He called together the priests and Levites and
said to them, "Go to the towns of Judah and collect the money due annually from
all Israel, to repair the temple of your God. Do it now. But the Levites did
not act at once. 24:5
Footnote: The Levites took their time carrying out the
king's order, even though he told them not to delay. A tax for keeping the
temple in order was not just the king's wish, but God's command (Exodus
30:11-16). The Levites, therefore, were not only disregarding the king, but
disregarding God. When it comes to following God's commands, a slow response
may be little better than disobedience. Obey God willingly and
immediately.
He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but
not wholeheartedly. 25:2
Footnote: Amaziah did what was right on the outside, but
inside he often resented what he had to do. His obedience was at best
halfhearted. When the prophet promised God's deliverance, Amaziah first
complained about the money that had been lost. And he valued military success
more than God's will. We must search our own hearts and root out any resistance
to obeying God. Grudging compliance is not true obedience.
Keep reading -- 116 days left!
All footnotes taken from the Life Application Study Bible, NIV
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