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Amaziah, the son of Joash,
reigned now in Judah. The first thing he did was to kill the
servants who had killed his father. And this was right, for they
were wicked murderers, and the Bible tells us, that murderers must be put
to death. Then Amaziah gathered together a large army from Judah,
and hired some men of Israel to help him to fight against his
enemies. But a prophet came to Amaziah, and said, "Let not the
army of Israel go with thee; for God is not among them: and, if they
go, He will make thee fall; for He has power to help, and to cast
down." Then Amaziah said, "I have hired the men of Israel,
and paid them; what shall I do for the money?" Amaziah loved
money too much. Money can do us no good without God's blessing, we
need not care for money. The prophet told Amaziah this. He
said, "The Lord is able to give thee much more than that
money." So the king obeyed, and sent away the army of
Israel. The Israelites were very angry; but God's blessing was upon
Judah, and therefore they had no need to fear Israel's anger. Amaziah
smote the Edomites, and took away their idols, and brought them to
Jerusalem; but there he bowed down to these new gods, and worshiped
them. God had given him power to conquer his enemies; yet he showed
no gratitude, no love to God, for all His mercies. The prophet came
to Amaziah to warn him about his sins. He said, "Why hast thou
sought these new gods? Can they deliver thee? Can they save
thee?" But Amaziah had grown so wicked, that he did not like to
be reproved; and he was angry with the prophet who spoke to him.
When the prophet saw that Amaziah did not like reproof, he said no more;
but one thing he told him, as he was going away, and a very fearful thing
it was. He said, "I know that God will destroy thee, because
thou hast done this, and not hearkened to my reproof." If
Amaziah had attended humbly to the prophet, he might have been saved; but
now it was too late. Solomon says, "He that being often
reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that
without remedy." Proverbs 29:1. Learn to attend to
the reproof of wise and kind friends, and to be thankful for it.
"He that heareth reproof, getteth understanding." Proverbs
15:32. Soon after this,
Amaziah sent to the king of Israel, and told him he wished to fight with
him. Jehoash was now king of Israel; he was son of Jehoahaz, and
grandson of Jehu. Israel's army was stronger than Judah's.
Jehoash knew this, and advised Amaziah not to come to a battle. He
said, "Abide quietly at home; why wilt thou come and fall in the
battle; thou and Judah with thee?" This was wise advice; but
Amaziah was so obstinate and self-willed, that he attended no more to the
advice of Jehoash, than he had to the reproof of the prophet. God
had left Amaziah to himself; for this foolish king had forsaken God; he
would have his own way, and now, it was bringing him to destruction.
Jehoash soon conquered Amaziah; and then went to Jerusalem, and broke down
the walls, and took away the gold and silver from the temple, and from the
king's house, and carried all to Samaria. Thus Amaziah suffered for
his self-will; but all his sorrows and sufferings did not make him repent;
he still lived in forgetfulness of God, attending to his own pleasures and
will, and not doing the will of God. At last, his people made a
conspiracy against him, and Amaziah was slain. See how dangerous it
is to forsake God, and to choose our own ways, and not His ways!
Pride and self-will brought destruction upon Amaziah. Learn then,
from him, to be humble, and willing to attend to advice and reproof.
Our own way must end in destruction. It may please us for a little
time, but it will never take us to Heaven. "There is a way
which seemeth right to a man, but the end thereof are the ways of
death." Proverbs 16:25.
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