Steve Webb: The common thread was pride.
Coming to you from Riverside, California, this is the 300th
episode of The Lifespring family Audio Bible, season 12.
Podcasting since 2004. I'm your OG God caster Steve Webb. This
is the daily show where we're reading through the entire Bible
in a year. Today's history Tuesday and we'll read Second
Chronicles 25 through 28. I've got an on this date in church
history for you. I've got some people to think and I'm calling
today's episode legacy. The shownotes paid for today's
episode is at Lifespring media.com/e 300. Then my email
address is Steve at Lifespring media.com. Let's begin.
Second Chronicles chapter 25. Amaziah was 25 years old when he
became king and he reigned 29 years in Jerusalem. His mother's
name was Jehovah din of Jerusalem. And he did what was
right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a loyal heart. Now
it happened as soon as the kingdom was established for him,
that he executed his servants who had murdered his father, the
king. However, he did not execute their children, but did
as it is written in the law in the book of Moses, where the
Lord commanded, saying, The fathers shall not be put to
death for their children, nor shall the children be put to
death for their fathers, but a person shall die for his own
sin. Moreover, Amaziah gathered Judah together and set over them
captains of 1000s, and captains of hundreds, according to their
fathers houses throughout all Judah and Benjamin, and he
numbered them from 20 years old and above, and found them to be
300,000 Choice men able to go to war, who could handle spear and
shield. He also hired 100,000, mighty men of valor from Israel
for 100 talents of silver, but a man of God came to him saying,
Oh, King, do not let the army of Israel go with you, for the Lord
is not with Israel, not with any of the children of Africa, him.
But if you go, be gone, be strong in battle, even so, God
shall make you fall before the enemy, for God has power to help
and to overthrow, then Amazon has said to the man of God, but
what shall we do about the 100 talents which I've given to the
troops of Israel, and the man of God answered, The Lord is able
to give you much more than this. So Amaziah discharged the troops
that had come to him from F freedom to go back home.
Therefore, their anger was greatly aroused against Judah,
and they returned home in great anger. Then Amaziah strengthened
himself and leading his people, he went to the Valley of salt
and killed 10,000 of the people of sere. Also, the children of
Judah took captive 10,000 alive, brought them to the top of the
rock, and cast them down from the top of the rock, so that
they all were dashed in pieces. But as for the soldiers of the
army, which Amaziah had discharged so that they would
not go with him to battle, they raided the cities of Judah from
Samaria to Beth Horon, killed 3000 in them, and took much
spoil. Now it was so after Amaziah came from the slaughter
of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the people of SEER
set them up to be his gods, and bowed down before them and
burned incense to them. Therefore, the anger of the Lord
was aroused against Amaziah. And he sent him a prophet who said
to him, why have you sought the gods of the people which could
not rescue their own people from your hand? So it was as he
talked with him that the king said to him, Have we made you
the king's counselor, cease? Why should you be killed? Then the
Prophet ceased and said, I know that God is determined to
destroy you because you have done this and if not heeded my
advice. Now, Amaziah king of Judah asked advice and sent to
Joash, the son of Jehovah has the son of Gu king of Israel,
saying, calm let us face one another in battle. 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 your daughter to my son, his wife,
and a wild beast that was in Lebanon passed by and traveled
the fissile indeed, you say that you have defeated the Edomites
and your heart is lifted up to boast, stay at home now why
should you metal with trouble that you should fall you and
Judah with you? But Amaziah would not heed for it came from
God that he might give them into the hands of their enemies
because they sought the gods of Edom. So Joash king of Israel
went out and he and Amaziah of Judah faced one another had Beth
Shemesh, which belongs to Judah. And Judah was defeated by Israel
and every man fled to his tent. Then Joash, the king of Israel
captured Amaziah, king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of
Jehovah has at Beth Shemesh, and he brought him to Jerusalem and
broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephrem to the
corner gate 400 cubits and he took all the gold and silver all
the articles that were found in the house of God with Obed Edom,
the treasures of the king's house. Add hostages and returned
to Samaria. Amaziah, the son of Joash, king of Judah lived 15
years after the death of Joash, son of Jehovah has king of
Israel. Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, from first to last,
indeed are they not written in the book of the kings of Judah
and Israel. After the time that Amaziah turned away from
following the Lord, they made a conspiracy against him in
Jerusalem, and he fled to Lake ish, but they said after him to
Lake ish and killed him there, then they brought him on horses
and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah.
