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2 Kings 10-14
Good
and then Bad Kings
Psalm 55:12-23 God Will Save Us From Our Enemies
12.“For it was not an enemy who insulted me, then I could have endured it. Neither was it he who hated me who raised himself up against me, then I would have hidden myself from him.13.But it was you, a man like me, my companion, and my familiar friend.14.We took sweet fellowship together. We walked in God’s house with company.15.Let death come suddenly on them. Let them go down alive into Sheol. For wickedness is in their dwelling, in their midst.16.As for me, I will call on God. Yahweh will save/deliver me.17.Evening, morning, and at noon, I will cry out in distress. He will hear my voice.18.He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me, although there are many who oppose me.19.God, who is enthroned forever, will hear, and answer them. Selah. They never change, who don’t fear God.20.He raises his hands against his friends. He has violated his covenant.21.His mouth was smooth as butter, but his heart was war. His words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords.22.Cast your burden on Yahweh, and he will sustain you. He will never allow the righteous to be moved.23.But you, God, will bring them down into the pit of destruction. Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days, but I will trust in you."
Observation
55:12-23.David reveals that his wicked enemies are former friends, who don't fear God, and have hypocritically violated their covenantal obligations. So David calls out to God for help and deliverance, and justice. He admonishes his hearers to cast their burdens upon the Lord who will sustain them, and destroy their enemies. The righteous will continue to trust in God.
Application
Friends may fail us, but God never will, therefore trust Him to save you and sustain you.
Prayer
God, You are my Helper and Friend; You will never desert me nor be disloyal to me; may I be faithful and loyal to You as I trust You to bring about justice for me. Thanks. Amen.
Proverbs 15:1-5 God Sees and Hears
1.“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.2.The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of fools gush out folly.3.Yahweh's eyes are everywhere, keeping watch on the evil and the good.4.A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but deceit in it crushes the spirit.5.A fool despises his father's correction, but he who heeds reproof shows prudence”Observations
15:1-5.A lot of the Wisdom Literature deals with our speech, which reflects our heart and values, and yields many of our consequences.
15:3.
This verse contains a major component of the Fear of God: being conscious that the God who judges is watching and remembering everything I do and say. That would include the words and actions in verses 1,2,4, and 5.
Application
Listening hard and speaking softly sound good to God.
Prayer
Omniscient Lord, help me remember that You remember. Amen.
2Kings 10-14 Good and then Bad Kings
Jehu does the job for which he was anointed, and extinguishes Ahab's line. Then he walks away from the path of God's continued blessing, confident in his own strength. The Davidic line almost gets extinguished by Jezebel's daughter, but faithful saints save the day. Survivor Joash/Jehoash also starts well, but listens to counsel contrary to truth, and finishes badly, like Jehu. A couple more kings start good and end bad. Some are bad from the start, yet God uses them for His purposes. Elisha doubles Elijah's resurrection record, and departs, leaving a final blessing.
