. Amaziah sent messengers to the king of Israel Jehoash with this challenge: “Come meet me face to face” (v. 8). But Jehoash, king of Israel replied: “You have indeed defeated Edom and now you are arrogant. Glory in your victory, but stay at home! Why ask for trouble and cause your own downfall and that of Judah also?” (v.10). Amaziah would not listen, so Jehoash king of Israel attacked. He and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other at Beth Shemesh in Judah. Judah was routed by Israel, and every man fled to his home. Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah and broke down the wall of Jerusalem. He took all the gold and silver and all the articles found in the temple of the Lord and in the treasuries of the royal palace. He also took hostages and returned to Samaria. Jehoash rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria. And Jeroboam II succeeded him as king.
People conspired against Amaziah and he fled to Lachish, but he was killed there. He was buried in Jerusalem in the city of David. Then all the people took Azariah his son who was 16 years old to succeed him as king of Judah. He rebuilt Elah and restored it to Judah.
JEROBOAM II KING OF ISRAEL (vs. 23-29)
Jeroboam II became king of Israel in Samaria and he reigned for 41 years. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord and caused Israel to commit t he sins of Jeroboam. He was the one who restored the boundaries of Israel from Lebo-Hamath to the Sea of Arabah in accordance with the word of t he Lord spoken through his prophet Jonah from Gath Hepher. He also recovered both Damascus and Hamath that belonged to Yaudi. Jeroboam rested with his fathers and Zechariah his son succeeded him as king.
THOUGHTS:
Amaziah, king of Judah started by obeying the Lord and avenging the murder of his father Joash. God gave him great victories on Edom but he brought back the gods of the defeated enemy. This combination of idolatry and pride led him to meddle with Jehoash, the king of Israel that challenge him to a war. Judah was defeated by Israel and the Lord’s treasury emptied. Amaziah became captive to Israel and was lain in a conspiracy.