Amaziah, king of Judah, fights the Edomites and emerges victorious. He is now poised to challenge the Kingdom of Israel. Jehoash derides him and cautions him to not attack, but Amaziah is not persuaded. When Amaziah engages in battle, his armies are routed. The Israelites destroy a section of Jerusalem’s walls, loot the Temple, and take Amaziah captive. Amaziah is eventually released and returns to the capital, but his people begin conspiring against him. Amaziah flees to Lachish, where he is later killed. Azariah (also called Uzziah), his son, is proclaimed king of Judah. Amaziah has many opportunities to correct his ways, but refuses to listen and ignores all warning signs—he tries to avoid his duty. The road to repentance is always open. However, we must first accept our personal responsibility.
“Thou hast indeed smitten Edom, and thine heart hath lifted thee up: glory of this, and tarry at home: for why shouldest thou meddle to thy hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee? But Amaziah would not hear. Therefore Jehoash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face at Bethshemesh, which belongeth to Judah. And Judah was put to the worse before Israel; and they fled every man to their tents” (2 Kings 14:10-12)
Self-limitation is learning to channel our energies into specific, carefully selected fields of work.
