Another tragic chapter in the life of God’s people. Another king sitting on the throne of David walks away from the Lord to serve other gods!
It is as if God is giving readers of Chronicles a long lesson in all the things in life that can draw and push us away from faithfulness.
Amaziah certainly is a strange case. He begins to worship and serve the gods of a people he just defeated in battle. I mean, go figure? Human beings are a strange lot. The Lord even sends a prophet to confront him with this reality. The anger of the LORD burned against Amaziah, and he sent a prophet to him, who said, “Why do you consult this people’s gods, which could not save their own people from your hand?” (15). Amaziah, enamored with his new ‘god’, threatens to kill the prophet if he keeps speaking. Wow, Amaziah has certainly converted away from the Lord!
I can at least understand the impulse to follow the god of a victorious army, but to follow the god of an annihilated army. This one baffles me.
The human heart beats in strange rhythms.
Again today, my take-a-way is to sit and examine my heart. Are there things, issues, responses, inclinations that are drawing me away from the Lord… even ones that ‘defy’ logic?
What woos my heart, for their lies spiritual danger? Only regular confession and self examination, plumbing myself against the pure and perfect Word of God, can put up an adequate defense against the wiles of the enemy.
This message, Lord, comes through loud and clear.
Father, search me. Search me to the depth of my being. Root out sin in all its forms. Call me to purity and holiness and pour out Your Spirit that I might have His empowerment to defeat the sin within me and live solely for You. I Pray this Jesus’ in Your name. Amen
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