A Disloyal Heart Problem

2 Chronicles 25:1-16

    1 Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. 2 And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a loyal heart.

    3 Now it happened, as soon as the kingdom was established for him, that he executed his servants who had murdered his father the king. 4 However he did not execute 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 be put to death for their children, nor shall the children be put to death for their fathers; but a person shall die for his own sin."

    5 Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together and set over them captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, according to their fathers' houses, throughout all Judah and Benjamin; and he numbered them from twenty years old and above, and found them to be three hundred thousand choice men, able to go to war, who could handle spear and shield. 6 He also hired one hundred thousand mighty men of valor from Israel for one hundred talents of silver. 7 But a man of God came to him, saying, "O king, do not let the army of Israel go with you, for the LORD is not with Israel—not with any of the children of Ephraim. 8 But if you go, be gone! Be strong in battle! Even so, God shall make you fall before the enemy; for God has power to help and to overthrow."

    9 Then Amaziah said to the man of God, "But what shall we do about the hundred talents which I have given to the troops of Israel?"  And the man of God answered, "The LORD is able to give you much more than this." 10 So Amaziah discharged the troops that had come to him from Ephraim, to go back home. Therefore their anger was greatly aroused against Judah, and they returned home in great anger.

    11 Then Amaziah strengthened himself, and leading his people, he went to the Valley of Salt and killed ten thousand of the people of Seir. 12 Also the children of Judah took captive ten thousand alive, brought them to the top of the rock, and cast them down from the top of the rock, so that they all were dashed in pieces.  13 But as for the soldiers of the army which Amaziah had discharged, so that they would not go with him to battle, they raided the cities of Judah from Samaria to Beth Horon, killed three thousand in them, and took much spoil.

   14 Now it was so, after Amaziah came from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the people of Seir, set them up to be his gods, and bowed down before them and burned incense to them. 15 Therefore the anger of the LORD was aroused against Amaziah, and He sent him a prophet who said to him, "Why have you sought the gods of the people, which could not rescue their own people from your hand?"

    16 So it was, as he talked with him, that the king said to him, "Have we made you the king's counselor? Cease! Why should you be killed?"  Then the prophet ceased, and said, "I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this and have not heeded my advice."

Amaziah did not follow God with a faithful heart.  He had a disloyal heart problem.  He began with mixed approaches to justice, executing the murderers of his father Joash, who was killed for murdering the faithful priest and mentor Jehoiada.  But Amaziah drew the line at killing their children, understanding that each should be accountable for their own sin, not for those of their fathers (Deuteronomy 24:16).  He went further from the LORD when setting Judah against the Edomites in war and hiring Israel to assist his Judean forces, but was warned by a prophet to not do such a thing to fight his own and God’s people; if he did, victory would be on the opposing side.  He relented and paid back the mercenary fee to the Israel mercenaries, but they raided cities of Judah on their way home for being snubbed by them.  Then Amaziah committed the final sinful rebellion against the LORD by taking the idols of the Edomites back from the slaughter and worshiping them and their false and dead gods instead of the one God of the first commandment.  When a prophet questioned the king as to why and how he could trust in a false god which could not save those who did and died, Amaziah threatened to kill him.  The prophet knew then that the LORD had determined to end the king, destroying him and his evil reign of sin.  We learn then that the problem of a disloyal heart must be cured with a new heart made loyal and faithful to the Lord to avoid destruction.  In Christ we are reborn and given that new heart to desire following Christ and keeping His word, the loyalty of a willing disciple changed from false worship of our own imagination to true worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24).  Truly there is no other way to trust and obey but in a regenerated rebirth with a new heart and mind able to follow and worship our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ!