When I read a parallel account like this of the same guy we read about in Kings, I feel like I’m getting Paul Harvey’s “The Rest of the Story.”

The main points in this chapter are the same as 2 Kings 14:

• Amaziah succeeds his father Joash
• He kills his father’s assassins but spares their children
• He went to war with Edom and won
• He picked a fight with Israel and lost
• The army of Israel did great damage to the city and plundered the temple
• Amaziah lived 15 years after the death of Jehoash King of Israel
• He was assassinated in Lachish and his body returned to Jerusalem for burial

But look at the details that were not in the Kings narrative:

• The size of Ahaziah’s impressive army
• Dismissing the mercenary troops from Israel because the prophet warned him
• The number of Edomites killed in the war and the 10,000 shoved off a cliff
• The dismissed mercenary troops raiding and plundering
• Amaziah bringing back the idols of the Edomites and worshiping them
• The prophet chastening him for his idolatry and warning him of his destruction for it

I want to look a little more closely at the words of the prophet.

“But a man of God came to him and said, “Your Majesty, do not hire troops from Israel, for the Lord is not with Israel. He will not help those people of Ephraim! If you let them go with your troops into battle, you will be defeated by the enemy no matter how well you fight. God will overthrow you, for he has the power to help you or to trip you up.”
‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭25‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Reminds me of this:

“Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭127‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We think that having money or a big army or a body guard actually makes a difference.

Silly us.

🪑

⏳💭💭💭💭💭💭💭💭💭💭⌛️

How big we make ourselves and how small our infinite God.

I kind of picture Amaziah like the very selfish Kuzco in the Disney animated gem, “The Emperor’s New Groove.”

Only Amaziah-the-Amazing doesn’t have a happy character arc by the end after spending time as a llama.

The unnamed man of God was trying to help him understand our favorite quote:

“God does not require favorable circumstances.”

We can’t tell if it was the same prophet or a different prophet that brought the second message when Amaziah brought back the idols of Edom and bowed down to them…

“This made the Lord very angry, and he sent a prophet to ask, ‘Why do you turn to gods who could not even save their own people from you?’”
‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭25‬:‭15‬ ‭NLT‬‬

What on earth is he doing? This makes no sense- worshiping the loser.

😏 I have an idea. Maybe Amaziah thought he was thanking those gods for losing.

🤴🏻🙏 “…and thank you for being a pathetic loser so I could win. Amen.”

I have no idea. But whatever his reason, it wasn’t ok.

It shows what a syncretistic culture had developed by this time. In Israel and now Judah they are trying to claim Yahweh as God while also worshiping idols and seeking them for aid or giving them credit for circumstances.

Let’s not trust in the same things that unbelievers do. Have any of their “gods” saved them? I could make a list, but it’s easier to say that their gods are anything other than the LORD. All the things of this world (or outside this world) cannot save. Only the Almighty can.

We don’t bow to any other.