2 Kings 10 Jehu Does His Job but Doesn't Walk Well
1.Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, even the elders, and to those who brought up the sons of Ahab, saying,2."Now as soon as this letter comes to you, since your master’s sons are with you, and there are with you chariots and horses, a fortified city also, and armor.3.Select the best and fittest of your master’s sons, set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house."4.But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, "Behold, the two kings didn’t stand before him! How then shall we stand?"5.He who was over the household, and he who was over the city, the elders also, and those who raised the children, sent to Jehu, saying, "We are your servants, and will do all that you ask us. We will not make any man king. You do that which is good in your eyes."6.Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, "If you are on my side, and if you will listen to my voice, take the heads of your master’s sons, and come to me to Jezreel by tomorrow this time."7.When the letter came to them, that they took the king’s sons, and killed them, even seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him to Jezreel.8.A messenger came, and told him, "They have brought the heads of the king’s sons." He said, "Lay them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until the morning."9.It happened in the morning, that he went out, and stood, and said to all the people, "You are righteous. Behold, I conspired against my master, and killed him; but who struck all these?10.Know now that nothing shall fall to the earth of the word of Yahweh, which Yahweh spoke concerning the house of Ahab. For Yahweh has done that which he spoke by his servant Elijah."11.So Jehu struck all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, with all his great men, his familiar friends, and his priests, until he left none remaining.17.When he came to Samaria, he struck all who remained to Ahab in Samaria, until he had destroyed him, according to the word of Yahweh, which he spoke to Elijah.18.Jehu gathered all the people together, and said to them, "Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu will serve him much.19.Now therefore call to me all the prophets of Baal, all of his worshipers, and all of his priests. Let none be absent; for I have a great sacrifice to Baal. Whoever is absent, he shall not live." But Jehu did it in subtlety, intending that he might destroy the worshipers of Baal.23....Then he said to the worshipers of Baal, "Search, and look that there are here with you none of the servants of Yahweh, but the worshipers of Baal only."24.They went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had appointed him eighty men outside, and said, "If any of the men whom I bring into your hands escape, he who lets him go, his life shall be for the life of him.25.As soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, "Go in, and kill them! Let none escape." They struck them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast them out, and went to the city of the house of Baal.26.They brought out the pillars that were in the house of Baal, and burned them.27.They broke down the pillar of Baal, and broke down the house of Baal, and made it a latrine, to this day.28.Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.29.However from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin, Jehu didn’t depart from after them, the golden calves that were in Bethel, and that were in Dan.30.Yahweh said to Jehu, "Because you have done well in executing that which is right in my eyes, and have done to the house of Ahab according to all that was in my heart, your sons of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel."31.But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of Yahweh, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He didn’t depart from the sins of Jeroboam, with which he made Israel to sin.32.In those days Yahweh began to cut off Israel; and Hazael struck them in all the borders of Israel;.34.Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all that he did, and all his might, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?35.Jehu slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria. Jehoahaz his son reigned in his place.36.The time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.Observations
10:1-11.Following his commission to eliminate the entire house of Ahab as an earned consequence for idolatry, Jehu tells the men of Jezreel to appoint Ahab's best son as king, so Jehu can wage a proper battle against them. They decline, knowing they'll lose, and comply with his order to execute all 70 sons. He then kills all the mighty men of Jezreel, along with Ahab's friends and priests. God condemns Jehu, through the prophet Hosea, overstepping his commission:
Hosea 1:4 "Yahweh said to him, "Call his name Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel on the house of Jehu, and will cause the kingdom of the house of Israel to cease. 5 It will happen in that day that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel 6... for I will no longer have mercy on the house of Israel, that I should in any way pardon them.”
10:17-28.
God had raised up Israel as a nation to judge the idolaters in the land and eliminate Baal worship. Instead of doing what God commanded and being blessed for it as promised, they became like those God was judging and thus became judged themselves. When people fail to fulfill the purpose for which God brought them into existence, they no longer have a reason to exist. So God raised up Jehu to accomplish His purposes, and he did. He tricks the Baal worshipers into gathering so he can execute them without killing any innocent followers of Yahweh.
10:29-36.
For his loyalty, God grants Jehu a four generation dynasty in the northern kingdom of Israel, but they were all bad. Jehu doesn't respond to God's graciousness by walking according to His law, but follows the sin of Jereboam in keeping the golden calf worship centers in Bethel and Dan. This is a failure to trust God to establish his kingdom, because he, like Jereboam didn't want to lose his subjects to the true temple in Judah. This results in Israel sinning, and God begins to cut them off at the hand of Hazael, the other guy Elijah was told to anoint.
Application
God will bring about His promises to bless the obedient, and curse them when they do not fully obey.
Prayer
God, help me follow You fully, trusting You to protect me and my interests, and provide whatever I need to do Your will. Amen.
