Those who do not know (or study) their history are bound to repeat it. Such seems to be the case with each concurrent king. Isn’t there a single one that is wise enough to deduce that obedience to God is necessary for success/victory?
So, it’s almost as if I have read this passage before since the story line is so familiar. But there a couple of things that are worth noting.
There is a theme here of delayed justice. The officials that killed the last king (Joash) are put to death by the new king. Joash started out very godly and drifted as he grew older. Now, his son Amaziah is doing the same thing, and he is killed by assassins just like his father. The old king was killed when he drifted away from God and made terrible decisions. The young king will eventually do the exact same thing. It’s as if they don’t learn.
On the other hand, I have watched my children do the same things that I did when I was young (sadly, with the same results) even though I told them it wouldn’t work. In one way it’s frustrating, but in another way it’s almost funny. It’s as if I am watching myself from the third person perspective. When I was young my Dad was helping me renovate my house. He got shocked on 220v wires that I told him were off (that made him mad!) and when we were building the garage I threw a board down from the roof and smashed a hole in the floor. (That made him frustrated). So, when I see my kids doing the same goofy stuff it’s hard to stay mad about it. I wonder if my grandfather ever came to my dad’s house when he was young and helped him?
Anyway, it would seem that all of us repeat the actions of the previous generation to some extent. If we learned anything from generation to generation, we would live at home one year longer, invest our first year’s earnings and we would all retire wealthy. But….no one learns the lesson of compound interest. Myself included. And I shared this insight with my kids, and they didn’t learn it either.
The parallel is obvious: if we aren’t obedient to God we are going to pay for it eventually. And it seems that we have a hard time accepting that fact. Every generation feels that they can make up their own rules to live by. No one seems to be looking at history.
A second lesson (or theme) that I take from today’s reading is of gradual drift. I have now read of many kings who began strong, but eventually capitulated and served other gods. I doubt that they were strong godly men until one day they did a complete “180”. Rather, this shift began with small compromises and eventually led to the king throwing a prophet out of his throne room with a death threat. No godly king would do such a thing. But, a man who had been corrupted by pride and arrogance and self confidence might do it.
As I read about these kings I tend to forget that the events mentioned span many years. How many years does it take to drift away? One or two? These events were sometimes 20 years apart.
How about this for a lesson? Large errors begin with small compromises. Small compromises are the result of small faith. So, small faith leads to compromise, which leads to larger errors. King Amaziah and King Joash before him both began well, but they didn’t completely rid the land of idols. That small compromise probably made the people happy, no one likes change, and I’m sure there was much resistance to ridding the land of idols. They were probably big business and a means of controlling people, and beside all that, the people wanted the idols. To remove them would be hugely unpopular. Especially for a king trying to establish himself. Perhaps each new king said “I will remove the idols later, after things settle down and the people accept me”.
I wonder, are there things in my life that I am compromising on? Are there areas in which I am not being obedient, which aren’t affecting me today, but will eventually create problems with either drifting or delayed justice? I suppose the very fact that I ask the question is a better position than just assuming I am okay. The words to an old hymn come to mind “Search me Oh God and know my heart today. Try me Oh Savior, know my thoughts I pray. See if there be some wicked way in me. Cleanse me from every sin and set me free.”
As I sing through these words today, I remember that David also prayed that God would “forgive his hidden sins”. I thank God today that I am not so proud that I deny my fallen nature, neither am I happy about my nature. I sense the tendency to drift away, and it makes me frustrated. However, I thank God for the realization of it, and vow to remain humble before Him. Someday He may remove that nature from me completely…I look forward to it.
Faithfully,
PR