2 Chronicles 25 & 26: Be Strong For The Battle
Verse of the Day: (25:8) But if thou wilt go, do it, be strong for the battle: God shall make thee fall before the enemy: for God hath power to help, and to cast down.

1. Strong (25:1-16)
Now it came to pass, after that Amaziah was come from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense unto them. (25:14)

Amaziah who succeeded Joash, his father, as the King of Judah, after the latter was killed by his servants, was a good king. He then ordered the killing of his father’s murderers, but spared their children, because he obeyed God’s laws that every man shall be responsible for his own sins. (Deuteronomy 24:16) Subsequently, Amaziah sinned against God, as after a victory over the Edomites, he took their idols and worship them. While there was no king who was good among the 19 kings of Israel, there were 8 among the 20 kings of Judah who were good, but they still strayed from God. However, God still commended them as good, because of His love, grace and mercy, as well as their faith in Him. Indeed, by God’s grace, we are saved through our faith in Jesus. (Ephesians 2:4-10) 

2. Son (25:17-28)
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 thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle. (25:18)

King Joash of Israel illustrated a parable to Amaziah, by portraying the latter as a tiny thistle, who had the audacity to order him, whom he portrayed himself as the big cedar, to have his daughter married to Amaziah’s son. God then allowed Joash to humble and defeat Amaziah as the latter had become proud. Subsequently, God judged and punished Amaziah by allowing his own people to conspire and killed him. Indeed, let us humble ourselves before God knowing that we are truly nothing without Him. (James 4:6-10) 

3. Sanctuary (26:1-23)
And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the LORD God. (26:18)

Uzziah succeeded his father, Amaziah, as the King of Judah, after the latter’s death. Though he was a good king, yet he became proud, and broke God’s law by entering the sanctuary to burn incense which only the priests would perform. God then inflicted him with leprosy until his death. Indeed, let us be humble and flee from pride. (1 John 2:15-17) 

Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to be strong yet humble before You amid my life battle.