The King Who told a Prophet to be Quiet

17 May 2020 PM – 2 Chronicles 25 – Kings20 – Scott Childs

Welcome to our Sunday evening online church service.

Prayer

Introduction: When someone tries to give us advice that we do not want to hear, there is a great temptation to tell him or her to be quiet. That is often not the wise thing to do, especially if the person is an authority over us.

King Amaziah, son of Joash, found himself in that very situation. He foolishly began to worship false gods of the Edomites he had just conquered. God’s prophet rebuked him for this. Instead of listening to God’s Word, he told the prophet to be quiet. That was not at all wise!

Transition: Amaziah king of Judah started good but ended badly. His life is another warning that we must stay true to God and not yield to temptations.

Amaziah Started Good

a. He did right but not with a perfect heart (v.2)

1) Amaziah began to reign when he was just 25 years old (v.1). God allowed him to reign 29 years in Judah.

2) God commended him for doing right (v.2).

a) Perhaps he did right in his youth because of a godly upbringing.

b) His father Joash feared God for much of his reign while Amaziah was a boy.

c) Amaziah’s mother’s name is Jehoaddan meaning, “Jehovah delights” suggesting that she was a God-fearing mother.

d) The formative years of a child’s life are critical times to give him or her a solid spiritual foundation. Parents, make this a priority!

3) Though he did right in God’s sight, God states that it was not with a perfect heart. He did right mechanically. He did right out of habit but not from his heart. Reaching a child’s heart is MUCH more difficult than cultivating habits. God addresses the “heart” in 130 verses in the Psalms and 82 verses in the Proverbs. Parents, I challenge you to study verses on the heart and seek to reach your child’s heart. Passionately live an example and say as did Solomon, (Proverbs 23:26) “My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.“

4) He rightly obeyed God’s command in Deut 24:16 when he put to death those who killed his father (v.3-4).

5) Though he did right, he did not remove the high places where the people worshipped (2Ki 14:4).

a) High places were high hills where pagans worshipped their idol gods.

b) God’s people sometimes worshipped Him on high places; however, high place worship was a compromise that often led them back into worshipping idols on those same high places.

b. He started to slip, but then obeyed the Lord (v.6-11)

1) Preparing for war with Edom, he numbered his army, and then evidently feeling it was inadequate, he hired 100,000 soldiers from Israel. Remember, Israel was not walking with God. They worshipped the golden calves.

2) God sent a man of God to him with a rebuke (v.7).

3) He was concerned about the 100 talents of silver that he had already paid Israel. Note the man of God’s reply (v.9).

4) When we obey God and do right, God is able to meet our needs abundantly. (Matthew 6:33) “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” We must not forget this.

5) Amaziah wisely obeyed God and sent the Israeli soldiers home. They revealed their character when they left.

a) They left in great anger (v.10).

b) They even fought against cities of Judah, killing 3,000 and robbing their spoil (v.13).

6) Because Amaziah obeyed God, God gave him a great victory over Edom (v.11).

7) When you do wrong and someone rebukes you, the wise response is humbly to turn from your wrong and do right. This applies as much to children as it does to adults.

2. Amaziah Ended Badly

a. He brought home Edomite gods

1) After defeating Edom, he brought home the gods that were not able to help Edom (v.14). He set them up, bowed down to them, and worshipped them.

2) What is this? How could he do that? God had just given him victory! He had just defeated the Edomites.

a) People do not FALL suddenly into sin; they gradually slide into sin. They float down the river of carnality for some time gaining speed as they near the waterfall of sin before they plunged over it.

b) Amaziah’s heart was not perfect. His devotion to God was more mechanical than passionate. He became spiritually careless.

3) Beware! Sin will do the same to you if you do not keep your heart perfect before the Lord. Check your heart. Is your heart perfect before God or are you just floating carnally toward the waterfall? If so, do not be a fool. Repent and get out of the carnal flow before it is too late.

4) God mercifully sent him a prophet who rebuked him (v.15). To this, he foolishly told the prophet to forbare (i.e., be quit) or he would have him beaten (v.16). The prophet added one last word of doom before being quiet.

b. Amaziah then followed bad council (v.17-24)

1) Amaziah followed advice from ungodly men (not from God) to go to war with Israel (v.17). It is seldom wise to seek advice from ungodly people, especially if you do not seek God’s advice or it is against God’s Word.

2) Joash king of Israel ^{(another king with the same name as one of Judah, do not get confused)} gave him a parable telling him not to attack Israel (v.18-19).

3) Amaziah would not hear because God had turned against him for worshipping the gods of Edom (v.20).

a) Israel defeated Amaziah in battle (v.22).

b) Israel broke down a large portion of Jerusalem’s wall (v.23).

c) Israel also took much gold and silver from Judah (v.24).

d) Israel also took hostages back to Samaria (v.24).

4) Amaziah’s actions turned his people against him.

5) Evidently, he lived the last 15 years of his 29-year reign in shame and discord with his people (v.25).

a) Some think that he remained a captive in Israel until the death of Joash, but that is not certain.

b) His own people disliked him because of the battle with Israel that hurt them so badly.

c) God was against him because he had turned away from following the Lord (v.27)

d) Finally, his own people conspired against him and he fled to Lachish (v.27). “The important town of Lachish was located in the mountain pass that led from Hebron down to the Mediterranean coast.” ^{Bridgeway Bible Dictionary}

e) Men went to Lachish and killed him there, carried him back to Jerusalem, and buried him (v.28).

Conclusion: Amaziah was a man whom God said that he did right in His sight though it was not with a perfect heart. He started right but ended wrong. Do not follow his example. Instead, keep your heart perfect with the Lord. Seek to cultivate a perfect heart in your children as well. Humbly repent when you are rebuked for sin. If you are carnally floating towards the waterfall of sin, change directions. Get right with God. When needing advice, seek God’s counsel not that of the ungodly.

