Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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2 Chronicles
Book: 2 Chronicles
Chapter: 25
Overview:
Amaziah,
King of
Judah.
(1-13) Amaziah worships the idols of
Edom.
(14-16) Amaziah's rash challenge.
(17-28)
1-13 Amaziah was
No enemy to religion, a but cool and indifferent
friend. Many do what is good, but not with a perfect
Heart.
Rashness makes work for
Repentance. But
Amaziah's obedience to
the command of
God was to his honour. A firm belief of
God's
all-sufficiency to
Bear us out in our duty, and to make up all
the loss and damage we sustain in his service, will make his
Yoke very easy, and his
Burden very
Light. When we are called to
part with any thing for
God and our religion, it should satisfy
us, that
God is able to give us much more than this. Convinced
sinners, who have not true
Faith, always object to self-denying
obedience. They are like
Amaziah; they say, But what shall we do
for the hundred talents? What shall we do if
By keeping the
Sabbath holy we lose
So many good customers? What shall we do
without this gain? What shall we do if we lose the friendship of
the world? Many endeavour to quiet their consciences
By the
pretence that forbidden practices are necessary. The answer is,
as here, The
Lord is able to give thee much more than this. He
makes up, even in this world, for all that is given up for his
sake.
14-16 To
Worship the gods of those whom
Amaziah had conquered,
who could not help their own worshippers, was the greatest
absurdity. If men would consider how unable all those things are
to help them, to which they look whenever they forsake
God, they
would not be such enemies to themselves. The reproof
God sent
By
a
Prophet was too just to be answered; but he was bidden
not to say a
Word more. The secure sinner rejoices to
have silenced his reprovers and monitors; but what comes of it?
Those that are deaf to reproof, are ripening for
Destruction.
17-28 Never was a proud
Prince more thoroughly mortified than
Amaziah By Joash King of
Israel. A
Man's pride will bring him
low, Pr 29:23; it goes before his
Destruction, and deservedly
brings it
On. He that exalteth himself shall be abased. He that
goes forth hastily to strive, will not know what he shall do in
the
End thereof, when his neighbour has
Put him to shame, Pr
25:8. And what are we when we offer to establish our own
Righteousness, or presume to justify ourselves before the Most
High
God, but despicable thistles, that fancy themselves stately
cedars? And are not various temptations, is not every
corruption, a wild
Beast of the
Desert, which will trample
On
the wretched boaster, and tread his haughty pretensions to the
Dust? A
Man's pride shall bring him low; his ruin may be dated
from his turning from the
Lord.