2 Kings 14:1-29

Turning back to Judah, we find Amaziah on the throne. "He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, yet...." The constantly repeated story of limitation in loyalty is told again. Success attended his arms, but issued in the lifting up of his own heart, and his foolish challenge to Jehoash the king of Israel, whose answer was characterized by contempt for Amaziah and yet evidenced a desire for peace. To this the king of Judah would not yield, with the result that he was defeated, and seems to have been kept a prisoner until the death of Jehoash. He was succeeded by his son Azariah.

In Israel, Jeroboam II occupied the throne. In his life, he also was evil before God. A man of war, he brought about the restoration of some lost territory, restoring the boundary line. This was accomplished under the influence of Jonah, the son of Amittai, who, without doubt, was the one sent to Ninevah. In the Book which bears his name we have only the account of that mission. It is evident, however, that he also exercised a ministry among his own people.

Jeroboam's victories were directly due to God's vision of the diction of His people. His final doom was not yet pronounced, and in all likeliliood Jeroboam was the saviour promised to Jehoahaz, who, for a while, restored a measure of liberty to the nation.