March 6, 2025, 2 Kings 14:8-14
March 6, 2025, 2 Kings 14:8-14
8 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 king of Israel sent word to Amaziah king of Judah, “A thistle on
Lebanon sent to a cedar on Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son for a
wife,’ and a wild beast of Lebanon passed by and trampled down the
thistle. 10 You have indeed struck down
Edom, and your heart has lifted you up. Be content with your glory, and
stay at home, for why should you provoke trouble so that you fall, you and
Judah with you?”
11 But
Amaziah would not listen. So Jehoash king of Israel went up, and he and Amaziah
king of Judah faced one another in battle at Beth-shemesh, which
belongs to Judah. 12 And Judah was defeated by
Israel, and every man fled to his home. 13 And
Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash, son
of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh, and came to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of
Jerusalem for four hundred cubits, from the Ephraim Gate to the
Corner Gate. 14 And he seized all the gold and
silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of the Lord and in the treasuries of the
king's house, also hostages, and he returned to Samaria.
Here we see the conflict
between King Amaziah of Judah and King Jehoash of Israel. Amaziah had initial victories in battle and
now challenges Jehoash to battle in a spirit of arrogance. A humiliating defeat resulted for Judah.
The consequences of a
prideful nature and unnecessary aggression served as huge reminder that
underestimating one’s opponent and not relying on God’s guidance can lead to
defeat as Amaziah discovered. Is there
something that you are unwilling to surrender to God because of your pride,
arrogance or an unforgiving nature? Join
me in praying that we will yield our pridefulness and arrogance to the Holy
Spirit’s urging.
Robin Adams
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