Pam Padgett ... teacher
When Amaziah prepared for battle, he hired men of valor from Israel ...
2 Chronicles 25:5 Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together, and
made them captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, according
to the houses of their fathers, throughout all Judah and Benjamin: and
he numbered them from twenty years old and above, and found them three
hundred thousand choice men, able to go forth to war, that could handle
spear and shield. 6 He hired also an hundred thousand mighty men of
valour out of Israel for an hundred talents of silver.
But a man of God was sent to Amaziah warning him that if he continued into battle with the men of Israel, God would
make him fall ...
2 Chronicles 25:7 But there came a man of God to him, saying, O
king, let not the army of Israel go with thee; for the LORD is not with
Israel, to wit, with all the children of Ephraim. 8 But if thou wilt go,
do it, be strong for the battle: God shall make thee fall before the
enemy: for God hath power to help, and to cast down.
Amaziah had to decide whether to trust in the strength of man, or
whether to believe the word delivered to him by the man of God and trust
in God to help them.
Amaziah also had to decide whether he would forfeit the money already
paid for the men from Israel and trust in God's provision ...
2 Chronicles 25:9 And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what
shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of
Israel? And the man of God answered, The LORD is able to give thee much more than this.
Amaziah sent the army from Israel home ...
2 Chronicles 25:10 Then Amaziah separated them, to wit, the army
that was come to him out of Ephraim, to go home again: wherefore their
anger was greatly kindled against Judah, and they returned home in great
anger.
The same decisions Amaziah faced are common to us ... whether we will
trust in God to help us, or trust in man ... whether to trust in God's
provision, or trust in money. In each matter we face, it is God who has power to help, and God who provides all we need.
Psalm 146:3 Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in
whom there is no help. 4 His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his
earth; in that very day his thoughts perish. 5 Happy is he that hath the
God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:
Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.