Second Chronicles chapter 26. All the people of Judah took
Uzziah, who was 16 years old and made him king in place of his
father, Amaziah Uzziah, rebuilt the laugh and returned it to
Judah after King Amaziah lay down and death with his
ancestors. Uzziah was 16 years old when he began to rule and he
ruled for 52 years in Jerusalem. His mother was Jack Elia from
Jerusalem. He did what the Lord considered right as his father
Amaziah had done, he dedicated his life to serving God and the
days of Zechariah, who taught him to fear God. As long as he
dedicated his life to serving the Lord. The Lord gave him
success. As I went to wage war against the Philistines, he tore
down the walls of gaff Jamna and Ashdod. He built cities near
Ashdod and elsewhere among the Philistines. God helped him when
he attacked the Philistines, the Arabs who lived in gerbil, and
then the unites the Ammonites paid taxes to Uzziah and his
fame spread to the border of Egypt because he became very
powerful. Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at corner wall Valley
gate and the angle and he reinforced them. He built towers
in the desert, he dug many cisterns because he had a lot of
herds in the foothills in the plains. He had farmers and
vineyard workers in the mountains in the fertile fields
because he loved the soil. As I had an army of professional
soldiers, they were ready to go to war in their companies based
on the number organized by the scribe dial and the officer may
Asiya. They were commanded by Hannah Nyah, one of the kings
officials. The total number of family heads among these
warriors was 2600. Under them was an army of 307,500 soldiers.
They were a powerful force that could support the king against
the enemy. For the entire army as I have prepared shields,
spears, helmets, armor, bows, and stones for slings. In
Jerusalem, he made machines designed by inventive people.
The machines were placed on the towers and corners to shoot
arrows and hurl large stones, as his fame spread far and wide
because he had strong support until he became powerful. But
when he became powerful, his pride destroyed him. He was
unfaithful to the Lord his God, he went into the Lord's temple
to burn incense on the incense altar. The priest as Araya went
in after him with 80 of the Lord's courageous priests, they
opposed King Uzziah they said to him, Uzziah You have no right to
burn incense as an offering to the Lord. That right belongs to
the priests, Aaron's descendants who have been given the holy
task of burning incense. Get out of the holy place because you
have been unfaithful. The Lord God will not honor you for this.
Uzziah, who held an incense burner in his hand became angry.
While he was angry with a priests a skin disease broke out
on his forehead. This happened in front of the priests and the
Lord's temple as his eye was at the incense altar. When the
chief priest Azariah and all the priests turned toward him. a
skin disease was on his forehead. They rushed him away.
Uzziah was in a hurry to get out because the Lord had inflicted
him with the disease. King Uzziah had a skin disease until
the day he died. Since he had a skin disease. He lived in a
separate house and was barred from the Lord's temple. His son
Joseph was in charge of the royal palace and governed the
country. Everything else about Uzziah from beginning to end is
recorded by the prophet Isaiah, son of Amos Uzziah lay down in
depth with his ancestors and was buried with them in a field
containing tombs that belonged to the kings. People said he had
a skin disease. His son Jonathan succeeded him as king.
Second Chronicles chapter 27. Jonathan was 25 years old when
he began to rule he ruled for 16 years in Jerusalem. His mother
was Jerusalem daughter is a doc he did with the Lord considered
right as his father Uzziah had done, but unlike his father, he
didn't illegally enter the Lord's temple. Nevertheless, the
people continued their corrupt ways. Jonathan built the upper
gate of the Lord's temple and did extensive building of the
Wall at The Oval. He built cities in the hills of Judah and
he built forts and towers in the wooded areas. He fought with the
king of the Ammonites and conquered them. That year, the
Ammonites gave him 7500 pounds of Over 60,000 bushels of wheat,
and 60,000 bushels of barley. The ammonites gave him the same
amount for two more years. Joven grew powerful because he was
determined to live as the Lord his God wanted everything else
about Joe thumb, all his wars and his life is written in the
book of the kings of Israel and Judah. He was 25 years old when
he began to rule as king. He ruled for 16 years in Jerusalem.
Jonathan lay down in depth with his ancestors, and they buried
him in the city of David, his son, he has succeeded him is
king.
Second Chronicles chapter 28. Ahaz was 20 years old when he
began to reign and he reigned 16 years in Jerusalem, and he did
not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord as his father
David had done, but he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel.