2 Kings 11 Sole Survivor
1.Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal.2.But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king’s sons who were slain, even him and his nurse, and put them in the bedroom; and they hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not slain;3.He was with her hidden in the house of Yahweh six years. Athaliah reigned over the land.4.In the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the captains over hundreds of the Carites and of the guard, and brought them to him into the house of Yahweh; and he made a covenant with them, and took an oath of them in the house of Yahweh, and showed them the king’s son.5.He commanded them, saying, "This is the thing that you shall do...8.You shall surround the king, every man with his weapons in his hand; and he who comes within the ranks, let him be slain. Be with the king when he goes out, and when he comes in."9.The captains over hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded...10.The priest delivered to the captains over hundreds the spears and shields that had been king David’s, which were in the house of Yahweh.11.The guard stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, along by the altar and the house, around the king.12.Then he brought out the king’s son, and put the crown on him, and gave him the testimony/law; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, "Long live the king!"13.When Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she came to the people into the house of Yahweh:14.and she looked, and behold, the king stood by the pillar, as the tradition was, and the captains and the trumpets by the king; and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her clothes, and cried, "Treason! Treason!"15.Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of hundreds who were set over the army, and said to them, "Bring her out between the ranks. Kill him who follows her with the sword." For the priest said, "Don’t let her be slain in the house of Yahweh."16.So they made way for her; and she went by the way of the horses’ entry to the king’s house. She was slain there.17.Jehoiada made a covenant between Yahweh and the king and the people, that they should be Yahweh’s people; between the king also and the people.18.All the people of the land went to the house of Baal, and broke it down; his altars and his images thoroughly, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. The priest appointed officers over the house of Yahweh.19.He took the captains over hundreds, and the Carites, and the guard, and all the people of the land; and they brought down the king from the house of Yahweh, and came by the way of the gate of the guard to the king’s house. He sat on the throne of the kings.20.So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet. Athaliah they had slain with the sword at the king’s house.21.Jehoash was seven years old when he began to reign.Observations
11:1-3.You need a program to keep track of all the players (or click on the name in a program like the Online Bible or theWord and find the entry in a Bible Dictionary). Athaliah the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, and mother of Ahaziah (who was executed in the last chapter), kills all the Davidic seed (competitors for the throne) and proclaims herself the first and only queen over Judah. Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram and the sister of Ahaziah, saves Joash (the only surviving descendent of David) from the slaughter and hides him in the temple. She and her husband, Jehoiada the priest, raise him to follow Yahweh.
11:4-21.
Jehoiada stages a coup to restore Joash to the throne and Judah to being God's people. He makes a covenant with the king and the people that they will be Yahweh's people. They destroy Baal's altars and images (the task God had given them when they entered the promised land). Things look promising, but not for long.
Application
God keeps His promises to David and Moses through the heroic efforts of those loyal to Him.
Prayer
God, thanks that there are people who will take risks to go against the flow to be faithful to You, may their tribe increase. Amen.
