THE HEART-HARDENING POWER OF PRIDE – 2 Chronicles 25:1-28

Preached March 6, 2011
from
2 Chronicles 25:1-28

Theme: We must be alert to how pride hardens our hearts and closes our ears to God’s will for our lives.

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(Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are taken from The Holy Bible, New King James Version; copyright 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc.)

We continue our study of the Kings of Judah this morning by looking at the life of King Amaziah—the eighth of the kings of the southern kingdom of Judah. His story is told to us in 2 Chronicles 25.

Much of what we need to know about King Amaziah is summarized for us in the first two verses:

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. And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a loyal heart (2 Chronicles 25:2).

Just think of those last few words—that "he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a loyal heart." I wonder about how much it must have grieved the Holy Spirit that such a verdict needed to be recorded.

I’m sure it did grieve the Holy Spirit. But I also think of how much the Holy Spirit loves us and wants for us to learn from these Old Testament stories of the kings. He inspired these sacred histories; and protected and preserved them for our edification today. And I believe that this was because He doesn’t want those words to become the verdict of our own lives—that we did what was right in the sight of the Lord for a while, but not all the way to the end; that, in the final analysis, we suffered loss because we didn’t have a loyal heart before God; that somewhere down the line, we let something sinful into our lives that brought about our ruin.

After studying the story of King Amaziah, I’m convinced that the destructive sin that he let into his life—the sin that eventually made his heart disloyal to God—was pride. And I believe the Holy Spirit wants us to heed carefully the warning He gives us through Amaziah’s story, so that we won’t suffer the loss he suffered.

* * * * * * * * * *

We tend to be appalled by a lot of the sins that we see in this world. But one sin that we don’t tend to be appalled enough by in our own selves—one that we don’t sufficiently realize the danger of—is the sin of pride.

The great danger of pride—especially when it takes root in the heart of those of us who profess to be God’s people—is that it hardens us to the will of God for our lives. It makes us think that we’re better or wiser or stronger than we really are; and it causes us to set our own will over God’s will as the ruling authority in our lives. And when we then step out of God’s place for us, or when we go in a direction that’s contrary to God’s revealed will for us, that pride in our heart closes our ears to God’s warnings; so that we no longer hear or heed what He says—and we suffer unwanted consequences as a result.

The book of Proverbs gives us many warnings about the sad consequences that come into our lives through pride. Proverbs 11:2 tells us, "When pride comes, then comes shame . . ." Proverbs 13:10 tells us, "By pride comes nothing but strife . . ." Proverbs 16:18 says, "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." Proverbs 29:23 says, "A man’s pride will bring him low . . ."

The apostle Paul warned his fellow believers not to let themselves fall prey to the heart-hardening power of pride. In Romans 12:3, he wrote;

For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith (Romans 12:3).

The great apostle Paul—though whom God had done such great things for the cause of Jesus Christ—was himself on the alert against pride. He sought to keep his focus on the Lord Himself when he wrote, "For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed . . ." (Romans 15:18). Keeping his focus on his Savior kept him from being drawn away from the place of service God gave him. He told his fellow Christians in Corinth;

For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. We, however, will not boast beyond measure, but within the limits of the sphere which God appointed us . . ." (2 Corinthians 10:12-13a).

King Amaziah was a man who had been given a wonderful place of service by God. He was to be ruler over God’s precious chosen people. But he was taken over by the sin of pride. He boasted himself beyond God’s measure for him; and did not stay within the sphere of God’s appointment for him. He soon closed his ears to God’s warning regarding the direction he was heading. And he suffered terrible loss as a result.

His experience teaches us that we must be alert to how pride can harden our hearts and close our ears to God’s will for our lives.

* * * * * * * * * *

Amaziah’s reign began in an attitude of humble submission to God. He was—at first—careful to do what was right in the sight of the Lord.

He was the son of King Joash. His father Joash was a king who also started out well—but who sadly grew to hardened his own heart toward God. The Bible tells us that conspirators from among Joash’s servants rose up one day and killed him. Amaziah became king in his father’s place. And we’re told that, as soon as his rule over the kingdom of Judah was established, he put to death the servants who had murdered his father.

Now; this was just and right. It was something that was necessary for the new king to do. But he didn’t behave as the kings in ancient times so often behaved. He didn’t, in a rash of vengeance and paranoid fear, also slay all the family members of the conspirators. The Bible tells us that

. . . 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" (v. 4).

