Amaziah ascended the throne upon the death of his father Joash. He followed the LORD but not wholeheartedly. He executed those who had murdered his father, but he did not kill their children in accordance with the LORD’s command.

Perhaps out of fear that hostile neighbors would defeat Judah, as had happened to his father, Amaziah focused on building the military. Three hundred thousand men of Judah were fit for service. Worried that this was not enough, Amaziah hired an additional hundred thousand soldiers from Israel, spending a huge sum of money. A man of God encouraged Amaziah to send the Israelite soldiers home because the LORD was not with Israel, an idolatrous land with idolatrous people. Victory or defeat is not in the size of an army but in God’s hands. Amaziah should trust God alone. Amaziah wanted to get his money back, but the LORD could give him much more. Again, Amaziah was encouraged to trust God.

Amaziah sent the Israelite soldiers back and was still able to defeat the men of Seir. Yet there were consequences for hiring the Israelite soldiers. On their way home, they killed three thousand people of Judah and took great plunder.
Application: Father, help me not to trust in what I see and what I have but to seek you. You alone provide.
One Word: Seek first God’s kingdom