PM May 29th 2 Chronicles

May 29^th            2 Chronicles 25             Amaziah rules Judah

1: Amaziah was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. 2: And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart. 3: Now it came to pass, when the kingdom was established to him, that he slew his servants that had killed the king his father. 4: But he slew not their children, but did as it is written in the law in the book of Moses, where the LORD commanded, saying, The fathers shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin. 5: Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together, and made them captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, according to the houses of their fathers, throughout all Judah and Benjamin: and he numbered them from twenty years old and above, and found them three hundred thousand choice men, able to go forth to war, that could handle spear and shield. 6: He hired also an hundred thousand mighty men of valour out of Israel for an hundred talents of silver. 7: But there came a man of God to him, saying, O king, let not the army of Israel go with thee; for the LORD is not with Israel, to wit, with all the children of Ephraim. 8: But if thou wilt go, do it, be strong for the battle: God shall make thee fall before the enemy: for God hath power to help, and to cast down. 9: And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel? And the man of God answered, The LORD is able to give thee much more than this. 10: Then Amaziah separated them, to wit, the army that was come to him out of Ephraim, to go home again: wherefore their anger was greatly kindled against Judah, and they returned home in great anger. 11: And Amaziah strengthened himself, and led forth his people, and went to the valley of salt, and smote of the children of Seir ten thousand. 12: And other ten thousand left alive did the children of Judah carry away captive, and brought them unto the top of the rock, and cast them down from the top of the rock, that they all were broken in pieces. 13: But the soldiers of the army which Amaziah sent back, that they should not go with him to battle, fell upon the cities of Judah, from Samaria even unto Beth-horon, and smote three thousand of them, and took much spoil. 14: Now it came to pass, after that Amaziah was come from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense unto them. 15: Wherefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Amaziah, and he sent unto him a prophet, which said unto him, Why hast thou sought after the gods of the people, which could not deliver their own people out of thine hand? 16: And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that the king said unto him, Art thou made of the king's counsel? forbear; why shouldest thou be smitten? Then the prophet forbare, and said, I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel. 17: Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice, and sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us see one another in the face. 18: And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle. 19: Thou sayest, Lo, thou hast smitten the Edomites; and thine heart lifteth thee up to boast: abide now at home; why shouldest thou meddle to thine hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee? 20: But Amaziah would not hear; for it came of God, that he might deliver them into the hand of their enemies, because they sought after the gods of Edom. 21: So Joash the king of Israel went up; and they saw one another in the face, both he and Amaziah king of Judah, at Beth-shemesh, which belongeth to Judah. 22: And Judah was put to the worse before Israel, and they fled every man to his tent. 23: And Joash the king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, at Beth-shemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundred cubits. 24: And he took all the gold and the silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of God with Obed-edom, and the treasures of the king's house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria. 25: And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years. 26: Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, first and last, behold, are they not written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel? 27: Now after the time that Amaziah did turn away from following the LORD they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem; and he fled to Lachish: but they sent to Lachish after him, and slew him there. 28: And they brought him upon horses, and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah.

2 Chronicles 26             Uzziah rules Judah

1: Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah. 2: He built Eloth, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers. 3: Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Jecoliah of Jerusalem. 4: And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah did. 5: And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper. 6: And he went forth and warred against the Philistines, and brake down the wall of Gath, and the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod, and built cities about Ashdod, and among the Philistines. 7: And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gur-baal, and the Mehunims. 8: And the Ammonites gave gifts to Uzziah: and his name spread abroad even to the entering in of Egypt; for he strengthened himself exceedingly. 9: Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them. 10: Also he built towers in the desert, and digged many wells: for he had much cattle, both in the low country, and in the plains: husbandmen also, and vine dressers in the mountains, and in Carmel: for he loved husbandry. 11: Moreover Uzziah had an host of fighting men, that went out to war by bands, according to the number of their account by the hand of Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the ruler, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king's captains. 12: The whole number of the chief of the fathers of the mighty men of valour were two thousand and six hundred. 13: And under their hand was an army, three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred, that made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy. 14: And Uzziah prepared for them throughout all the host shields, and spears, and helmets, and habergeons, and bows, and slings to cast stones. 15: And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong. 16: But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense. 17: And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men: 18: And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the LORD God. 19: Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar. 20: And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the LORD had smitten him. 21: And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD: and Jotham his son was over the king's house, judging the people of the land. 22: Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, write. 23: So Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the burial which belonged to the kings; for they said, He is a leper: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.

