In this passage from 2 Kings 14:15-22, we see the end of the reign of two kings, Jehoash of Israel and Amaziah of Judah. The conflict between the two of them was told in the verses earlier as well as in 2 Chronicles 25. Jehoash was said to have destroyed 400 cubits of Jerusalem’s wall from “the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate,” captured Amaziah, and “took all the gold and silver and all the utensils which were found in the house of the Lord, and in the treasuries of the king’s house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria.” Second Kings 14:15-16 then said that he died and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. The conflict he had with Amaziah and other things that he had done were all recorded in the nook of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel. Verse 16 said that he was succeeded by his son, Jeroboam II.
Second Kings 14:17-22 tell us how Amaziah was deposed. He outlived Jehoash for another 15 years. Having humiliated him, Jehoash probably left him on the throne in Jerusalem. Verse 18 said that other things that he had done were recorded in the Book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah. As a king, Amaziah was a weak administrator. The people were not happy with him and so conspired against him. So he fled to Lachish. But they pursued him and sent assassins after him and had him murdered in Lachish. Then they took his body back to Jerusalem and buried him with his fathers in the city of David. Amaziah was succeeded by Azariah (Uzziah), who capably rebuilt the port city of Elath.
Second Chronicles 25:2 states one sad truth about Amaziah. It says, “He did right in the sight of the LORD, yet not with a whole heart.” When we serve God without wholehearted devotion, the service we offer to him will be mediocre. In our service to God, we must never settle for less. We are called to serve a great God, and we must never offer to him services of mediocrity. God deserves our best. He is worthy of our wholehearted devotion!
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