Kings of Judah Part 2

The reign of Joash began 139 years of rule by kings who did right in the sight of the LORD (Joash, Amaziah, Uzziah (Azariah) and Jotham)

·       But The high places were not taken away

1) Joash: was raised by the prophet Jehoiada 2C 24:2 and he repaired the house of the LORD that his mother broke down.

·       2C 24:17 Joash was swayed by the men of Judah and they left the house of the LORD and served the devils.

·       2C 24: 19-21 God offered Judah the opportunity to repent, but Joash commanded that Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest for his prophesy

·       2C 24:24-25 Judah suffered a great defeat at the hands of the Syrians and Joash was killed by his servants while he was ill of some great diseases

2) Amaziah: 2Ch 25:2  .  .  .  .but not with a perfect heart.

·       2Ch 25:14 After that Amaziah returned from the slaughter of the Edomites (Esau), that he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and served them

·       2C 25:23 Judah was put to worse by Israel because of Amaziah’s sin and Israel spoiled Jerusalem. He died by the hands of conspirators from Jerusalem.

3) Uzziah aka Azariah: 2Ch 26:4 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah did V5

·       2C 26:15b His name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong.

·       2C 26:16- When he was strong he his heart was lifted up to his destruction () He invades the office of the priest and the LORD struck him with leprosy until the day he died.

4) Jotham: 2C 27:2, 6 became a mighty king. He learned a lesson from his father: he entered not into the temple of the LORD.

·       And the people did yet corruptly. The high places remained.

·       It seems Jotham never left serving the LORD,

·       But he did not stop the people from their corrupt ways and he did not train up his son Ahaz

“did right in the sight of the LORD” : Romans 7:14-25

I believe these men had a desire to do right before God, but, they were just sinful men.[ Gen 8:21  .  . the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth.] 

It seems to me these kings learned from their fathers and at the beginning of their reign they served the LORD, even after their father turned away from doing right. They began to think more highly of themselves than the LORD and destruction came upon them. Gal 6:3; Prov 16:18

The downfall of divided worship