Every Christian is called to be strong and courageous, but not everyone is called to be boldfaced with courage before an entire nation. Maybe your thoughts immediately turn to men like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—and so they should! However, I want to draw your attention to some men you may have forgotten are in the Bible: Azariah, Berechiah, Jehizkiah, and Amasa. These four chiefs of the men of Ephraim took the Word of the Lord seriously and did something most of us would quail at the prospect of. To understand, you must hear the story of 2 Chronicles 28 and 2 Kings 16.

King Ahaz was an evil king who “walked in the ways of the kings of Israel.” This Old Testament narrative code means he gave himself wholeheartedly to idolatry. The Chronicler details Ahaz’s wickedness:

“He even made metal images for the Baals, and he made offerings in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom and burned his sons as an offering, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD drove out before the people of Israel. And he sacrificed and made offerings on the high places and on the hills and under every green tree.” (2 Chronicles 28:2–4)

His commitment to sin stunk to the high heavens. Yet, as the principle goes, you reap what you sow. Ahaz sowed sin, and he reaped God’s wrath and judgment. The Lord gave Ahaz into the hand of the king of Syria, who defeated him. Then the Lord gave him into the hand of the king of Israel, who struck him with great force (2 Chronicles 28:5). Pekah, the king of Israel, killed 120,000 men of Judah in a single day and carried away another 200,000 men, women, and children as spoil—to make them slaves.

It is a grisly picture. And yet, for the sake of His covenant promises, the Lord would not forsake His people, even though they had forsaken Him. Through the prophet Oded, God rebuked Israel for attempting to enslave their brothers:

“Behold, because the LORD, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah, he gave them into your hand, but you have killed them in a rage that has reached up to heaven. And now you intend to subjugate the people of Judah and Jerusalem, male and female, as your slaves. Have you not sins of your own against the LORD your God? Now hear me, and send back the captives from your relatives whom you have taken, for the fierce wrath of the LORD is upon you.” (2 Chronicles 28:9–11)

Many kings in the past had refused to listen and even killed God’s prophets. Would it be the same this time? This is where we meet the four faithful chiefs. Azariah, Johanan, Berechiah, Jehizkiah, and Amasa stood up against all the people coming back from war. It’s one thing to stand up to a bully—it’s another to stand up to an entire national army and refuse them their victory spoil! Yet that’s exactly what these men did. They boldly declared:

“You shall not bring the captives in here, for you propose to bring upon us guilt against the LORD in addition to our present sins and guilt. For our guilt is already great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.” (2 Chronicles 28:13)

These men faithfully withstood the crowd in obedience to the Word of God, and the Lord blessed their courage with fruit. The armed men left their captives and spoil and departed. You might think the story ends here, but these courageous men didn’t just act bravely in opposing the wicked—they also went beyond duty to care for the 200,000 captives. Scripture records:

“And the men who have been mentioned by name rose and took the captives, and with the spoil they clothed all who were naked among them. They clothed them, gave them sandals, provided them with food and drink, and anointed them, and carrying all the feeble among them on donkeys, they brought them to their kinsfolk at Jericho, the city of palm trees.” (2 Chronicles 28:15)

How did these men have such courage and conviction to stand against an army and then tenderly care for the helpless? Because they heard and believed the Word of God and because they were living for the face of one in the midst of many. These men lived by faith—trusting in the Word spoken through Oded—and acted in obedience to it.

The pathway to courage and strength is not found in motivational videos or self-help gurus, but in having the Word of God burning within your heart. When the Word captivates the heart, the life can only burn brightly with courage for the Lord.

Do you lack courage? The solution is to run to God’s Word and get it into your heart and mind, so that it drives your every action.