1 In the second year of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel, Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah began to reign.

2 He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan; she was from Jerusalem.

3 He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but not as his father David had done. In everything he followed the example of his father Joash.

4 The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.

 

그는 여호와 보시기에 정직하게 행하였으나, 다윗의 완전한 길을 따르지는 못하였고, 백성들이 여전히 산당에서 제사를 드리게 했습니다. 솔로몬이 천명의 부인들을 위해 지어준 산당은 결국 대대로 사람들이 이방신을 섬기게 했고, 그것은 하나님 보시기에 악했습니다. 이것을 볼 때 우리의 신앙생활에서 결정 하나가 얼마나 중요한지를 알 수 있습니다. 아마샤는 어떤 부분은 하나님 보시기에 정직했지만 산당을 없애지 못한 것은 끝까지 순종하지 않았음을 알 수 있습니다.

He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord but did not follow the ways of David completely, allowing the people to continue sacrificing at the high places. The high places that Solomon built for his many wives eventually led people to worship foreign gods for generations, which was evil in the sight of God. This shows how important one decision can be in our faith life. Amaziah was righteous in certain aspects before God, but his failure to remove the high places indicates that he did not fully obey God to the end.

 

5 After the kingdom was firmly in his grasp, he executed the officials who had murdered his father the king.

6 Yet he did not put the children of the assassins to death, in accordance with what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses where the Lord commanded: “Parents are not to be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their parents; each will die for their own sin.”

 

아마샤가 아버지를 암살한 사람들을 처단할 때 그들의 자식들은 모세의 율법에 의해 살려준 것은 하나님의 법을 따르는 행동이었습니다.
When Amaziah punished the assassins of his father, he spared their children according to the Law of Moses, which was an act of following God's law.

 

7 He was the one who defeated ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt and captured Sela in battle, calling it Joktheel, the name it has to this day.

 

아마샤는 에돔과의 전쟁에서 큰 승리를 거두었습니다. 그러나 이것이 교만해진 원인이었습니다. 역대하 25:14에 보면 " 아마샤가 에돔 사람들을 죽이고 돌아올 때에 세일 자손의 신들을 가져와서 자기의 신으로 세우고 그것들 앞에 경배하며 분향한지라"고 했습니다. 전쟁에 이긴 후 돌아올 때 이방신을 가지고 온 것은 하나님이 보시기에 매우 악한 행위였습니다.

Amaziah achieved a great victory over Edom, but this led to his pride. As recorded in 2 Chronicles 25:14, "When Amaziah returned from slaughtering the Edomites, he brought back the gods of the people of Seir. He set them up as his own gods, bowed down to them, and burned sacrifices to them." Bringing back foreign gods after his victory was a highly evil act in the eyes of God.

 

8 Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, with the challenge: “Come, let us face each other in battle.”

9 But Jehoash king of Israel replied to Amaziah king of Judah: “A thistle in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar in Lebanon, ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ Then a wild beast in Lebanon came along and trampled the thistle underfoot. 10 You have indeed defeated Edom and now you are arrogant. Glory in your victory, but stay at home! Why ask for trouble and cause your own downfall and that of Judah also?”

11 Amaziah, however, would not listen, so Jehoash king of Israel attacked. He and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other at Beth Shemesh in Judah.

12 Judah was routed by Israel, and every man fled to his home.

13 Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Ahaziah, at Beth Shemesh. Then Jehoash went to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate—a section about four hundred cubits long.[c]

14 He took all the gold and silver and all the articles found in the temple of the Lord and in the treasuries of the royal palace. He also took hostages and returned to Samaria.

15 As for the other events of the reign of Jehoash, what he did and his achievements, including his war against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?

16 Jehoash rested with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. And Jeroboam his son succeeded him as king.

아마샤는 교만하여 요아스에게 싸우자고 했습니다. 요아스는 아마샤가 마음이 교만하여 화를 자초한다고 하며 충고했지만 교만한 아마샤는 요아스의 충고를 듣지 않았습니다. 

Amaziah, in his pride, challenged Joash to a fight. Joash advised Amaziah that his pride was leading him to his own downfall, but the proud Amaziah ignored Joash's warning.

 

아마샤의 모습이 나의 모습은 아닌지 되돌아봅시다.  아마샤는 부분적으로는 순종했지만 끝까지 순종하지 않았습니다. 그러나 하나님은 우리가 끝까지 순종하기를 원하십니다. 우리가 인간의 약한 모습을 갖고 있기에 힘들다는 것을 아시고 예수그리스도를 보내주셨습니다. 예수그리스도는 죽기까지 순종하셨던 본을 보여주셨고, 죄 없으신 분의 죽음으로 우리의 죄의 문제가 해결되었습니다. 끝까지 순종하셨던 예수그리스도만 믿고, 그분을 붙잡고 나아갑시다.

Let's reflect on whether our own behavior resembles that of Amaziah. Amaziah was partially obedient but did not fully obey. However, God desires that we remain obedient to the end. Understanding our human weaknesses, He sent Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ demonstrated perfect obedience by enduring even death, and His sinless death resolved the issue of our sin. Let us believe in and hold on to Jesus Christ, who remained obedient to the end.