If Amaziah had slain the children of the conspirators, he may have been able to justify his actions in the sight of men. He may have been able to argue that he needed to slay them for his own protection—lest the children of those men one day rise up and also conspire against him. Or he may have been able to argue that he needed to do such a thing for the sake of his own people—lest there be a ‘secret cell’ of rebels within his royal household. But he didn’t put them to death. God’s word—way back in Deuteronomy 24—said not to do so; and so, he restrained himself and stayed within the boundaries of God’s good and wise commandments.

And in this, Amaziah demonstrated a humble obedience to God’s place for him. He did what was right in the sight of the Lord—rather than pridefully acting according to what might have been right in his own sight.

* * * * * * * * * *

But it wasn’t long before—sadly—the evidence of pride began to show itself in his heart.

It fell upon him to resume a long-standing battle with the people of Edom. His great-grandfather Jehoshaphat had to deal with them, and so did his grandfather Jehoram. And so, the Bible tells us that

. . . 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 (v. 5).

This was far less of a fighting force than his great-grandfather and his grandfather had. Many of the forces of Judah had been lost over the decades through the disobedience of his predecessors. But still, 300,000 soldiers was a significant fighting force—and certainly more than enough to defend his people if he was careful to keep his trust in God.

But in the next verse, we read;

He also hired one hundred thousand mighty men of valor from Israel for one hundred talents of silver (v. 7).

In 1 Kings 20:39, we learn that a talent of silver was the equivalent value of a man’s life. And so, even though we don’t know for sure how much 100 talents of silver would be in modern terms of value, it was a very significant amount. But this was money he had paid buy 100,000 mercenary soldiers from the wicked northern kingdom of Israel to supplement his army. He seems to have felt that he needed to make his own army a little bigger. But he also seems to have ignored the fact that every time his predecessors had entered into an association with the ungodly northern kingdom, they suffered punishment from God because of it.

It was then that God spoke a word of warning to him. "A man of God" came to him—just who it was we’re not told—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. 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" (vv. 7-8).

God didn’t need for Amaziah to increase the size of his army in this way. The amount of soldiers in the army didn’t make any difference to God’s ability. As the Bible tells us elsewhere, it is nothing for Him to help, "whether with many or with those who have no power" (2 Chronicles 14:11). And to enter into an association with the ungodly northern kingdom would most certainly cause God to remove His protective hand from Amaziah.

It seems that Amaziah was brought to his senses by this. And yet, he struggled. He asked 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.” (v. 9).

Sometimes, when we’ve discovered that we’ve gotten ourselves deeply invested in something that is contrary to God’s will for us, we’re tempted by the cost of the investment to keep right on going in our error. Humanly speaking, it feels like it would be just too embarrassing and costly to stop. But continuing in our error would only increase our loss in the long-run. At times like that, the best thing to do is suffer the temporary shame and loss, begin immediately to obey God, and trust Him to make-up for our loss in the long-term. He is more than able to do so.

And that’s what Amaziah did. We’re told,

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 (v. 10).

Those soldiers were very angry because they had hoped to profit from the plunder they expected from defeating the Edomites. Making a 100,000 mercenary soldiers angry was quite a blunder! But it’s far safer to suffer the wrath of even a large group of ungodly men than to walk one single step in disobedience before a holy God!

* * * * * * * * * *

But though it doesn’t say so explicitly in the text, I believe that pride once again began to rise up in Amaziah’s heart. We’re told;

Then Amaziah strengthened himself, and leading his people, he went to the Valley of Salt and killed ten thousand of the people of Seir [another name for Edom]. Also the children of Judah took captive ten thousand alive, brought them to the top of the rock [which many scholars today believe to be Petra], and cast them down from the top of the rock, so that they all were dashed in pieces (vv. 11-12).

The slaughter of these 10,000 prisoners of war was excessive and brutal. And it was an abhorrent thing to do to a people-group that God told the people of Israel, in His law, to consider their "brethren" (Deuteronomy 23:7). Amaziah had no apparent warrant from God to do such a thing; but it appears to have been an act in which he pridefully stepped beyond his proper bounds. And there may even be an indication of the hand of God’s judgment upon him for having done it; because we read immediately afterwards;

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 (v. 13).