2 Kings 12 Reign, Repair, Repay
1. In the seventh year of Jehu began Jehoash to reign; and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba.2.Jehoash did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh all his days in which Jehoiada the priest instructed him.3.However the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.4.Jehoash said to the priests, "All the money of the holy things that is brought into the house of Yahweh...5.let the priests take it...and they shall repair the breaches of the house"6.But it was so, that in the three and twentieth year of king Jehoash the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house.7.Then king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and for the other priests, and said to them, "Why don’t you repair the breaches of the house? Now therefore take no more money from your treasurers, but deliver it for the breaches of the house."9.But Jehoiada the priest took a chest, and bored a hole in its lid, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one comes into the house of Yahweh: and the priests who kept the threshold put therein all the money that was brought into the house of Yahweh.10.When they saw that there was much money in the chest, the king’s scribe and the high priest came up, and they put up in bags and counted the money11.They gave the money into the hands of those who did the work, who had the oversight of the house of Yahweh: and they paid it out to the carpenters and the builders, who worked on the house of Yahweh,12.and to the masons and the stone cutters, and for buying timber and cut stone to repair the breaches of the house of Yahweh, and for all that was laid out for the house to repair it.13.But there were not made for the house of Yahweh cups of silver, snuffers, basins, trumpets, any vessels of gold, or vessels of silver, of the money that was brought into the house of Yahweh;14.for they gave that to those who did the work, and repaired therewith the house of Yahweh.15.Moreover they didn’t demand an accounting from the men into whose hand they delivered the money to give to those who did the work; for they dealt faithfully.16.The money for the trespass offerings, and the money for the sin offerings, was not brought into the house of Yahweh: it was the priests’.17.Then Hazael king of Syria went up, and fought against Gath, and took it; and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem. 18.Jehoash king of Judah took all the holy things that Jehoshaphat and Jehoram and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own holy things, and all the gold that was found in the treasures of the house of Yahweh, and of the king’s house, and sent it to Hazael king of Syria: and he went away from Jerusalem.19.Now the rest of the acts of Joash/Jehoash, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?20.His servants arose, and made a conspiracy, and struck Joash at the house of Millo, on the way that goes down to Silla.21.For Jozacar the son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants, struck him, and he died; and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David: and Amaziah his son reigned in his place.Observations
12:1-16.Jehoash reigns in Judah and does what is right in God's sight as long as Jehoiada the priest is instructing him. However, he doesn't go far enough to remove the high places where the people engage in sensual worship. Jehoash orders the repair of the temple and follows up until it is done.
12:17-21.
According to 2 Chronicles 24, some time after the temple repairs Jehoiada dies, and Jehoash listens to bad counsel from the civic leaders rather than the priests, and let's Judah slip back into idolatry. God brings the judgment described above, through a smaller enemy force under Hazael. Jehoash forgets the kindness of Jehoiada the priest in rescuing him.
2 Chronicles 24:20 Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, who stood above the people, and said to them, "Thus says God: 'Why do you transgress the commandments of the LORD, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the LORD, He also has forsaken you.' "21 So they conspired against him, and at the command of the king they stoned him with stones in the court of the house of the LORD. 22 Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but killed his son; and as he died, he said, "The LORD look on it, and repay!"
God repays Jehoash/Joash (short form) according to the dying words of Zechariah.
Application
A good start doesn't guarantee a good finish, especially if we listen to bad advice.
Prayer
God, it seems so simple to do Your will and prosper; don't let me get dissuaded or persuaded to do otherwise. Amen.
2 Kings 13 Sticks and Bones
