Thursday, September 26, 2013

Amaziah Defeats Edom

II Kings 14:1-7

“In the second year of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel reigned Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah.  He was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.  And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, yet not like David his father: he did according to all things as Joash his father did. 

Howbeit the high places were not taken away: as yet the people did sacrifice and burnt incense on the high places.  And it came to pass, as soon as the kingdom was confirmed in his hand, that he slew his servants which had slain the king his father.  But the children of the murderers he slew not: according unto that which is written in the book of the law of Moses, wherein the LORD commanded, saying, The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children be put to death for the fathers; but every man shall be put to death for his own sin.” (II Kings 14:1-6)

About two or two and a half years after Joash or Jehoash became king of Israel, Joash king of Judah was murdered and Amaziah ascended the throne.  Like his father Joash, he started out to serve God, but he didn’t have Jehoiada to guide him.  After Jehoiada’s death, Joash had gone along with the worship of nature along with the worship of God, and Amaziah allowed it to continue.  Once he was in control, he had the murderers of his father executed, but followed the law in not executing their children.

 “Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together, and made them captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, according to the houses of their fathers, throughout all Judah and Benjamin: and he numbered them from twenty years old and above, and found them three hundred thousand choice men, able to go forth to war, that could handle spear and shield.” 

He hired also an hundred thousand mighty men of valour out of Israel for an hundred talents of silver.” (II Chronicles 25:5-6)

The Edomites, Esau’s descendants from the area south of the Dead Sea were constantly raiding Judah,  Amaziah raised an army of three hundred thousand experienced  men to go and destroy them.  Fearing he didn’t have enough he also hired a hundred thousand mercenaries from Israel for a hundred talents of silver.

“But there came a man of God to him, saying, O king, let not the army of Israel go with thee; for the LORD is not with Israel, to wit, with all the children of Ephraim.  But if thou wilt go, do it, be strong for the battle: God shall make thee fall before the enemy: for God hath power to help, and to cast down. 

And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel? 

And the man of God answered, The LORD is able to give thee much more than this.” (II Chronicles 25:7-9)

Since the time of Jeroboam, Israel had been practicing a corrupted copy of the Jewish religion, rather than following God’s commands and God was angry at their sin.   Several of Judah’s kings had gotten in trouble for associating with the Kings of Israel.

God sent a prophet to warn Amaziah that if the Israelite soldiers were allowed to accompany them, Judah would be defeated and Amaziah killed.  Amaziah was worried that they would not be able to get the money he had spent to hire them back, but the prophet reminded him God was able to give far more than he would lose.

“Then Amaziah separated them, to wit, the army that was come to him out of Ephraim, to go home again: wherefore their anger was greatly kindled against Judah, and they returned home in great anger.” (II Chronicles 25:10) 

Taking God’s advice, Amaziah sent the mercenaries home.  They were very angry that they would not have the opportunity to gain the spoils of war even though they had already been paid but as it turned out their help was not needed.

“He slew of Edom in the valley of salt ten thousand, and took Selah by war, and called the name of it Joktheel unto this day.” (II Kings 14:7) 

“And other ten thousand left alive did the children of Judah carry away captive, and brought them unto the top of the rock, and cast them down from the top of the rock, that they all were broken in pieces.” (II Chronicles25:12)

Amaziah killed ten thousand in the battle to capture Selah or Seir, the Edomite capitol.  Ten thousand more were captured and executed by throwing them off a nearby cliff.

“But the soldiers of the army which Amaziah sent back, that they should not go with him to battle, fell upon the cities of Judah, from Samaria even unto Bethhoron, and smote three thousand of them, and took much spoil.” (II Chronicles 25:13)

The Israelite mercenaries were already organized and prepared to fight.  Angry that Amaziah had sent them home, attacked cities along the border between Judah and Israel, killing three thousand people and stealing everything they could carry.

Many Christian groups have joined with secular organizations to accomplish some special purpose, ignoring II Corinthians 6:14, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?”  The alliance has often resulted in great harm to the Christian group, even when it was realized they could not continue to work together.

“Now it came to pass, after that Amaziah was come from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense unto them.” (II Chronicles 25:14) 

Having soundly defeated the Edomites, Amaziah brought home their idols home and adopted their religion in place of worshipping God!  Why?  Obviously, the Edomite gods hadn’t delivered Edom from Judah.

“Wherefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Amaziah, and he sent unto him a prophet, which said unto him, Why hast thou sought after the gods of the people, which could not deliver their own people out of thine hand? 

And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that the king said unto him, Art thou made of the king's counsel? forbear; why shouldest thou be smitten? 

Then the prophet forbare, and said, I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel.” (II Chronicles 25:15-16)

God was angry at Amaziah and sent a prophet to ask him why he would trade God for a bunch of idols that couldn’t even save their own people from Amaziah.  Amaziah told the prophet he hadn’t been asked what he thought  and that he would be killed if he kept questioning his decision.

The prophet said that God was going to destroy Amaziah because of his sin in choosing to worship idols and his refusal to listen to God’s advice.

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