DCLM Daily Manna 2025: DCLM Daily Manna 9 February 2025: When Success Intoxicates
Text: 2 Chronicles 25:11-16 (KJV)
11 And Amaziah strengthened himself, and led forth his people, and went to the valley of salt, and smote of the children of Seir ten thousand.
12 And other ten thousand left alive did the children of Judah carry away captive, and brought them unto the top of the rock, and cast them down from the top of the rock, that they all were broken in pieces.
13 But the soldiers of the army which Amaziah sent back, that they should not go with him to battle, fell upon the cities of Judah, from Samaria even unto Bethhoron, and smote three thousand of them, and took much spoil.
14 Now it came to pass, after that Amaziah was come from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense unto them.
15 Wherefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Amaziah, and he sent unto him a prophet, which said unto him, Why hast thou sought after the gods of the people, which could not deliver their own people out of thine hand?
16 And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that the king said unto him, Art thou made of the king’s counsel? forbear; why shouldest thou be smitten? Then the prophet forbare, and said, I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel.
KEY VERSE: 2 Chronicles 25:16
“…Art thou made of the king’s counsel? forbear; why shouldest thou be smitten? Then the prophet forbare, and said, I know that God hath determined to destroy thee…”
Sometimes, success can be intoxicating. It tends to influence a person’s behaviour the same way as alcoholic beverages sway the mind and character of drunkards. They develop an over-sized ego, and with pride, begin to ascribe to themselves great accomplishments. They lose all sense of modesty and moderation and become irrational in their actions.
Amaziah, king of Judah, fell into such a pit. He had launched a war against the Edomites, and helped by God, he roundly defeated the enemies. The victory was total, something Amaziah did not initially anticipate, and as a result, had hired one hundred thousand mercenaries from Israel, to join his fighting force. He was warned by a prophet of God to send them back as God’s favour and grace was not upon them, emphasizing that if Amaziah defiantly went ahead with the hired fighters, he would be defeated by the enemies. He accepted the rebuke, and sent those men back. But on their way, they angrily attacked some cities in Judah, killed three thousand people, and carried away much goods and property. Rather inexplicably, Amaziah, victorious over the Edomites, chose to bring the idols of those people to Jerusalem, and began to worship them. He rejected the counsel of a prophet of God who rebuked him for bringing the idols of Edom into Judah, threatening him with death. Such is the intoxicating power of success!
We must never lose sight of the reality that human beings are easily lured into sin at the slightest temptation, especially after recording successes, and brimming with confidence and excitement. The tendency at such a time is to turn away from the Lord, and pursue the things of the world that brought us much wealth, fame and power. Yet, it is at such a time that we need to be more watchful over our lives, so as not to fall into the temptation of the devil
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Watch out for the valley, once you have peaked at the mountain top.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Matthew 26
Daily Manna 9 February 2025
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