1.In the three and twentieth year of Joash the son of Ahaziah, king of Judah, Jehoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria for seventeen years.2.He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and followed the sins of Jeroboam, with which he made Israel to sin; he didn’t depart from it.3.The anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand of Benhadad (III) the son of Hazael, continually.4.Jehoahaz begged Yahweh, and Yahweh listened to him; for he saw the oppression of Israel, how that the king of Syria oppressed them.5.(Yahweh gave Israel a savior, so that they went out from under the hand of the Syrians; and the children of Israel lived in their tents as before.6.Nevertheless they didn’t depart from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, with which he made Israel to sin, but walked therein: and there remained the Asherah also in Samaria.)7.For he didn’t leave to Jehoahaz of the people any more than fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen; for the king of Syria destroyed them, and made them like the dust in threshing.8.Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, and all that he did, and his might, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?9.Jehoahaz slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria: and Joash his son reigned in his place.10.In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah, Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz began to reign over Israel in Samaria for sixteen years.11.He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh; he didn’t depart from all the sins of Jeroboam, with which he made Israel to sin; but he walked therein.12.Now the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, and his might with which he fought against Amaziah king of Judah, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?13.Joash slept with his fathers; and Jeroboam sat on his throne: and Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.14.Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness of which he died: and Joash the king of Israel came down to him, and wept over him, and said, "My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!"15.Elisha said to him, "Take bow and arrows"; and he took to him bow and arrows.16.He said to the king of Israel, "Put your hand on the bow"; and he put his hand on it. Elisha laid his hands on the king’s hands.17.He said, "Open the window eastward"; and he opened it. Then Elisha said, "Shoot!" and he shot. He said, "Yahweh’s arrow of victory, even the arrow of victory over Syria; for you shall strike the Syrians in Aphek, until you have consumed them."18.He said, "Take the arrows"; and he took them. He said to the king of Israel, "Strike/shoot the ground"; and he struck/shot three times, and stopped.19.The man of God was angry with him, and said, "You should have struck five or six times. Then you would have struck Syria until you had consumed it, whereas now you shall strike Syria just three times."20.Elisha died, and they buried him. Now the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year.21.It happened, as they were burying a man, that behold, they spied a band; and they cast the man into the tomb of Elisha: and as soon as the man touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet.22.Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz.23.But Yahweh was gracious to them, and had compassion on them, and had respect to them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his presence as yet.24.Hazael king of Syria died; and Benhadad his son reigned in his place.25.Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took again out of the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael the cities which he had taken out of the hand of Jehoahaz his father by war. Joash struck him three times, and recovered the cities of Israel.Observations
13:1-9.Jehu's son Jehoahaz becomes king in Israel, gets needy, seeks God, things get better, he forgets God, things get bad and he dies. He leaves a son Joash/Jehoash (just like the sole survivor in Judah) to make things confusing.
13:10-13.
Joash, Jehu's grandson (and son of Jehoahaz in 13:1-9), has a summary comment made about his reign: he doesn't depart from the sins of Jereboam (which meant he kept the worship going at Bethel and Dan, causing Israel to continue to sin). He names his son Jereboam.
13:14-19.
A specific incident from Joash of Israel's reign, summarized above, is related. Elisha is dying, and Joash weeps over him. Elisha has him act out one last prophesy, they shoot an arrow and Elisha explains the significance, victory over the Syrians. Then Elisha tells him to shoot/strike the ground. Even knowing the significance, Joash stops after three times, resulting in only partial victory. A failure of both obedience and faith.
13:20-25.
Elisha dies, and as a final miracle, he doubles Elijah's resurrection record. Contact with his bones revives a dead man. Perhaps a message was intended that if Israel kept in touch with Elisha's message, they would be revived, but it didn't happen. God demonstrates grace and compassion (because of His covenant with Abe, Isaac, and Jacob) in not yet casting them from His presence even though their rebellion warrants it.
Application
God will use imperfect people to bring about good things if they would just seek to do what He's told them too. The more they obey, the more He can bless.
Prayer
God, You are my God, I will seek You every morning, and learn to walk in Your ways, and I will follow You all of my days. Amen.
