And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart.
Amaziah was the unstable and disloyal king of Judah who reigned after Joash and before Azariah, also called Uzziah, in the dwindling royal line toward B.C. 586. To do what was right in the sight of the Lord but not with a perfect heart was to do what was outwardly right without wholehearted faithfulness. It was a divided loyalty that served God only so far as it pleased him. Doing what is right is not enough when the heart is not fully devoted, for such half-hearted service cannot be accepted.
His divided loyalty appeared in that he could dismiss the hired Israelite army and trust God to provide. Money already spent on a wrong course is no reason to continue in it. God gave him victory without that army, because God's blessing is worth more than earthly wealth.
It appeared also in that he accepted the prophet's testimony when it agreed with his own course, but resented and silenced him when reproof came. That refusal to hearken to prophetic counsel stood in direct contrast to Jehoshaphat's full belief. It brought God's determination to destroy him, and illustrates all who follow their own counsel instead of the counsel of the Lord's prophet.
God desires a perfect heart and wholehearted consecration for faithful service. No one who longs to do His will goes unseen or unnoticed by Him. Doing duty brings blessing, while departing from God and failing to remember Him brings strife and captivity and great loss. Yet God is willing to turn to help His people and work mightily for them when they seek Him with all the heart.
Amaziah was the unstable and disloyal king of Judah who reigned after Joash and before Azariah, also called Uzziah, in the dwindling royal line toward B.C. 586. To do what was right in the sight of the Lord but not with a perfect heart was to do what was outwardly right without wholehearted faithfulness. It was a divided loyalty that served God only so far as it pleased him. Doing what is right is not enough when the heart is not fully devoted, for such half-hearted service cannot be accepted.
His divided loyalty appeared in that he could dismiss the hired Israelite army and trust God to provide. Money already spent on a wrong course is no reason to continue in it. God gave him victory without that army, because God's blessing is worth more than earthly wealth.
It appeared also in that he accepted the prophet's testimony when it agreed with his own course, but resented and silenced him when reproof came. That refusal to hearken to prophetic counsel stood in direct contrast to Jehoshaphat's full belief. It brought God's determination to destroy him, and illustrates all who follow their own counsel instead of the counsel of the Lord's prophet.
God desires a perfect heart and wholehearted consecration for faithful service. No one who longs to do His will goes unseen or unnoticed by Him. Doing duty brings blessing, while departing from God and failing to remember Him brings strife and captivity and great loss. Yet God is willing to turn to help His people and work mightily for them when they seek Him with all the heart.