He even made metal images for the bales and he made offerings
in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burned his sons as
an offering according to the abominations of the nations whom
the Lord drove out before the people of Israel. And he
sacrificed and made offerings on the high places and on the hills
and under every green tree. Therefore, the Lord his God gave
him into the hand of the king of Syria, who defeated him and took
captive a great number of his people and brought them to
Damascus. He was also given into the hand of the king of Israel,
who struck him with great force. For pica, the son of Rama Leia
killed 120,000 from Judah in one day, all of them men of valor,
because they had forsaken the LORD the God of their fathers
and Zick cry the mighty man of Ephram killed me a sia the king
son, and as her crib the commander of the palace, and El
Cana, the next in authority to the king, the men of Israel took
captive 200,000 of the relatives, women, sons and
daughters, they also took much spoil from them, and brought the
spoil to Samaria. But a prophet of the Lord was there whose name
was Odette, and he went out to meet the army that came to
Samaria and said to them, Behold, because the Lord the God
of your fathers was angry with Judah, he gave them into your
hand, but you have killed them in a rage that has reached up to
heaven. And now you intend to subjugate the people of Judah
and Jerusalem, male and female as Your slaves. Have you not
sins of your own against the LORD your God. Now hear me and
send back the captives from your relatives whom you have taken
for the fierce wrath of the Lord is upon you. Certain chiefs also
of the men of Ephram, Azariah, the son of Joe Hainan Barraca,
the son of Michela moth, to Hezekiah, the son of Shallum,
and a mesa the son of Hadley stood up against those who were
coming from the war and said to them, You shall not bring the
captives in here for you propose to bring upon us guilt against
the Lord, in addition to our present sins and guilt, for our
guilt is already great, and there is fierce wrath against
Israel. So the armed men left the captives and the spoil
before the princess and all the assembly. And the men who have
been mentioned by name rose and took the captives and with the
spoil, they closed all who were naked among them. They clothed
them, gave them sandals, provided them with food and
drink and anointed them and carried all the feeble among
them on donkeys. They brought them to their kinsfolk at
Jericho, the city of palm trees, then they returned to Samaria.
At that time, King Ahaz sent to the king of Assyria for help,
for the Edomites had again invaded and defeated Judah and
carried away captives. And the Philistines had made raids on
the cities in the Showfield and the Negeb of Judah, and it taken
Beth Shemesh Aijalon get her off SOCO with its villages Timnah
with its villages, and Gimpo with this villages, and they
settled there for the Lord humbled Judah because of Ahaz
king of Israel, for he had made Judah act sinfully and had been
very unfaithful to the Lord. So Tiglath Pileser king of Assyria
came against Him and afflicted him instead of strengthening
him, for Ahaz took a portion from the house of the Lord and
the house of the king of the princes, and gave tribute to the
king of Assyria, but it did not help him. In the time of his
distress, he became yet more faithless to the Lord, the same
King Ahaz for he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus that had
defeated him and said, because the gods of the kings of Syria
helped them, I will sacrifice to them that they may help me, but
they were the ruin of him and of all Israel. And he has gathered
together the vessels of the house of God and cut in pieces,
the vessels of the house of God, and He shut up the doors of the
house of the Lord. And he made himself altars in every corner
of Jerusalem. In every city of Judah, he made high places to
make offerings to other gods provoking to anger the Lord, the
God of his father's. Now the rest of his acts and all his
ways from first to last, behold, they are written in the book of
the kings of Judah and Israel, and they have slept with his
fathers and they buried him in the city in Jerusalem for the
did not bring him into the tombs of the kings of Israel, and
Hezekiah his son reigned in his place.
Well, beloved, in these three chapters, we read of the reigns
of Amaziah, Uzziah, Jotham, and Ahaz. And each of these kings
were descendants of David, of course. And as I've said in
previous episodes, coming from a believing family does not mean
that the next generation will follow God. And the opposite is
also true. Coming from a non believing family doesn't
necessarily mean that the next generation won't follow God. We
saw that in these kings, and I'm sure most if not all of us have
seen this in our own families. The reason I'm pointing this out
is that I believe that many of us, especially those of us that
are parents, take it for granted when raising our children in a
believing home, that they will follow us and accepting Jesus as
their Savior. Beloved, if we do that, we make a terrible
mistake, we can never assume that our kids will absorb our
fate as their own, there will come a time when they have to
choose to believe, just as we chose to believe they're going
to have to choose. As parents, we have to be very deliberate in
showing them in 1000 different ways. Why believing in Him is
the very best thing they could ever do. We have to let them see
that our faith is real, that Jesus is the center of our
lives, and that he matters, not just on Sundays, but every day.
And we have to talk to them about our faith, and our talk
has to match our walk. Our children are our most important
missions field. Now, back to today's chapters. As is common
to most people, the first two of these kings, Amaziah and Uzziah
had their good points and their bad points, their spiritual
victories and spiritual failures. Each of us has
strengths and weaknesses. It's the human condition. Romans 623
tells us though, that the wages of sin is death. Anything less
than perfection, anything less than a completely sinless life,
means that we fall short of the glory of God. And that's why we
need a savior. This is a common thread that was evident in the
chapters we read today with the failures of Amaziah, Uzziah and
Ahaz. Each one of them sinned in their own ways. But the common
thread was pride. Pride invariably brings destruction
even to people who showed great devotion to God. In their early
days. Once we begin to believe that our accomplishments come
from our own abilities, we're headed for a fall, it can happen
to anyone at any age, I've discovered that my own
susceptibility to sin is still alive, even after more than 50
years of being a follower of Jesus. If I take my eyes off
him, if I begin to rely on my own goodness, quote, unquote, I
quickly find that I cannot walk his path on my own. As the old
hymn says, I need the every hour...
