S3E294 – 2 Chronicles 25-28: Legacy

Transcript Distinguished Producer A servant of Christ from somewhere in the North country. Executive Producer Sean of San Pedro Associate Producer Rob Brink and Kevin Schneider Podcast Introduction This is the 300th episode of the 12th season of the Lifespring Family Audio Bible. Today is History Tuesday. Our reading is 2 Chronicles 25-28. I’m calling today’s episode “Legacy.” Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Samantha Sophia on Unsplash Comments on 2 Chronicles 25-28 In these chapters we read of the reigns of Amaziah, Uzziah, Jotham, and Ahaz.  Each of these kings were descendants of David, and as I have said in previous episodes, coming from a believing family does not mean that the next generation will follow God. The opposite is also true. Coming from a non-believing family does not mean the following generation will not follow God. We saw that in these kings, and I’m sure most, if not all of us have seen this in our own families.  The reason I’m pointing this out is that I believe that many of us, especially those of us that are parents, take it for granted when raising our children in a believing home, that they will follow us in accepting Jesus as their Savior. Beloved, if we do that, we make a terrible mistake. We can never assume that our kids will absorb our faith as their own. There will come a time when they must choose to believe. Just as we chose to believe, they will have to choose. As parents, we have to be very deliberate in showing them in a thousand different ways why believing in Him is the very best thing they could ever do. We have to let them see that our faith is real, that Jesus is the center of our lives, and that He matters. Not just on Sundays, but every day. And we have to talk to them about our faith…and our talk has to match our walk. Our children are our most important missions field.  Now back to today’s chapters… As is common to most people, the first two of these kings, Amaziah and Uzziah, had their good points and bad. Their spiritual victories and spiritual failures. Each of us has strengths and weaknesses. It’s the human condition. Romans 6:23 tells us that the wages of sin is death. Anything less than perfection, anything less than a completely sinless life means that we fall short of the glory of God. That’s why we all need a savior. There is a common thread that was evident in the chapters we read today with the failures of Amaziah, Uzziah and Ahaz. Each one of them sinned in their own ways, but the common thread was pride. Pride invariably brings destruction, even to people who showed great devotion to God in their early days. Once we begin to believe that our accomplishments come from our own abilities, we are headed for a fall. It can happen to anyone, at any age. I have discovered that my own susceptibility to sin is still alive, even after more than fifty years of being a follower of Jesus. If I take my eyes off of Him, if I begin to rely on my own “goodness”, I quickly find that I cannot walk His path on my own. As the old hymn says, “I need thee every hour.” To his credit, of the four kings we read about today, only Jotham seems to have had a lifelong record of following God’s direction. Verse 6 of chapter 27 tells us, “Jotham grew powerful because he was determined to live as the Lord his God wanted.” What a legacy. My legacy will unfortunately not be without a list of failures, but I am determined to keep my eyes on the prize, because I long to hear my Savior say on that day that I finally see Him face to face, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 25 NKJV; Ch. 26-27 GW; Ch. 28 ESV Support This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising=censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and send it to me here: SUPPORT. Transcript Download .txt file. STEVE WEBB – 0:00The common thread was pride. INTRO S12E300 – 0:10Coming to you from Riverside, California, this is the 300th Episode of the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, Twelfth Season. Podcasting since 2004, I’m your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. This is the daily show where we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year. Today’s History Tuesday and we’ll read 2 Chronicles 25 through 28. I’ve got an On This Date in Church History for you. I’ve got some people to thank and I’m calling today’s episode, “Legacy”. The show notes page for today’s episode is at lifespringmedia.com/s12e300. Then my email address is st***@*************ia.com. Let’s begin. 2 CHRONICLES 25 (NKJV) – 0:462 Chronicles, chapter 25. (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.” (17) Now Amaziah king of Judah asked advice and sent to Joash the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us face one another in battle.” (18) And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, “The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son as wife’; and a wild beast that was in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thistle. (19) Indeed you say that you have defeated the Edomites, and your heart is lifted up to boast. Stay at home now; why should you meddle with trouble, that you should fall—you and Judah with you?” (20) But Amaziah would not heed, for it came from God, that He might give them into the hand of their enemies, because they sought the gods of Edom. (21) So Joash king of Israel went out; and he and Amaziah king of Judah faced one another at Beth Shemesh, which belongs to Judah. (22) And Judah was defeated by Israel, and every man fled to his tent. (23) Then Joash the king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, at Beth Shemesh; and he brought him to Jerusalem, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate—four hundred cubits. (24) And he took all the gold and silver, all the articles that were found in the house of God with Obed-Edom, the treasures of the king’s house, and hostages, and returned to Samaria. (25) Amaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah, lived fifteen years after the death of Joash the son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel. (26) Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, from first to last, indeed are they not written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel? (27) After the time that Amaziah turned away from following the Lord, they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish and killed him there. (28) Then they brought him on horses and buried him with his fathers in the City of Judah. 2 CHRONICLES 26 (GW) – 5:352 Chronicles, chapter 26. (1) All the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was 16 years old,...