King Amaziah was the son of King Joash of Judah and his name means “strengthened by God”. He appears on the Biblical Timeline around 852 BC. His father, King Joash was a bad ruler who led the people in false worship and he was also guilty of slaughtering the son of a godly man named Jehoiada. After the king had killed Jehoiada’s son his advisor’s plotted to kill him because he took a righteous man’s life. Jehoiada was King Joash’s mentor and he was a godly priest who helped to people of Judah to prosper under God. When he had died Joash started to listen to the advice of counselors who wanted the people to go back to idol worship. So God sent Jehoiada’s son to warn him about his sins but the king had him stoned. Shortly after this had happened Joash was assassinated by his people.
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Slaughters the Advisers who assassinate his Father
King Amaziah loved his father Joash even though he was not a godly man. Once King Amaziah became king he immediately found the people who plotted the coup against his father and killed them. He did this to avenge his father’s death and to protect himself from being assassinated as well.
King Amaziah
War against Edom and Rebellious Israelite Mercenaries
The nation of Edom began to rebel as they had done in the past. King Amaziah then gathered his forces so that he could control the Edomites. King Amaziah used most able body young men from Judah, but he hired some mercenaries from Israel to fight as well. God sent a prophet to tell Amaziah that he must not take the Israeli mercenaries into battle because if he does they will lose. The king listens to the prophet and sends the Israeli mercenaries away with pay. Even though they were paid before they were sent away the mercenaries were outraged that they wouldn’t be allowed to fight. So they decided to attack some towns inside of Judah while King Amaziah’s forces were fighting the Edomites. After they killed many people they carried back a lot of plunder and treasure back to Israel.
King Amaziah’s Victory Leads to False Worship
King Amaziah defeats the Edomites and after the battle is over he brings back Edomite gods and had the people worship them. God sends an unknown prophet to warn him to repent, but the king doesn’t listen. King Amaziah threatens to kill the prophet if he doesn’t leave. The prophet walks away, but he tells the king that God will destroy him.
Defeated by Israel
King Amaziah found out what the mercenaries had done and he issued a challenge to King Jehoash of Israel. King Jehoash told King Amaziah to let the situation go because if he doesn’t he is going to lose and lose badly. King Amaziah didn’t listen to the Israeli king’s wisdom and they went to war. During the battle, King Amaziah was captured by King Jehoash. The king made him watch while he plundered the temple of God and broke down a section of Jerusalem’s wall. He then released King Amaziah and returned home.
King Amaziah’s Death
Even though King Amaziah lived through this ordeal he was later assassinated by his people. He tried to avoid the same fate as his father, but it didn’t work. The people were angry with King Ahaziah because he allowed pagan gods to fill the land which angered the Lord. King Amaziah was 25 years old when he took the throne and he reigned for 29 years.
References:
- 2 Chronicles 24: 17 – 27 Joash’s evil deed leads to his assassination by a group of advisors.
- 2 Chronicles 25: 3 – 4 Assassinates the advisors who killed his father.
- 2 Chronicles 25: 5 -13 King Amaziah goes to war with Edom and dismisses Israeli mercenaries who become angry and they go attack some Judean towns. King Amaziah challenges the Israeli King because of this act.
- 2 Chronicles 25: 14 – 16 King Amaziah carries back Edom’s false gods and is warned by a prophet to repent.
- 2 Chronicles 25: 17 – 24 King Amaziah issues a challenge to the King Jehoash of Israel but is defeated.
- 2 Chronicles 25: 27 -28 King Amaziah is killed by the people
References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaziah
http://www.aboutbibleprophecy.com/p86.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Amasias.jpg
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