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Bible reading: 2
Chronicles 25:1-13
1 Amaziah
was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he
reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s
name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. 2 And he did that which
was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect
heart. 3 Now it came to pass, when the kingdom was
established to him, that he slew his servants that had killed
the king his father. 4 But he slew not 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 die for the
children, neither shall the children die for the fathers, but
every man shall die for his own sin. 5 Moreover Amaziah
gathered Judah together, and made them captains over thousands,
and captains over hundreds, according to the houses of their
fathers, throughout all Judah and Benjamin: and he numbered them
from twenty years old and above, and found them three hundred
thousand choice men, able to go forth to war, that could handle
spear and shield. 6 He hired also an hundred thousand
mighty men of valor out of Israel for an hundred talents of
silver. 7 But there came a man of God to him, saying, O
king, let not the army of Israel go with thee; for the LORD is
not with Israel, to wit, with all the children of Ephraim. 8 But
if thou wilt go, do it, be strong for the battle: God shall make
thee fall before the enemy: for God hath power to help, and to
cast down. 9 And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what
shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the
army of Israel? And the man of God answered, The LORD is able to
give thee much more than this. 10 Then Amaziah separated
them, to wit, the army that was come to him out of Ephraim, to
go home again: wherefore their anger was greatly kindled against
Judah, and they returned home in great anger. 11 And
Amaziah strengthened himself, and led forth his people, and went
to the valley of salt, and smote of the children of Seir ten
thousand. 12 And other ten thousand left alive did the
children of Judah carry away captive, and brought them unto the
top of the rock, and cast them down from the top of the rock,
that they all were broken in pieces. 13 But the soldiers
of the army which Amaziah sent back, that they should not go
with him to battle, fell upon the cities of Judah, from Samaria
even unto Bethhoron, and smote three thousand of them, and took
much spoil.
Amaziah was no
enemy to religion, but cool and indifferent friend.
Many do what is good, but not with a perfect heart. Rashness makes
work for repentance. But Amaziah's obedience to the command of God
was to his honour.
A firm belief of God's all-sufficiency to bear us out in our duty,
and to make up all the loss and damage was sustain in his service,
will make his yoke very easy, and his burden very light.
When we are called to part with any thing for God and our
religion, it should satisfy us, that God is able to give us much
more than this.
Convinced sinners, who have not true faith, always object to
self-denying obedience. They are like Amaziah; they say:
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what shall we
do for the hundred talents?
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What shall we
do if by keeping the sabbath holy we lose so many good
customers?
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What shall we
do without this gain?
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What shall we
do if we lose the friendship of the world?
Many endeavor to
quiet their consciences by the pretence that forbidden practices
are necessary. The answer is, as here, The Lord is able to give
thee much more than this. He makes up, even in this world, for all
that is given up for his sake.
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