Second Kings 14:8

The Bible says in Second Kings 14:8-16, “Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one another in the face.[9] And Jehoash the 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.[10] Thou hast indeed smitten Edom, and thine heart hath lifted thee up: glory of this, and tarry at home: for why shouldest thou meddle to thy hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee?[11] But Amaziah would not hear. Therefore Jehoash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face at Beth-shemesh, which belongeth to Judah.[12] And Judah was put to the worse before Israel; and they fled every man to their tents.[13] And Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh, and came to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto the corner gate, four hundred cubits.[14] And he took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house, and hostages, and returned to Samaria.[15] Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash which he did, and his might, and how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?[16] And Jehoash slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; and Jeroboam his son reigned in his stead.” This passage is a good example of why you should not be the aggressor. You should not start a fight. You should be a peacemaker, just like Jesus said. One reason not to start a fight is that you might lose. That is exactly what happened to Amaziah. Amaziah was a trouble-maker and he got more trouble than he could handle.

The Bible says in Second Kings 14:17-20, “And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years.[18] And the rest of the acts of Amaziah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?[19] Now they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem: and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish, and slew him there.[20] And they brought him on horses: and he was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in the city of David.” Another king suffers an untimely and violent death. There was just so much wickedness everywhere in both Israel and Judah. The times were violent times because not many people were close to the Lord.

The Bible says in Second Kings 14:21-29, “And all the people of Judah took Azariah, which was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah.[22] He built Elath, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers.[23] In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria, and reigned forty and one years.[24] And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.[25] He restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the sea of the plain, according to the word of the LORD God of Israel, which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet, which was of Gath-hepher.[26] For the LORD saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter: for there was not any shut up, nor any left, nor any helper for Israel.[27] And the LORD said not that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven: but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash.[28] Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did, and his might, how he warred, and how he recovered Damascus, and Hamath, which belonged to Judah, for Israel, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?[29] And Jeroboam slept with his fathers, even with the kings of Israel; and Zachariah his son reigned in his stead.” We read that there is a second king named Jeroboam. Verse twenty-four describes the second Jeroboam, and he is just like the first: evil, “And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat.” Even though the people were wicked and even though the king was wicked, the Lord did not forsake Israel. It says in verse twenty-six, “For the LORD saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter.” God always loves His people, even when they do wrong. And God always keeps His promises. The Jewish people were not destroyed then, and they will not be destroyed now. God made a promise to Abraham, and God is going to keep it. That is why it says in the first part of verse twenty-seven, “And the LORD said not that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven.” Notice carefully the last part of verse twenty-seven, “but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash.” Jeroboam was a wicked king, but God still used him. God uses everyone on this earth to fulfill God’s will and God’s plan. What a mighty God we serve.

The Bible says in Second Kings 15:1-7, “In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign.[2] Sixteen years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned two and fifty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem.[3] And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done;[4] Save that the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burnt incense still on the high places.[5] And the LORD smote the king, so that he was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house. And Jotham the king's son was over the house, judging the people of the land.[6] And the rest of the acts of Azariah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?[7] So Azariah slept with his fathers; and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.” Azariah was the next king of Judah. He was one of the good kings, but not as good as he should have been. That can be said about all of us. He followed in the footsteps of his father. He learned good things from his father. God gives you the father that he wants you to have. Make sure that you learn the things that God wants you to learn from your father. Maybe God wants you to learn from a negative example not to make the mistakes that he made. Maybe God wants you to learn to forgive even the failures of your father. Notice that verse five says that “the LORD smote the king, so that he was a leper unto the day of his death.” Yes, everything comes from God, even disease. This passage does not say why Azariah was given leprosy, but it does say that God gave it to him. We do not know why. Many people suffer in this life and we do not know why. Most of the “whys” will be answered in the next life. Everyone has a cross to bear, if you follow Jesus.

The Bible says in Second Kings 15:8-12, “In the thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of Judah did Zachariah the son of Jeroboam reign over Israel in Samaria six months.[9] And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as his fathers had done: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.[10] And Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and smote him before the people, and slew him, and reigned in his stead.[11] And the rest of the acts of Zachariah, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.[12] This was the word of the LORD which he spake unto Jehu, saying, Thy sons shall sit on the throne of Israel unto the fourth generation. And so it came to pass.” Another assassination. The key point is that the lineage of Jeroboam ended when God said it would end. God is in control. God decides everything.

The Bible says in Second Kings 15:13-16, “Shallum the son of Jabesh began to reign in the nine and thirtieth year of Uzziah king of Judah; and he reigned a full month in Samaria.[14] For Menahem the son of Gadi went up from Tirzah, and came to Samaria, and smote Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria, and slew him, and reigned in his stead.[15] And the rest of the acts of Shallum, and his conspiracy which he made, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.[16] Then Menahem smote Tiphsah, and all that were therein, and the coasts thereof from Tirzah: because they opened not to him, therefore he smote it; and all the women therein that were with child he ripped up.” The violence and the murder is horrendous. One king after another is assassinated, and now the horrible violence of Menahem. Not only did he become king through assassination, but he got angry at one of the cities and killed all the women that were pregnant. Man’s inhumanity to man is beyond belief.

The Bible says in Second Kings 15:17-26, “In the nine and thirtieth year of Azariah king of Judah began Menahem the son of Gadi to reign over Israel, and reigned ten years in Samaria.[18] And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not all his days from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.[19] And Pul the king of Assyria came against the land: and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him to confirm the kingdom in his hand.[20] And Menahem exacted the money of Israel, even of all the mighty men of wealth, of each man fifty shekels of silver, to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned back, and stayed not there in the land.[21] And the rest of the acts of Menahem, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?[22] And Menahem slept with his fathers; and Pekahiah his son reigned in his stead.[23] In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah Pekahiah the son of Menahem began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned two years.[24] And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.[25] But Pekah the son of Remaliah, a captain of his, conspired against him, and smote him in Samaria, in the palace of the king's house, with Argob and Arieh, and with him fifty men of the Gileadites: and he killed him, and reigned in his room.[26] And the rest of the acts of Pekahiah, and all that he did, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.” And so we see the sequence of events in the northern ten tribes of Israel. King after king is wicked. Violence. False religion. The enemies are getting stronger. God is very patient. God gives many extra chances. God gives warnings. But sadly, there are many who do not take the warnings.

The Bible says in Second Kings 15:27-31, “In the two and fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah Pekah the son of Remaliah began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned twenty years.[28] And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.[29] In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abel-beth-maachah, and Jonoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to Assyria.[30] And Hoshea the son of Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah the son of Remaliah, and smote him, and slew him, and reigned in his stead, in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah.[31] And the rest of the acts of Pekah, and all that he did, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.” This time the enemies of Israel are even stronger and they do even more damage. The last time tribute was paid to get the enemies to back off. This time cities and territories are attacked and captives are taken. It was one of the last chances to learn how bad things had gotten and to turn to the Lord, but some people just do not learn.

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