What is the result of partial obedience? Will we remain faithful or slide backwards? Let’s look at Amaziah the 9th king of Judah in 2 Kings 14.
Was Amaziah a somewhat good king? Was he more like Joash than David, partial in obedience? Did he obey Moses’ law in regard to children’s innocence of their parents’ guilt?
In the second year of Joash son of Joahaz king of Israel, Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah became king. He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jehoaddin of Jerusalem. And he did what was right in the sight of Yahweh, yet not like David his father; he did according to all that Joash his father had done. Only the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. Now it happened as soon as the kingdom was strong in his hand, that he struck down his servants who had struck down the king his father. But the sons of those who struck him down he did not put to death, according to what is written in the book of the Law of Moses, which Yahweh commanded, saying, “Fathers shall not be put to death for their sons, nor sons be put to death for their fathers; but each shall be put to death for his own sin.” (2 Kings 14:1-6 LSB)
Did Judah challenge Israel to battle, perhaps with a hope of reuniting the country? Did Joash king of Israel hold Judah’s power in contempt, a lowly thorn bush compared to a majestic cedar tree?
He killed ten thousand of the Edomites in the Valley of Salt, and took Sela by war, and named it Joktheel, as it is to this day. Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let’s face each other in combat.” But Jehoash king of Israel sent messengers to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, “The thorn bush that was in Lebanon sent word to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ But a wild animal that was in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thorn bush. You have indeed defeated Edom, and your heart is elated. Enjoy the glory and stay home; for why should you get involved in trouble so that you would fall, you and Judah with you?” (2 Kings 14:7-10 NASB)
Did Amaziah king of Judah ignore Jehoash (Joash) king of Israel’s warning?
Amaziah, however, would not listen, so Jehoash king of Israel attacked. He and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other at Beth Shemesh in Judah. Judah was routed by Israel, and every man fled to his home. Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Ahaziah, at Beth Shemesh. Then Jehoash went to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate—a section about four hundred cubits long. He took all the gold and silver and all the articles found in the temple of the Lord and in the treasuries of the royal palace. He also took hostages and returned to Samaria. (2 Kings 14:11-14 NIV)
Just as he backslid, like Joash king of Judah, did his life also end in an assassination? Who became king in his stead?
Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash which he did—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? So Jehoash rested with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. Then Jeroboam his son reigned in his place. Amaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah, lived fifteen years after the death of Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel. Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? And they formed a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish and killed him there. Then they brought him on horses, and he was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in the City of David. And all the people of Judah took Azariah [also called Uzziah], who was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah. He built Elath and restored it to Judah, after the king rested with his fathers. (2 Kings 14:15-22 NKJV)
Who was the 13th king of Israel? Did he continue in the evils of the kings of Israel? Did God provide some blessings to Israel despite their evil government?
Jeroboam II, the son of Jehoash, began to rule over Israel in the fifteenth year of King Amaziah’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria forty-one years. He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight. He refused to turn from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to commit. Jeroboam II recovered the territories of Israel between Lebo-hamath and the Dead Sea, just as the Lord, the God of Israel, had promised through Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath-hepher. For the Lord saw the bitter suffering of everyone in Israel, and that there was no one in Israel, slave or free, to help them. And because the Lord had not said he would blot out the name of Israel completely, he used Jeroboam II, the son of Jehoash, to save them. The rest of the events in the reign of Jeroboam II and everything he did—including the extent of his power, his wars, and how he recovered for Israel both Damascus and Hamath, which had belonged to Judah—are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel. When Jeroboam II died, he was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. Then his son Zechariah became the next king. (2 Kings 14:23-29 NLT)
What is the end result of partial obedience, like that of Amaziah and Joash?
For whoever keeps the whole law, and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all. (James 2:10 WEB)
How then can we faulty human beings possibly be forgiven?
We have been ransomed through his Son’s blood, and we have forgiveness for our failures based on his overflowing grace (Ephesians 1:7 CEB)
What is the result of partial obedience? Will we remain faithful or slide backwards? You decide!
