Two In A Row

As a Christian, homeschooling father, I am very interested in the concept of LEGACY – not only teaching my children the Lord’s ways, but teaching them to teach their own children the same.  This perpetuates a legacy mode of thinking – whereby I am trying to influence multiple generations of my descendants.  It’s a lofty goal, but one that I greatly desire.

In reading through the reigns of the kings of the divided nations of Israel and Judah, I believe there is one unique passage – one which touches on the concept of legacy.

“In the second year of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel, Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah began to reign.  He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Jehoaddin; she was from Jerusalem.  He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, but not as his father David had done. In everything he followed the example of his father Joash.  The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.”   — 2 Kings 14:1-4

Though he was not a perfect man, Amaziah and his father represent the rare example of TWO kings in succession – father and son – who were called “right” by God.  Amaziah, like his father Joash before him, did what was right in the Lord’s sight (though not completely).  It’s a sad testament that this is one of the the only examples of righteous “father and son” kings in all of the books chronicling the kings of Israel and Judah (there will actually be four in a row, but these are the only kings during this time period where more than one good king rules successively).