Let Amaziah’s life be a warning to you.

Pray

The King Who told a Prophet to be Quiet

17 May 2020 PM – 2 Chronicles 25 – Kings20 – Scott Childs

Welcome to our Sunday evening online church service.

Prayer

Introduction: When someone tries to give us advice that we do not want to hear, there is a great temptation to tell him or her to be quiet. That is often not the wise thing to do, especially if the person is an authority over us.

King Amaziah, son of Joash, found himself in that very situation. He foolishly began to worship false gods of the Edomites he had just conquered. God’s prophet rebuked him for this. Instead of listening to God’s Word, he told the prophet to be quiet. That was not at all wise!

Transition: Amaziah king of Judah started good but ended badly. His life is another warning that we must stay true to God and not yield to temptations.

Amaziah Started Good

a. He did right but not with a perfect heart (v.2)

1) Amaziah began to reign when he was just 25 years old (v.1). God allowed him to reign 29 years in Judah.

2) God commended him for doing right (v.2).

a) Perhaps he did right in his youth because of a godly upbringing.

b) His father Joash feared God for much of his reign while Amaziah was a boy.

c) Amaziah’s mother’s name is Jehoaddan meaning, “Jehovah delights” suggesting that she was a God-fearing mother.

d) The formative years of a child’s life are critical times to give him or her a solid spiritual foundation. Parents, make this a priority!

4) He rightly obeyed God’s command in Deut 24:16 when he put to death those who killed his father (v.3-4).

5) Though he did right, he did not remove the high places where the people worshipped (2Ki 14:4).

a) High places were high hills where pagans worshipped their idol gods.

b) God’s people sometimes worshipped Him on high places; however, high place worship was a compromise that often led them back into worshipping idols on those same high places.

b. He started to slip, but then obeyed the Lord (v.6-11)

1) Preparing for war with Edom, he numbered his army, and then evidently feeling it was inadequate, he hired 100,000 soldiers from Israel. Remember, Israel was not walking with God. They worshipped the golden calves.

2) God sent a man of God to him with a rebuke (v.7).

3) He was concerned about the 100 talents of silver that he had already paid Israel. Note the man of God’s reply (v.9).

4) When we obey God and do right, God is able to meet our needs abundantly. (Matthew 6:33) “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” We must not forget this.

5) Amaziah wisely obeyed God and sent the Israeli soldiers home. They revealed their character when they left.

a) They left in great anger (v.10).

b) They even fought against cities of Judah, killing 3,000 and robbing their spoil (v.13).

6) Because Amaziah obeyed God, God gave him a great victory over Edom (v.11).

7) When you do wrong and someone rebukes you, the wise response is humbly to turn from your wrong and do right. This applies as much to children as it does to adults.

2. Amaziah Ended Badly

a. He brought home Edomite gods

1) After defeating Edom, he brought home the gods that were not able to help Edom (v.14). He set them up, bowed down to them, and worshipped them.

2) What is this? How could he do that? God had just given him victory! He had just defeated the Edomites.

a) People do not FALL suddenly into sin; they gradually slide into sin. They float down the river of carnality for some time gaining speed as they near the waterfall of sin before they plunged over it.

b) Amaziah’s heart was not perfect. His devotion to God was more mechanical than passionate. He became spiritually careless.

3) Beware! Sin will do the same to you if you do not keep your heart perfect before the Lord. Check your heart. Is your heart perfect before God or are you just floating carnally toward the waterfall? If so, do not be a fool. Repent and get out of the carnal flow before it is too late.

4) God mercifully sent him a prophet who rebuked him (v.15). To this, he foolishly told the prophet to forbare (i.e., be quit) or he would have him beaten (v.16). The prophet added one last word of doom before being quiet.

b. Amaziah then followed bad council (v.17-24)

1) Amaziah followed advice from ungodly men (not from God) to go to war with Israel (v.17). It is seldom wise to seek advice from ungodly people, especially if you do not seek God’s advice or it is against God’s Word.

2) Joash king of Israel (another king with the same name as one of Judah, do not get confused) gave him a parable telling him not to attack Israel (v.18-19).

3) Amaziah would not hear because God had turned against him for worshipping the gods of Edom (v.20).

a) Israel defeated Amaziah in battle (v.22).

b) Israel broke down a large portion of Jerusalem’s wall (v.23).

c) Israel also took much gold and silver from Judah (v.24).

d) Israel also took hostages back to Samaria (v.24).

4) Amaziah’s actions turned his people against him.

5) Evidently, he lived the last 15 years of his 29-year reign in shame and discord with his people (v.25).

a) Some think that he remained a captive in Israel until the death of Joash, but that is not certain.

b) His own people disliked him because of the battle with Israel that hurt them so badly.

c) God was against him because he had turned away from following the Lord (v.27)

d) Finally, his own people conspired against him and he fled to Lachish (v.27). “The important town of Lachish was located in the mountain pass that led from Hebron down to the Mediterranean coast.” Bridgeway Bible Dictionary

e) Men went to Lachish and killed him there, carried him back to Jerusalem, and buried him (v.28).

Let Amaziah’s life be a warning to you.

Pray

2) Joash king of Israel ^{(another king with the same name as one of Judah, do not get confused)} gave him a parable telling him not to attack Israel (v.18-19).

d) Finally, his own people conspired against him and he fled to Lachish (v.27). “The important town of Lachish was located in the mountain pass that led from Hebron down to the Mediterranean coast.” ^{Bridgeway Bible Dictionary}