The Reigns of Amaziah and Jeroboam

INTRODUCTION: Amaziah gave to the Lord a mixed level of devotion. In turn, he received a mixed level of blessing. God wants our whole heart. He is not willing to share the throne with other gods.

1. THE BEGINNING OF AMAZIAHS REIGN (2 Chronicles 25:1-4)
1. The Details of the Reign (2 Chronicles 25:1)
1. Began when he was 25 years old
2. Reigned for 29 years in Jerusalem
3. His mother was Johoaddan of Jerusalem.
2. The Character of His Reign (2 Chronicles 25:2)
1. Did what was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart
2. That is, not like his father David (2 Kings 14:3; 1 Kings 11:4-6)
3. Retaliation for His Fathers Death (2 Chronicles 25:3-4)
1. The conspiracy against Joash (2 Chronicles 24:25-26)
2. The reign of Amaziah established (2 Chronicles 25:3)
3. The slaying of the conspirators (2 Chronicles 25:3)
4. Note: This began with the conspiracy of Joash against the sons of Jehoiada, the high priest that saved his life and restored him to the throne (2 Chronicles 24:21). It will continue with a conspiracy against Amaziah that will take his life (2 Chronicles 25:27). We do not always understand the cycle that one sin will begin or how long it may take for the cycle to complete.
5. The sparing of the children (2 Chronicles 25:4)
1. He slew not their children.
2. According to the commandment of Moses (Deuteronomy 24:16)
1. Fathers not to die for the children
2. Children not to die for the fathers
3. Every man to die for his own sin
4. The soul that sinneth, it shall die (Ezekiel 18:20).
2. AMAZIAHS VICTORY OVER EDOM (2 Chronicles 25:5-12)
1. The Gathering of an Army (2 Chronicles 25:5-6)
1. The host of Judah (2 Chronicles 25:5)
1. With captains of thousands and hundreds
2. According to the houses of their fathers
3. From throughout Judah and Benjamin
4. From twenty years old and upward
5. Finding 300,000 soldiers
1. Choice men
2. Able to go forth to war
3. That could handle spear and shield
2. The host of Israel (2 Chronicles 25:6)
1. 100,000 mighty men of valour
2. Hired with 100 talents of silver
1. The amount used in the sockets of the tabernacle (Exodus 38:27)
2. The tribute a later Jehoahaz paid to Pharaoh of Egypt (2 Kings 23:31-33)
2. The Warning of the Man of God (2 Chronicles 25:7-9)
1. The warning given (2 Chronicles 25:7-9)
1. Do not let the army of Israel go with you (2 Chronicles 25:7).
1. The Lord is not with Israel.
2. The Lord is not with the children of Ephraim (Hosea 4:17).
2. To avoid this warning means disaster (2 Chronicles 25:8).
1. You can go and be your strongest.
2. But God will make you fall before the enemy.
1. He has power to help.
2. He has power to cast down.
2. The objection answered (2 Chronicles 25:9)
1. What about the 100 talents of silver?
2. The LORD is able to give thee much more than this.
3. The Dismissal of the Army of Israel (2 Chronicles 25:10)
1. Amaziah sent them home.
2. Their anger was greatly kindled.
4. The Victory over the Edomites (2 Chronicles 25:11-12)
1. Amaziah fought Edom in the valley of salt (2 Chronicles 25:11).
2. Amaziah smote 10,000 Edomites in the battle (2 Chronicles 25:11).
3. Another 10,000 Edomites were captured (2 Chronicles 25:12).
1. Taken to the top of the rock
2. Cast down to be broken in pieces
3. AMAZIAHS DEFEAT BY JOASH OF ISRAEL (2 Chronicles 25:13-24)
1. The Reaction of the Army of Israel (2 Chronicles 25:13)
1. They fell upon the cities of Judah.
2. They smote 3,000 people.
3. They took much spoil.
2. Amaziahs Worship of the Gods of Edom (2 Chronicles 25:14-16)
1. He set up the gods of Edom (2 Chronicles 25:14).
1. He made them his gods.
2. He bowed himself before them.
3. He burned incense unto them.
2. The Lord sent a prophet to Amaziah (2 Chronicles 25:15-16).
1. He had chosen the gods who could not deliver their own people (2 Chronicles 25:15).
2. Amaziah questioned the authority of the prophet (2 Chronicles 25:16).
3. Amaziah threatened to kill the prophet (2 Chronicles 25:16).
4. The prophet recognized that God had determined to destroy Amaziah (2 Chronicles 25:16).
1. Because he had done this
2. Because he refused good counsel
3. Amaziahs Challenge to Joash of Israel (2 Chronicles 25:17-20)
1. The challenge given (2 Chronicles 25:17)
1. According to advice
2. Come, let us see one another in the face.
2. The proverb of Joash (2 Chronicles 25:18-19)
1. The thistle desired the daughter of the cedar to wife (2 Chronicles 25:18).
2. The thistle was trampled by a wild beast in Lebanon (2 Chronicles 25:18).
3. Amaziah had smitten the Edomites (2 Chronicles 25:19).
4. Amaziah had lifted his heart in pride (2 Chronicles 25:19).
5. Amaziah was now meddling to his own hurt (2 Chronicles 25:19).
3. The determination of Amaziah (2 Chronicles 25:20)
1. He would not hear.
2. It came of God that God might deliver him to his enemies.
3. Because he sought after of the gods of Edom
4. Amaziahs Defeat in Battle (2 Chronicles 25:21-24)
1. The battle at Bethshemesh (2 Chronicles 25:21); the place where the people looked into the ark of God and died in great numbers (1 Samuel 6:12-21)
2. The defeat of Judah (2 Chronicles 25:22)
3. The taking of Amaziah (2 Chronicles 25:23)
4. The partial destruction of the wall of Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 25:23)
5. The taking of treasures from Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 25:24)
6. The taking of hostages (2 Chronicles 25:24)
4. THE END OF AMAZIAHS REIGN (2 Chronicles 25:25-28)
1. The Remaining Life of Amaziah (2 Chronicles 25:25-26)
1. He reigned 15 years after the death of Joash of Israel (2 Chronicles 25:25).
2. The rest of his acts are in the book of the kings (2 Chronicles 25:26).
2. The Death of Amaziah (2 Chronicles 25:27-28)
1. The conspiracy against him in Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 25:27)
2. His flight to Lachish and death there (2 Chronicles 25:27)
3. His burial in Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 25:28)
5. THE BEGINNING OF AZARIAHS REIGN (2 Kings 14:21-22)
1. The Reign of Azariah (2 Kings 14:21)
1. Established by the people of Judah
2. When he was 16 years old
2. The Work of Azariah (2 Kings 14:22)
1. He built Elath and restored it to Judah.
2. After the king slept with his fathers
6. THE REIGN OF JEROBOAM OVER ISRAEL (2 Kings 14:23-25)
1. The Beginning of the Reign of Jeroboam (2 Kings 14:23)
2. The Character of the Reign of Jeroboam (2 Kings 14:24)
3. The Work of Jeroboam (2 Kings 14:25)
1. He restored the coast of Israel.
2. According to the word of Jonah (see Jonah 1:1)

CONCLUSION: Amaziah began well, but failed when he refused to listen to godly counsel. This refusal led to defeat in Judah and his own death.