2 Chronicles 25

< Back to 2 Chronicles Index


TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

King Amaziah of Judah

BACKGROUND NOTES



DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

  1. Partial obedience results in judgment and loss.

  2. Preposterous idolatry results in judgment and loss.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

  1. Remember, the Lord has much more to give you than this!

QUESTIONS

  1. How do we know that King Amaziah only practiced partial obedience to the Lord?

  2. List some of the right acts of Amaziah.

  3. What additional insight does 2 Kings 14:3-4 give us into Amaziah's partial obedience?

  4. What preposterous act did Amaziah perform after slaughtering the Edomites?

  5. Amaziah's heart was lifted up with pride because of his victory over the Edomites. What was his next foolish act?

ANSWERS

  1. 2 Chronicles 25:2 tells us "he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a loyal heart."

  2. -He maintained the Temple of the Lord and did not allow worship of foreign gods in the Temple area. -He did not execute the children of his father's murderers (see Deuteronomy 24:16). -He listened to the Lord and did not rely on mercenary soldiers to fight the Edomites.

  3. Amaziah may not have allowed idolatry in the Temple area, but he did allow it outside of Jerusalem. Sacrificing even to the Lord outside of the Temple area was not allowed under the Law. In fact, Amaziah stooped to practice idolatry himself.

  4. Amaziah took some of the idols from the Edomites and set them up, probably with the idea of appeasing the gods of the Edomites. It was ridiculous to honor the gods that were helpless against your God - the one true God of Judah.

  5. He challenged the northern kingdom of Israel to war. This ended in defeat and humiliation when Amaziah was paraded as a captive in his own capital city.

DISCUSS/CONSIDER

  1. Partial obedience results in judgment and loss. Recall the most recently time you partially obeyed, rather than fully following the Lord. What did you think the result would be? What was the result?

  2. When Amaziah's heart was lifted up with pride because of his victory over the Edomites, he foolishly challenged the northern kingdom of Israel to war. Why are victories often followed by foolish choices? What can you learn from Proverbs 16:18?

CHALLENGE

  1. When Amaziah was told by the prophet of God to release the mercenary soldiers, he asked about all the silver he had paid out (7,500 pounds!) The prophet replied "The Lord is able to give you much more than this." Don't ever let money get in your way of doing what is right.

KEY VERSES

  • "And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a loyal heart." 2 Chronicles 25:2

  • "Why have you sought the gods of the people, which could not rescue their own people from your hand?" 2 Chronicles 25:15

2 Chronicles, Old Testament, TalksRon Reid2 Chronicles 25