Amaziah and Uzziah

2 Chronicles 25-26

            The Chronicler continues to present the Judean kings in the best possible light, yet we’re seeing evidence that it’s not always easy. As he introduces Amaziah, he says, “He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but not wholeheartedly.” He does take the Law into account and, in purging his officials of traitors, spares their children. He also dismisses the foreign mercenaries in his service. However, he worships the gods he captured, and he gets too big a head and starts a war the Lord tells him not to.

            Uzziah also started well, “but after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall.” His pride manifested itself in trying to usurp the role given to the priests. In most of the ancient Near East, the king was the high priest, so this is not just a turf war, but a flirtation with idolatrous practices.

            In all of this I am reminded of Paul’s language in 1 Timothy 4, Galatians 5, and 1 Corinthians 9, where he compares the Christian life to a race, and there is an implicit call to finish what we started. And I think that’s hard. We struggle against the same sins long enough, eventually we just learn to live with them. We strive for righteousness and finally just say, “This is as good as I get.” We see it in the kings of Judah; we can see it in ourselves. And we need the constant encouragement, “Let us not grow weary in doing good” (Galatians 6), and let us never grow complacent in loving our gracious God!