Just Going Through The Motions

Jehoash or Joash had been a popular king but when he turned away from the Lord, it led to defeats by the Syrians and economic hardship, and eventually he murdered by some of his servants.  The people made his som amaziah king in his place, as we see in II Kings 14:1-2.  “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.”

Like a lot of people who have grown up in Christian homes, Amaziah did what was right, not from a sense of dedication to God, but because it was customary, as II Chronicles 25:2 tells us.  “And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart.”  II Kings 14:3-4 explains, “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.”   Joash had served the Lord as long as Jehoiada was there to tell him what was right, but had no deep commitment to go himself.  Amaziah was the same way, tolerating and overlooking practices God had forbidden. 

One of his first acts as king was to execute the men who had murdered his father, and in doing this, amaziah followed the Lord’s law, as II Kings 14:5-6 describes.  “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.”

The Syrians had taken Joash’s efforts to appease them as a sign of weakness and had invaded and defeated Judah.  To prevent that happening again, and to regain control of Edom,  Amaziah greatly enlarged his military force, even hiring a la large force of mercenaries from Israel, according to II Chronicles 25:5-6.  “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.”

While it seemed like a logical thing to do, Jeremiah 17:5 warns, “Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.”  God sent a prophet to warn Amaziah he would be killed if he hired the Israelite mercenaries, in II Chronicles 25:7-8.  “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.”

 Amaziah was concerned about how much he had paid to hire the mercenaries, but the prophet told him God could take care of his loss, in II Chronicles 25:9-10.  “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.  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.”

Although it angered the mercenaries, Amaziah sent them back home, taking only his own forces against the Edomites, in II Chronicles 25:11-12.  “And Amaziah strengthened himself, and led forth his people, and went to the valley of salt, and smote of the children of Seir ten thousand.  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.”  He was able to subdue the edomites, killing many of the forces from Seir and the area south of the dead Sea, and seizing the Citty of Selah as II Kings 14:7 describes.  “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.”

The problem with hiring mercenaries is that they have little loyalty to their employers.  Learning that Amaziah was fighting the Edomites, the Israelite Mercenaries attacked the northern most areas of Judah, robbing and killing three thousand people, according to II Chronicles 25:13.  “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.”

When he returned from fighting the Edomites, Amaziah brought back some of their idols, setting them in Judah to be worshipped.  This angered the Lord, who sent a prophet to question him about his sin.  Instead of repenting, Amaziah threatened to kill the prophet, as II Chronicles 25:14-16 tells us.  “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.

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.”