What can we learn about pride from Amaziah's actions in this passage? Amaziah’s Pivotal Refusal “2 Chronicles 25:20 — ‘But Amaziah would not listen, for this was from God, so that He might deliver them into the hand of Joash, because they had sought the gods of Edom.’” Snapshots of Pride in Amaziah • Selective obedience: obeyed the prophet about dismissing Israelite troops (vv. 6–10) yet kept Edomite idols (v. 14). • Inflated confidence after victory: “Come, let us meet face to face” (v. 17). • Deaf to warning: ignored Joash’s parable of the thistle and the cedar (vv. 18–19). • Self-reliance over God-dependence: trusted recent success, not the Lord who gave it. • Result: humbling defeat, Jerusalem’s wall broken, treasures seized, hostages taken (vv. 21–24). How Pride Works in Our Hearts • Pride silences godly counsel. “Amaziah would not listen” parallels Proverbs 13:10 — “Arrogance leads only to strife.” • Pride follows partial obedience. Leaving idols in our lives invites delusion (v. 14; James 1:22). • Pride feeds on past victories. 1 Corinthians 10:12 — “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” • Pride blinds us to God’s warnings. Joash’s story was clear, yet Amaziah dismissed it. Consequences Scripture Repeats • Proverbs 16:18 — “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” • Proverbs 11:2 — “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” • James 4:6 — “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Amaziah’s life is a living illustration of each verse. Guarding Our Hearts Today • Embrace whole-hearted obedience. No compartment is safe for lingering idols. • Keep success in perspective. Celebrate victories by exalting the Lord, not self (Psalm 115:1). • Welcome correction. “Listen to advice and accept discipline” (Proverbs 19:20). • Practice humility daily. 1 Peter 5:5 calls us to “clothe yourselves with humility toward one another.” • Remember God’s sovereignty. Even Amaziah’s refusal was “from God” (v. 20), reminding us that the Lord will discipline His people for their good. Takeaway Amaziah shows that pride is more than attitude; it is a spiritual infection that dulls our ears, distorts our judgment, and draws the discipline of God. Choosing humility keeps us teachable, obedient, and under the protective hand of the Lord who “gives grace to the humble.” |
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