Emma - 2 Kings 14

Emma (1996) movie based on a novel by Jane Austen. I understand it now. When I was younger I definitely would not have understood the book or the movie. You may think I am exaggerating. Over the years I have learned more about relationships. When I was young I could barely put my right foot before my left. I knew it too, but that did not make it any better. Faking it only made it worse, but what choice did I have? Does someone teach how to understand relationships and how to relate to people? It seems one is condemned to learning by making mistakes.

I did seek God but not wholeheartedly. David Wilkerson speaks in his November 22 sermon letter of being handcuffed to Jesus. That could have helped me to not make so many mistakes. But that scares me. I want to be ready to do this but not wholeheartedly.

As I read through 2 Kings I get a sense that these kings had similar problems being clueless. Of course for them the situation was larger more complicated than my relational life. They usually did not seek God for help. They should have. We should too.

In 2 Kings 14 we read of king Amaziah of Judah, the southern kingdom. Amaziah was a "good" king. That probably means he kept the proper sacrifices and supported the temple. That is good because most of his subjects will follow his lead. But it is silent about relationship. But Amaziah let his success go to his head.

He took was to Edom and won. Then for some reason only known to him he challenged the king of Israel, the northern kingdom and was soundly defeated. Israel (Samaria), the Northern kingdom always had more land and more people. They consisted of ten tribes, Judah had only two tribes. So it was a bad mistake for Amaziah to think he could take on Israel. Israel was not seeking a fight.

As reprisal the king of Israel came to now defenseless Jerusalem and plundered the temple of its treasure. Israel stripped it of its gold and silver sacred vessels and all it's money. Israel was not looking for a fight but as they say, "if someone starts a fight with you, be sure it is you who finishes it."

Amaziah was not thinking clearly. He may have thought that since he was following God, God would go with him into battle and give him victory. But we are not told that he consulted God in any way. God wants us to ask, to pray, to seek his will.