2 Kings 14 Saved, but Still Sinning
1.In the second year of Joash son of Joahaz king of Israel Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah began to reign.2.He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Jehoaddin of Jerusalem.3.He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, yet not like David his father: he did according to all that Joash his father had done4.However the high places were not taken away: the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places5.It happened, as soon as the kingdom was established in his hand, that he killed his servants who had slain the king his father:6.but the children of the murderers he didn’t put to death; according to that which is written in the book of the law of Moses, as Yahweh 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 die for his own sin."7.He killed 10,000 of Edom in the Valley of Salt and took Sela by war, and called its name Joktheel, to this day.8.Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, "Come, let us look one another in the face."9.Jehoash the 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. Then a wild animal that was in Lebanon passed by, and trampled down the thistle.10.You have indeed struck Edom, and your heart has lifted you up. Enjoy the glory of it, and stay at home; for why should you meddle to your harm, that you should fall, even you, and Judah with you?’"11.But Amaziah would not listen. So Jehoash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face at Beth Shemesh, which belongs to Judah.12.Judah was defeated by Israel; and they fled every man to his tent.13.Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Beth Shemesh, and came to Jerusalem, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundred cubits.14.He took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of Yahweh, and in the treasures of the king’s house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria.15.Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash which he did, and his might, and how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?16.Jehoash slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; and Jeroboam his son reigned in his place.17.Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years.18.Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?19.They made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem; and he fled to Lachish: but they sent after him to Lachish, and killed him there.20.They brought him on horses; and he was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in the city of David.21.All the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the place of his father Amaziah.22.He built Elath, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers.23.In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah, Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria for forty-one years.24.He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh: he didn’t depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin.25.He restored the border of Israel from the entrance of Hamath to the sea of the Arabah, according to the word of Yahweh, the God of Israel, which he spoke by his servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet, who was of Gath Hepher.26.For Yahweh saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter; for there was none shut up nor left at large, neither was there any helper for Israel.27.Yahweh didn’t say that he would blot out the name of Israel from under the sky; but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash.28.Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did, and his might, how he warred, and how he recovered Damascus, and Hamath, which had belonged to Judah, for Israel, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?29.Jeroboam slept with his fathers, even with the kings of Israel; and Zechariah his son reigned in his place.Observations
14:1-7.Amaziah (the one from Judah, not the one from Israel) starts out like his father Joash (the one from Judah, not the one from Israel) and does what's right in Yahweh's sight, but not completely (just like dad). He refrains from killing the children of his father's murders because he is following the Mosaic law. He doesn't destroy the high places so pagan worship continues on a more personal level. He is victorious over Edom, and then wants to take on Israel. 2 Chronicles 25 tells us why:
2 Chronicles 25:14 "After Amaziah had 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 to them. 15 Therefore the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Amaziah, and he sent to him a prophet, who said to him, "Why have you sought after the gods of the people, which have not delivered their own people out of your hand?" 16 It happened, as he talked with him, that the king said to him, "Have we made you one of the king’s counselors? Stop! Why should you be struck down?" Then the prophet stopped, and said, "I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this, and have not listened to my counsel."
14:8-22.
So God uses Amaziah's prideful over confidence to have him challenge Joash (the one from Israel). Amaziah doesn't listen to Joash's warning (nor the prophets) and loses not just the battle, but the treasury at Jerusalem, and his own life at the hands of his own people.
14:23-29.
Back north, Jereboam walks after his namesake, but nevertheless, God uses him to relieve the self-inflicted misery of His people, but it doesn't make any difference. They still don't seek His will.
Application
If we seek God's will, faithfully trust Him in doing it, then we avoid all kinds of unpleasant consequences.
Prayer
God, help me learn from the lessons of history, so I don't repeat the same mistakes; or if that's too much to ask, help me learn from my own mistakes. Amen.
Digging Deeper
God in a nutshell: God raises up individuals and gives them an opportunity to do His will and experience blessing if they obey. If they don't do His will, or fail to be faithful, He raises up another individual (even bad ones) to discipline the first offenders. Then He deals with the bad guys. He carries out His promises to David, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in caring for their descendants as promised, and disciplining as promised. God will totally destroy those who lead others astray, yet will show compassion to His people even as they are experiencing the consequences of their sins. His compassion does not undo their consequences, but can mitigate or postpone them. He often uses our natural desires to bring us to a place of payback and punishment, but sometimes brings the consequences to us as we're seeking to avoid them.Us in a nutshell: When we obey God, we prosper. When we rebelliously or carelessly disobey, we get disciplined, and in some cases destroyed. We can misuse the power God gives us if we are not sensitive to His will, and thus bring destruction upon ourselves. We can fall from privileged position into punishment. People who know what God has revealed can bless others, but need to look to God for payback, since most folks aren't thankful to God, much less to those who have helped them.