2Ch 25:1 | KingComments | STEP | Pride comes before the fall. We see this with the next two kings, Amaziah – he reigns from 796-767 BC – and his son Uzziah ( ). Both kings begin good, but end bad, just like Joash. Both kings have great success and come to great power, which goes to their head. Success is the cause of their pride. As a result of their pride there is a lack of trust in the LORD, for the two cannot go together. The conspiracy to which Joash fell prey was against him and not against the royal family. That’s why Amaziah succeeds his father without further ado ( ). He is twenty-five years old when he becomes king. The number of years he has ruled is, as usually happens, told to us right at the beginning. Amaziah has ruled for twenty-nine years. The chronicler also, as he often does, mentions the name of his mother, Jehoaddan, and the place where she comes from, Jerusalem. The life of Amaziah is summarized in one sentence: “He did right in the sight of the LORD, yet not with a whole heart” ( ). In this he resembles his father Joash ( ). The first part of the sentence is positive. That is also said of his father Joash. With Joash it is then said that doing what is right in the eyes of the LORD is limited to the duration of the life of Jehoiada. With Amaziah there is also a limitation, which is that he is not dedicated with all his heart to the LORD (cf. ). The Lord asks for our whole heart. Half or divided hearts lack what is due to Him. He wants us to be all for Him. Amaziah needs some time to get used to his new position ( ). The sudden death of his father brings him suddenly to the throne. He will have watched the actions of the officials and their dealings with his father. Now that he himself is in power, he must learn to deal with them. He seems to have succeeded in getting the kingship firmly in his hands. This will certainly include the study of the law. When he feels strong enough as king, he acts against his father’s murderers and lets them kill. Those murderers are called “his servants”. So he had to tolerate them for some time in his vicinity as his staff. All this time, however, he has not lost sight of the fact that these are his father’s murderers. In their execution, he does not go beyond what the law says ( ). He only executes them because the LORD has commanded in the law of Moses that not the whole family should be cut off, but only the guilty should be killed ( ; ; ). It is also important for us to first reflect on our position as a believer and the responsibilities that go with it. This means we have to concentrate on God’s Word. The knowledge of God’s Word is necessary to make good decisions. When it comes to the condemnation of evil in the church, discipline over public evil has to be executed according to the norm of God’s Word. However, it must also be righteous, in accordance with the seriousness of the offence and applicable only to the person concerned.

‏ 2 Chronicles 25:1

Introduction

Pride comes before the fall. We see this with the next two kings, Amaziah – he reigns from 796-767 BC – and his son Uzziah (2Chr 26:16). Both kings begin good, but end bad, just like Joash. Both kings have great success and come to great power, which goes to their head. Success is the cause of their pride. As a result of their pride there is a lack of trust in the LORD, for the two cannot go together.

Amaziah King of Judah

The conspiracy to which Joash fell prey was against him and not against the royal family. That’s why Amaziah succeeds his father without further ado (2Chr 25:1). He is twenty-five years old when he becomes king. The number of years he has ruled is, as usually happens, told to us right at the beginning. Amaziah has ruled for twenty-nine years. The chronicler also, as he often does, mentions the name of his mother, Jehoaddan, and the place where she comes from, Jerusalem.

The life of Amaziah is summarized in one sentence: “He did right in the sight of the LORD, yet not with a whole heart” (2Chr 25:2). In this he resembles his father Joash (2Kgs 14:3). The first part of the sentence is positive. That is also said of his father Joash. With Joash it is then said that doing what is right in the eyes of the LORD is limited to the duration of the life of Jehoiada. With Amaziah there is also a limitation, which is that he is not dedicated with all his heart to the LORD (cf. 1Chr 29:19). The Lord asks for our whole heart. Half or divided hearts lack what is due to Him. He wants us to be all for Him.

Amaziah needs some time to get used to his new position (2Chr 25:3). The sudden death of his father brings him suddenly to the throne. He will have watched the actions of the officials and their dealings with his father. Now that he himself is in power, he must learn to deal with them. He seems to have succeeded in getting the kingship firmly in his hands. This will certainly include the study of the law.

When he feels strong enough as king, he acts against his father’s murderers and lets them kill. Those murderers are called “his servants”. So he had to tolerate them for some time in his vicinity as his staff. All this time, however, he has not lost sight of the fact that these are his father’s murderers. In their execution, he does not go beyond what the law says (2Chr 25:4). He only executes them because the LORD has commanded in the law of Moses that not the whole family should be cut off, but only the guilty should be killed (Deu 24:16; Jer 31:29-30; Eze 18:19-20).

It is also important for us to first reflect on our position as a believer and the responsibilities that go with it. This means we have to concentrate on God’s Word. The knowledge of God’s Word is necessary to make good decisions. When it comes to the condemnation of evil in the church, discipline over public evil has to be executed according to the norm of God’s Word. However, it must also be righteous, in accordance with the seriousness of the offence and applicable only to the person concerned.