Believers And Their Dodgy Beliefs - 2 Chronicles 25:1-24
As a Christian, what is the most foolish thing that you have done? Something you knew was wrong, you knew it was against God, you knew He wouldn’t approve; yet you foolishly and rebelliously did it anyway. We have all grieved God’s Spirit one way or another. John said anyone who says they don’t sin (he is speaking to Christians) is a liar. What have you done in the past, you later regretted it, you have grown from the situation, but you knew it was wrong, but went ahead and did it anyway?
Some things in the scriptures are both a challenge to read and hear. Other things are unbelievable, and some things are downright confusing. If you were here last week, we studied Abijah who prayed, sought after God, Israel came against him and Abijah defeated him with half the number. But it says that Abijah “walked in all the sins that his father did before him, and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God.” (1 Kings 15:3) But here read that Amaziah “did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, yet not with a whole heart.” (verse 3) While he knew a victory, it certainly was nowhere near as great as Abijah’s. There were over 400 times the number against him. Here Amaziah took home the idols of Seir/Edom that didn’t help the Edomites and set them up in Jerusalem.
He then didn’t listen to counsel and went and picked a fight with Israel. He lost badly: lost all the gold, articles in the temple. There was a conspiracy against him at the end of his reign when he fled to the neighbouring city of Lachish. He was found and put to death. Not a very inspiring life. Certainly not one to emulate.
And yet, he is described here as doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord. Really? What part was right? A very small part it seems. Unlike Abijah, who doesn’t have the same descriptor.
What have you said or done as a believer that was a bad witness? Maybe you did something that you thought wouldn’t have any or many consequences, but it turned out there were significant consequences; or you thought you wouldn’t get caught, or you justified doing something, but you knew all along it was wrong. Been there before? We all have, haven’t we, to some extent or another.
Your level of rebellion may not have been the same as somebody else, but it was rebellion nonetheless. All the way from gossip, a hateful spirit, a whining discontented spirit through to maybe something that was so morally bankrupt you could’ve gone to jail or you did go to jail; all the while being a Christian.
This is what we have here in this man Amaziah. A believer in the God of Israel, the same God we serve, yet was a disgrace in many ways.
What lessons do we have here?
Firstly, He began by acting justly. Amaziah dealt with his father’s murderers. He didn’t kill their children, according to the law of Moses. This is how it is for most Christians – we start out well.
Secondly - He listened and obeyed. He listened to the man of God when he told 10, 000 from Israel to go home. He defeated the Edomites.
This next part is where Amaziah started changing his course and started to become disloyal in his faith and practice. The Israelites who were sent away raided the cities of Judah while Judah was away fighting the Edomites. The situation for Amaziah was ‘I have been obedient, I have listened to God’s voice, I have obeyed and now towns and cities are raided right across the depth and breadth of Judah, my own people are killed – 3000 of them. God let me down.’
Ever felt like that? Your obedience has cost you something and you have weighed it up and thought, no, that’s just not worth it. Maybe you have felt like that; maybe you feel like that today.
I know some Christian young people may be tempted to enjoy a fleeting encounter with someone just to say they have tried it, not realizing that everything comes at an emotional, spiritual and physical cost. Amaziah was about to learn that lesson the hard way. He decided to pick a fight with Israel to solve the issue. It says in verse 17, “Then Amaziah king of Judah took counsel and sent to Joash the son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, "Come, let us look one another in the face." Let’s have a scrap.
I wonder what counsel he took? Certainly not the counsel of the Lord or a prophet. A prophet tried to speak to him when he returned from Edom. The prophet’s life was threatened. Some things are under God’s sovereign will, but they are not part of His moral will. It says in verse 20, “But Amaziah would not listen, for it was of God.” God had determined Amaziah’s downfall, because he had turned to the idols he brought back from Edom.
Great cost of rebellion (verse 22) “Judah was defeated by Israel, and every man fled to his home.” Judah’s wall was broken down – 400 cubits.” (200 meters) What did that do? Kept him at home to fix it as a priority.” People then distrusted Amaziah; he didn’t listen and it cost Judah dearly. After over 25 years of reigning, people began conspiring against him. He moved to Lachish. This is what we do, isn’t it – we change jobs, spouse, address – thinking it will improve our situation. But when you leave, you go with you and God knows where you’re going. For Amaziah it was Lachish, a walled city, but the conspirators found him and killed him and brought him back to Jerusalem.
Lessons – know the signs. If you are hearing messages from reliable sources. people who love you and know God, don’t ignore them. There will still be a cost for the Christian. Amaziah knew the Lord, but he paid a heavy price for his rebellion. All our choices have a consequence one way or another.
Finally – grace abounds – Amaziah still went to an eternal home in the Lord’s presence. The testimony is that he did what was right, not outwardly, but in the heart; he received God’s grace. This is ultimately the good news. The same is true for us. Peter in the New Testament is such a good example of this. He denied Christ three times; Jesus restored him. Right at the end of his life, we know that even though Peter went through an incredible trial, he was promised by the Lord that he would remain true in the end. The same was true for Amaziah and it is true for us.
So, what things have you done that have grieved the Lord? Firstly, like the Apostle Peter, God’s grace covers and keeps you. But don’t continue to repeat the same mistakes; learn from them. Amaziah didn’t learn, he hardened his heart, even though he was under grace, he still suffered for his bad choices. Ultimately, it cost him his life. The Lord wants far better than that for his children.
Serving Christ doesn’t mean we miss out like my youth worker confided years ago. Jesus wants us to have an abundant life, now and into eternity. (John 10:10) Obedience to Him and His will brings joy, freedom and blessing.