An Unfaithful Heart: Learning from King Amaziah

“And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart.”

— 2 Chronicles 25:2

When we read about King Amaziah, his story begins with promise. He was a man who outwardly did what was right, but Scripture tells us his heart was not wholly devoted to God. His life serves as a warning for all of us: partial obedience and divided loyalty lead to spiritual downfall.

A Tragic Family Legacy

Amaziah inherited a complex family history marked by betrayal, idolatry, and bloodshed. His grandmother, Athaliah, murdered her own grandchildren to secure the throne. His father, Joash, began as a faithful king but later turned to idols and was assassinated by his own servants. Amaziah’s story repeats this same tragic cycle: starting well, but ending in unfaithfulness.

The Test of Faithfulness

At first, Amaziah sought to reclaim Edom. But instead of trusting God, he hired mercenaries from Israel—a nation under God’s judgment. When God’s prophet warned him, Amaziah’s first concern was not obedience, but the money he had already spent. His divided heart revealed itself. God reminded him: “The Lord is able to give thee much more than this.” (2 Chronicles 25:9).

Like Amaziah, we often cling to bad decisions because of what we’ve already invested, rather than trusting God with the outcome. But God’s blessings far outweigh any earthly loss.

Turning to Idols

Even after God gave Amaziah victory, he took the idols of Edom home and bowed down to them. This insanity is what Isaiah mocked when he described a man cooking with part of a tree and worshiping the rest (Isaiah 44:19). Amaziah’s obedience was shallow—he served God only while things went his way. When God’s will conflicted with his desires, he turned to idols.

Many today follow the same pattern—serving God in good times, but abandoning Him when trials or disappointments arise.

Pride and Hardness of Heart

When confronted by a prophet, Amaziah refused to repent. Instead, he attacked the messenger. Pride hardened his heart until his own people rose against him, and like his father, he was killed by his subjects. Proverbs 29:1 warns: “He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.”

Shackled by Pride

Amaziah’s pride can be compared to the mental conditioning of captive elephants. Though immensely powerful, elephants are trained to believe they are bound by a mere rope. Likewise, many are shackled by pride or worldly attachments, unable to see that God can set them free.

Jesus’ encounter with the rich young ruler illustrates this truth. Though outwardly righteous, the ruler’s heart clung to wealth, making him unfaithful at the core. Like Amaziah, he did what was right, but not with a perfect heart (Luke 18:18–23).

Wholehearted Devotion

God demands nothing less than our entire hearts. Jesus declared: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” (Matthew 22:37). Anything we place above God—money, career, relationships, or recreation—becomes an idol.

Faithful service requires making God the center of everything, not something we fit into our schedules. Jesus taught, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33).

The Call to Faithfulness

Amaziah’s story calls us to examine our own hearts. Are we serving God fully, or only when it’s convenient? Do we hold back part of our loyalty for worldly attachments? An unfaithful heart always leads to ruin.

We belong to God, purchased by the blood of Christ (1 Corinthians 6:20). As His people, let us love Him with undivided devotion, placing Him first in all things.