Pride was taking hold of Amaziah. It was drawing him out of the boundaries that God had set for him. It was costing him greatly. And now, it began to harden his heart toward God’s warnings. We’re told,

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 (v. 14).

Very often, this was a way that ancient kings sought to demonstrate their power over a conquered people group and humiliate them. They would take the gods of the conquered people away from them and make them into his own. But how foolish this is!—to bow down to the false gods of the Edomites that could not protect them! As one commentator said, Amaziah would have been far better off to have cast those false gods of the rock instead of the captives!

And so, another man of God was sent to him. We read;

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?” (v. 15).

But look at how hard Amaziah’s heart was growing toward God. In pride, he would no longer listen to God’s warning.

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?” (v. 16a).

Just as his father Joash had done in his own hardness of heart, Amaziah would no longer listen to God’s prophet. And just as his father Joash killed the prophet of God who spoke against his rebellion, Amaziah was now threatening to kill the prophet God had sent to him. The Bible tells us,

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" (v. 16b).

* * * * * * * * * *

Pride had thoroughly taken over Amaziah. He began to believe he was wiser than the revealed word of God, and stronger than obedience to God could make him. He began to step increasingly outside of the boundaries that God had set for him; and had so hardened his heart that he would no longer hear God’s warnings.

And so; God removed His hand from him and allowed him to spiral down into destruction. We’re told;

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" (v. 17).

Who was it that he asked for advice? We’re not told. But whoever it was, we can be sure that it wasn’t the prophet from God! Some scholars say that he held an animosity against the King of Israel because he had offered to enter into an alliance through marriage—just as his great-grandfather had done; but the king of Israel refused the offer. Or it may be that he held an grudge against the king because of the way the Israelite mercenaries were raiding his own land. In any case, he inflated himself in an ungodly way, boasted against the king of Israel, and challenged him to war.

And the king of Israel responded with something that sounds, for all the world, like it was taken straight out of Aesop’s Fables:

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. 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?” (vv. 18-19).

"Go back to the shallow end of the pool, little boy", he was telling him. "You’re over your head out here."

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. So Joash king of Israel went out; and he and Amaziah king of Judah faced one another at Beth Shemesh, which belongs to Judah. And Judah was defeated by Israel, and every man fled to his tent. 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. And he took all the gold and silver, all the articles that were found in the house of God with Obed-Edom [most likely, a priest who was in charge of the articles of the temple], the treasures of the king’s house, and hostages, and returned to Samaria (vv. 21-24).

Amaziah was taken away by the northern kingdom into exile. His teenage son Uzziah was set on the throne in his place. He pridefully stepped out of God’s bounds for him; and his heart grew harder and harder. He would not heed God’s warnings; and he suffered horribly for it.

And here’s the sad end of his story:

Amaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah, lived fifteen years after the death of Joash the son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel. 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? 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. Then they brought him on horses and buried him with his fathers in the City of Judah (vv. 25-28).

Just as had happened to his father Joash, Amaziah died at the hands of conspirators from within his own ranks. 2 Kings 14:3 says that “he did everything as his father Joash had done.” This included the way that he had rebelled against God; and even the way he died.

What a dreadfully destructive thing pride proved to be in his life!

* * * * * * * * * *

To my mind, dear brothers and sisters, one of the most frightening commentaries on such pride in all of the Book of Proverbs is Proverbs 29:1; where it says, "He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy." Pride makes us harden our hearts so that, when we step out of God’s boundaries for us, we no longer listen to His loving appeals to us to turn from away from our sin. If we keep ignoring His repeated rebuke, sudden destruction comes upon us without remedy. Amaziah’s life is proof of it.

The Holy Spirit has preserved this story for us so that we won’t suffer loss through the heart-hardening influences of pride. If we hear God’s gentle rebuke in our life today for having stepped out of His boundaries for us, let’s not stiffen our necks against Him. Let’s not allow ourselves to think that we know better than Him, or that we are above His commandments and instructions. Let’s not rationalize it or justify it. Let’s not plug our ears to the sound of His loving rebuke. Instead, let’s humble ourselves, turn from our sin, and follow His good ways for us.

At the end of our days, may it only be said of us that we "did what was right in the sight of the LORD." And may no one have to add the sad words, "but not with a loyal heart."