2 Chronicles 27             Jotham rules Judah

1: Jotham was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Jerushah, the daughter of Zadok. 2: And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Uzziah did: howbeit he entered not into the temple of the LORD. And the people did yet corruptly. 3: He built the high gate of the house of the LORD, and on the wall of Ophel he built much. 4: Moreover he built cities in the mountains of Judah, and in the forests he built castles and towers. 5: He fought also with the king of the Ammonites, and prevailed against them. And the children of Ammon gave him the same year an hundred talents of silver, and ten thousand measures of wheat, and ten thousand of barley. So much did the children of Ammon pay unto him, both the second year, and the third. 6: So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the LORD his God. 7: Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars, and his ways, lo, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. 8: He was five and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. 9: And Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead.

Today we read of three kings of Judah, Amaziah Uzziah and Jotham. All three were good Kings who served the LORD faithfully and led Judah into blessing. The first king Amaziah was only 25 yrs old when he took the throne and he reigned for 29 yrs. He was a good king yet he had his flaws, he did execute the judgment of God on those servants that had killed his father. He had a great army and hired Israel to go and fight with him but this displeased the Lord because Israel was not in a right relation to God. The LORD said you are to trust in me because l am able to make the battle go well or bad. Amaziah said l have paid the money to hire them now but the prophet replied forget the money God can give you more than all that. Amaziah sent home the hired men who were not at all pleased. The Lord gave Amaziah a great victory but he stole the gods of his enemy and bowed down to them. The Lord sent a prophet to him to rebuke him of his sin but he refused to listen. Amaziah sent twice a message to Israel asking that they join him in battle but he received a curt reply from Joash. In the end they did meet and Judah was beaten in battle by Israel and they fled. Joash arrested Amaziah and came to Judah and destroyed his house and plundered the house of God. After Amaziah forsook the Lord men went after him to murder him he escaped but they eventually found him and executed him. Amaziah had reigned well in the beginning it was only in the end that he went all wrong. Uzziah reigned in his place from the age of just 16yrs and he reigned for 52 years. He sought to know the mind of God in the days of Zechariah the prophet. (Not the prophet who wrote the book) As long as he sought the Lord he prospered. He had victories against the Philistines and the Arabians. The Ammonites gave him gifts instead of going to war with him. Uzziah became very strong militarily. He had a huge army and a number of crack units of mighty men. They had a huge array of fighting implements. What is called here Jerusalem Engines for throwing huge stones long distances - called today Trebuchet. They were thought to be a middle ages invention. And they had what we call Ballista which could shoot bolts or spears. Thought to be a Roman invention. God helped him to gain huge power but when he became strong he became full of pride and he went and burnt incense in the temple which he was forbidden to do. Azariah the priest with 80 mighty men went into the temple and told him that he was wrong to do this. Uzziah was very cross and he stood in the temple with the censer in his hand and at that moment the leprosy came into his head. They threw him out of the temple. Uzziah was a leper till the day of his death. In the year that he died Isaiah saw his first vision becoming a prophet of the Lord. Another king who started well but finished cast out of the presence of the Lord. Jotham reigned in his place. He came to the throne at 25yrs and reigned for 16yrs. He did a great deal of building but the people in his day were corrupt. He won a war against the Amorites. Jotham sought the Lord and God blessed him. He never forsook the Lord all his life.