Study Desk

The high places, however, were not removed; the people had not yet directed their hearts to the God of their fathers.

So Edom revolted against Judah to this day. Then Libnah revolted at the same time against his rule because he had abandoned the LORD God of his fathers.

Then a letter came to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, "This is what the LORD, the God of your father David says: 'Because you have not walked in the ways of your father Jehoshaphat and the ways of Asa king of Judah,

Now the destruction of Ahaziah was from God, in that he went to Joram. For when he arrived, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to eliminate the house of Ahab.

He kept himself hidden with them in the house of God for six years while Athaliah reigned over the land.

Then all the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And Jehoiada said to them, "Behold, the king's son shall reign, as the LORD has spoken concerning the sons of David.

Then Jehoiada the priest gave the captains of hundreds the spears and the shields and quivers which had been King David's, which were in the house of God.

He gathered the priests and Levites and said to them, "Go out to the cities of Judah and collect money from all Israel to repair the house of your God annually, and you shall do the work quickly." But the Levites did not act quickly.

For the sons of the wicked Athaliah had broken into the house of God, and even used the holy things of the house of the LORD for the Baals.

And they made a proclamation in Judah and Jerusalem to bring to the LORD the contribution commanded by Moses the servant of God on Israel in the wilderness.

So the workmen labored, and the repair work progressed in their hands, and they restored the house of God according to its specifications and strengthened it.

And they buried him in the city of David with the kings, because he had done well in Israel and for God and His house.

And they abandoned the house of the LORD, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherim and the idols; so wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs.

Then the Spirit of God covered Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada the priest like clothing; and he stood above the people and said to them, "This is what God has said, 'Why do you break the commandments of the LORD and do not prosper? Because you have abandoned the LORD, He has also abandoned you.'"

Indeed, the army of the Arameans came with a small number of men; yet the LORD handed a very great army over to them, because Judah and Joash had abandoned the LORD, the God of their fathers. So they executed judgment on Joash.

As to his sons and the many pronouncements against him and the rebuilding of the house of God, behold, they are written in the treatise of the Book of the Kings. Then his son Amaziah became king in his place.

But a man of God came to him saying, "O king, do not let the army of Israel come with you, for the LORD is not with Israel nor with any of the sons of Ephraim.

"But if you do go, do it, be strong for the battle; yet God will bring you down before the enemy, for God has the power to help and to bring down."

Amaziah said to the man of God, "But what are we to do about the hundred talents which I have given to the troops of Israel?" And the man of God answered, "The LORD has much more to give you than this."

As he was talking with him, the king said to him, "Have we appointed you to be a royal counselor? Stop! Why should you be put to death?" Then the prophet stopped and said, "I know that God has planned to destroy you, because you have done this and have not listened to my counsel."