Verses 1-8, “Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a loyal heart. Now it happened, as soon as the kingdom was established for him, that he executed his servants who had murdered his father the king. However he did not execute their children, but did as it is written in the Law in the Book of Moses, where the Lord commanded, saying, 'The fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor shall the children be put to death for their fathers; but a person shall die for his own sin.' Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together and set over them captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, according to their fathers’ houses, throughout all Judah and Benjamin; and he numbered them from twenty years old and above, and found them to be three hundred thousand choice men, able to go to war, who could handle spear and shield. He also hired one hundred thousand mighty men of valor from Israel for one hundred talents of silver. But a man of God came to him, saying, 'O king, do not let the army of Israel go with you, for the Lord is not with Israel— not with any of the children of Ephraim. But if you go, be gone! Be strong in battle! Even so, God shall make you fall before the enemy; for God has power to help and to overthrow.' ”
Amaziah became king after the death of his father Joash. He did what was right...but his heart was not loyal to God. It is possible for people to do the right thing even though their heart is not right. There are plenty of nice unsaved people that do good deeds, but it doesn't necessarily mean that they are saved. This is where it gets confusing for Christians. They find it hard to believe that someone is not saved based on their kindness and generosity toward others. Consider the example of the rich young ruler who came to Jesus asking how one gets saved. He had kept all the commandments concerning fellow man, but that was not enough because his heart still loved money more than God. Our loyalty needs to be to God first, with an undivided heart.
Luke 18:18-27, “...Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ ” And he said, “All these things I have kept from my youth.” So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich. And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” And those who heard it said, “Who then can be saved?” But He said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”
Verses 9-16, “Then Amaziah said to the man of God, 'But what shall we do about the hundred talents which I have given to the troops of Israel?' And the man of God answered, 'The Lord is able to give you much more than this.' So Amaziah discharged the troops that had come to him from Ephraim, to go back home. Therefore their anger was greatly aroused against Judah, and they returned home in great anger. Then Amaziah strengthened himself, and leading his people, he went to the Valley of Salt and killed ten thousand of the people of Seir. Also the children of Judah took captive ten thousand alive, brought them to the top of the rock, and cast them down from the top of the rock, so that they all were dashed in pieces. But as for the soldiers of the army which Amaziah had discharged, so that they would not go with him to battle, they raided the cities of Judah from Samaria to Beth Horon, killed three thousand in them, and took much spoil. Now it was so, after Amaziah came from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the people of Seir, set them up to be his gods, and bowed down before them and burned incense to them. Therefore the anger of the Lord was aroused against Amaziah, and He sent him a prophet who said to him, 'Why have you sought the gods of the people, which could not rescue their own people from your hand?' So it was, as he talked with him, that the king said to him, 'Have we made you the king’s counselor? Cease! Why should you be killed?' Then the prophet ceased, and said, 'I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this and have not heeded my advice.' ”
Amaziah did good in following the law of Moses, by not executing the children of the servants who murdered his father, but then he hired mercenary soldiers from Isreal to take into battle against Edom. God sent a prophet to warn Amaziah, but his big concern was about the money he would lose by being obedient. Are you concerned with what it will cost you personally if you obey God and His Word? If is doesn't cost you anything, than it's not a true sacrifice; and you should know that following Christ will cost you everything! Furthermore, the Lord is able to give you so much more than you ever give up for Him! Luke 14:26-27, 33, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. [...] So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.”
Amaziah did send the mercenary soldiers away, trusting God, and had victory in Seir. But the mercenaries were enraged for being dismissed, and attacked Judah and plundered them instead. This was the consequence of Amaziah's ungodly offer, which shows us that our faithless actions set things into motion that cannot be undone. When Amaziah returned from the battle with the Edomites, he brought along the gods of Seir and set them up to be worshiped, right on the heels of being delivered by God. This angered the Lord that he would put his faith in the gods that were proven ineffective for the Edomites in battle. What has God delivered you from? Make sure that you do not then turn to trust in things that have been proven ineffective, such as self, money, substances, etc. When you do, you will be making God angry, and for good reason.
Verses 17-24, “Now Amaziah king of Judah asked advice and sent to Joash the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, 'Come, let us face one another in battle.' And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, 'The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, “Give your daughter to my son as wife”; and a wild beast that was in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thistle. Indeed you say that you have defeated the Edomites, and your heart is lifted up to boast. Stay at home now; why should you meddle with trouble, that you should fall—you and Judah with you?' But Amaziah would not heed, for it came from God, that He might give them into the hand of their enemies, because they sought the gods of Edom. So Joash king of Israel went out; and he and Amaziah king of Judah faced one another at Beth Shemesh, which belongs to Judah. And Judah was defeated by Israel, and every man fled to his tent. Then Joash the king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, at Beth Shemesh; and he brought him to Jerusalem, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate—four hundred cubits. And he took all the gold and silver, all the articles that were found in the house of God with Obed-Edom, the treasures of the king’s house, and hostages, and returned to Samaria.”
Amaziah may have been puffed up a bit after his victory over Edom, taking too much credit for himself. Now he wanted to attack Isreal, maybe because they had just been plundered by the mercenaries. But despite the warning from the king of Israel, Amaziah persisted in making war against them, and God delivered Judah into their hands as judgement for their gross idolatry. Amaziah was captured and became a prisoner of the king of Israel. God will allow us to have our way when we trust in ourselves over him, and the consequences of having our way teaches us that He is God. We may think we have freedom to choose our own will, but in the end, Amaziah was not free at all. When we obey God and trust in Him, then we are truly free.
Verses 25-28, “Amaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah, lived fifteen years after the death of Joash the son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel. Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, from first to last, indeed are they not written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel? After the time that Amaziah turned away from following the Lord, they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish and killed him there. Then they brought him on horses and buried him with his fathers in the City of Judah.” Amaziah outlived the king of Isreal by fifteen years, but this was not really living. When he was released, his own people turned on him and conspired against him. Amaziah attempted to flee to Lachish, but he was ultimately found and assassinated. You simply cannot outrun God and His punishment of sin.
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