Walking in our Parents’ Footsteps
The books of 1 and 2 Kings are filled with the accounts of many rulers who reigned over the nations of Israel and Judah. Most of them were bad kings, with varying degrees of disobedience to God’s laws and exhibiting evil.
A few, however, were good rulers, mostly following God and doing what he commanded.
Amaziah was a good king.
A Father’s Example
The son of Joash, another good king, Amaziah followed his father’s example (2 Kings 14:3). He was not, however, as good as King David. The chief criticism of King Amaziah is that he did not remove the high places and the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.
This was contrary to God’s expectations of right worship, and Amaziah took no steps to correct their inappropriate action.
Nevertheless, the Bible characterizes Amaziah as a good king. He followed his father’s example of seeking God and obeying (most of) his commands.
Amaziah’s son, Azariah, did the same thing. He, too, followed his father’s example and did what was right in the eyes of God. But he also failed to remove the high places, allowing the people to continue to worship there (2 Kings 15:1-4).
In this respect he followed his father’s example, both the positive ones and the negative. This repeats what Amaziah did when he made the same mistake.
This pattern goes back another generation to Joash, when Amaziah followed his father’s example in both good and bad ways. Joash, too, failed to remove the high places (2 Kings 12:1-3).
Here we have a string of three overall good Kings, with the similar fault of not removing the high places where inappropriate worship took place.
As parents we are to train our children in God’s ways, teaching them to do what is right, to obey him, and to worship him. We also need to model godly behavior to them. This is because they will mimic us in both positive and negative ways.
With God’s help, may we be good examples for our children to follow.
[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is 2 Kings 14-16 and today’s post is on 2 Kings 14:3.]
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.
2 replies on “Following a Father’s Example”
The story of the KINGS is a must read for sure. Like Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ it is violent and promotes the need for Christ…because there are so many wicked kings. What readers and movie goers truly need is FAITH. FAITH comes from learning the stories, participating in life and trusting in God’s existence and love for humanity and the commandment to honour our Mother and our Father. In the story of the KINGS there is the story of David and Bathsheba and there is the story of Athaliah! Most people have heard the story of how David committed adultery with Bathsheba and how Nathan the prophet called him out for it and for essentially killing Bathsheba’s husband by sending him to the front line of battle. However that story is told in 2 Samuel 11: 1-53. On David’s deathbed, Bathsheba comes into the story again to speak up and save her son Solomon’s life. That story can be found in 1 Kings 1:1-53 and 2 Kings 13: 2-25. These stories set up Peter’s post today. Bathsheba speaks up saves herself and prince Solomon from certain death who upon David’s death ascends to the throne as KING. Yet how many people know the story of Athaliah? Athaliah was instrumental in killing every person and child but one grandchild of her Royal Household! By killing everyone …bringing everyone into the presence of God essentially, Athaliah ascends to the throne to reign as the only Queen/KING ever faithfully recorded in the BOOK OF KINGS. To walk in our Parents’ Footsteps we must listen to their Faith Stories, their Testament and faith in God that is rooted in the Hebrew, Greek and Roman faith stories–and retell these Faith Stories to our children and our grandchildren. If we don’t know the Stories…we can’t come fully into God’s presence “face to face”.. We will be only able to see God as “a dim reflection as in a mirror.” Listening, putting ourselves into our Faith Story and teaching and preaching it over and over to the next generation– “then we shall see God face to face” and the wee little advocate known as Paul aka Saul too (1 Corinthians 13:1) and truly put our Faith into action and realize God’s Everliving LOVE is with us forever. So dear readers…please read Peter DeHaan’s books and his blogs.
Thanks, Linda!