9.09.2015

2 Chronicles 25-26

25
Amaziah, son of Joash, takes the throne.  He's okay, but doesn't follow God completely.  He hires Israelite mercenaries to go subdue Edom, but a prophet tells him not to use Israelites.  So he sends them home, but let's them keep their money.  He defeats Edom, but winds up worshiping their idols.  A prophet confronts him about it, but he doesn't listen.  He challenges Israel to war; Israel tells him to stay home, but he doesn't listen and gets defeated and captured.  Israel plunders Jerusalem.

26
Uzziah, son of Amaziah, becomes king at 16 years old, for 52 years.  He defeats Philistines and subdues Arabians all the way to Egypt.  He built up the military and loved farming.  But his strength made him proud, and he entered the temple to offer incense, which was only for Aaron's descendants.  When he resisted the priests' confrontation, God struck him with leprosy until he died.


How this is about Jesus
All earthly rulers are imperfect and sinful, though some seek God more than others and some are more effective than others.  Amaziah's refusal to listen to God carried over to not listening to wisdom from others, like the king of Israel, and Jerusalem is torn down physically because of it.  Uzziah had good priorities in his role as king, supplying defense and nurturing natural resources, and so he was effective as king.  Jesus supplies His people what we need through the Spirit, and He also feeds us.

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