Bryan Duncan: I need thee every hour, most gracious Lord, no
tender voice like Thine, can peace afford.
Steve Webb: To his credit of the four kings we read about today,
only Joe thumb seems to have had a lifelong record of following
God's direction. Verse six of chapter 27 tells us Joe thumb
grew powerful because he was determined to live as the Lord
his God wanted, man, what a legacy. My legacy will
unfortunately not be without a list of failures. But I'm
determined to keep my eyes on the prize, because I longed to
hear my savior say on that day that I finally see Him face to
face. Well done, good and faithful servant. What are your
thoughts? Let me know at Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 300.
Tomorrow is Psalms Wednesday, we'll read Psalms 125 through
127 Boost.
I've got some people to thank today for helping to bring the
episode 302 yet, we've got a distinguished producer today
here from A Servant of Christ, from somewhere in the North
Country. They sent in $300. And they said, Let's round out the
year. Well, let's do that. Yes, thank you and God bless you. And
I'm going to make an executive decision here. I'm going to make
Sean of San Pedro an executive producer. He sent in this
donation last week before I announced that we were going to
do anything special for this episode he sent in $103 donation
with this note, he said for S 12 e 300. Congrats on the
milestone, and we have a praise report. We're having a boy.
Well, thank you for the donation. Sean. God bless you
for that. And congrats to you and Brittaney, we shared in your
joy when you found out that God was going to be adding a new
little life to your family, your first child. And now that we
know it's a boy, we rejoice over that now with you too. And as I
said, I'm going to credit you as an executive producer on this
episode because you've been streaming and boosting sats
almost from the day that I announced that the show had
activated that feature. Not to mention you're doing the
chapters for the show and working on a very cool web app
that makes the job easier. So Shawn, you have undoubtedly
earned this executive producer credit. Thank you for your
donation of time, talent and treasure. And we have a couple
of associate producers today. Rob Brink from Troy, Michigan
sent in $50, and he said, Thanks for the podcast. Well, Rob,
thanks for the donation. If I'm not mistaken, this is Rob second
donation. So brother, I thank you for it and God bless you.
And Kevin Schneider from Edmonton, Alberta send in
$33.33. He's been a Lifespring family member for some time now
and he's donated several times. Kevin, thank you very much. And
God bless you. I truly appreciate each one of you that
sent in a special episode 300 donation today and it just warms
my heart thank you.
On this date in church history, June 28 1851, Eliza ie Hewlett
was born she was an American Presbyterian Church worker and
Singer: When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing
devotional author. Four of her hymns are still sung today: Will
There Be Any Stars, More About Jesus Would I Know, Sunshine In
that will be, when we all see Jesus, we'll sing and shout the
The Soul, and When We All Get To Heaven.
victory
Steve Webb: Let's pray. Our Heavenly Father, we thank you
for your grace. We know that we are unable to live sinless lives
and we confess our sins now. Help us to cling to you and to
say NO to temptation. Help us to always remember that we cannot
make it on our own and that we need you every minute of every
day. We truly do need you every hour. Help us to remain humble
and to be aware when pride begins to creep in. We only want
to serve you and bring glory to your name. And we thank you and
we rejoice with Sean and Brittaney as they await their
new baby boy, I pray that he'll be healthy and strong and most
of all, that he would grow up to be a man of God. Give mom and
dad wisdom and love as they raise him and may the Holy
Spirit guide them and feel them and may their home be a place of
peace with you at the center. I thank You, Lord for the
Lifespring family in the brothers and sisters who pray
with me and for me, and for those who sacrifice to help
support the show. I pray that you'll bless them and each and
every one who allows me to come to this microphone every day to
share your word. I pray this in Jesus name, amen. If you have a
prayer request or a praise that you'd like to share with the
Lifespring family, go to prayer dot Lifespring media.com.
Comment on the show at Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 300.
Send me an email at Steve at Lifespring media.com Thanks so
much to the team Kirstie Sean of San Pedro and Denise I thank God
for you each and every day. And thanks to a servant of Christ
from somewhere in the North Country Sean of San Pedro Rob
Bragin Kevin Schneider for your very generous donations to help
celebrate this 300th episode of season 12 of the Lifespring
family Audio Bible. And beloved, thank you for inviting me into
your life today. Wherever you are, I sure hope you'll be with
me for the remaining 64 episodes. And no matter how long
you've been hanging around these parts, I thank you and I commend
you for your commitment to read the Word of God with me. Let's
finish strong, shall we? keeping our eyes on the prize? Support
the show at Lifespring media.com/support. And until
tomorrow may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb.
Bye