How did Ahaz's reign contrast with the godly leadership expected in 2 Chronicles 28:1? Setting the Scene • 2 Chronicles 28:1 introduces Ahaz: “Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. Unlike his father David, he did not do what was right in the eyes of the LORD.” • The verse immediately compares Ahaz to David, the model king who “shepherded them with integrity of heart” (Psalm 78:72). • Scripture sets the backdrop for what true, God-honoring leadership looks like—obedience, covenant faithfulness, and wholehearted devotion to the Lord. The Standard of Godly Leadership • Deuteronomy 17:18-20 lays out a king’s charter: copy the law, read it daily, fear the Lord, obey His commands, and remain humble. • David embodied that standard: “I have set the LORD always before me” (Psalm 16:8). • The pattern is clear—leadership in Judah was to flow from personal devotion to God and submission to His Word. Ahaz’s Deviation from the Standard 1. Idolatry instead of exclusive worship • 2 Chronicles 28:2-3: “He followed the ways of the kings of Israel and even made cast images for the Baals. He burned sacrifices in the Valley of Hinnom and sacrificed his children in the fire.” • Contrast: Deuteronomy 6:13 calls Israel’s leaders to “fear the LORD your God, serve Him only.” 2. Desecration of the temple instead of honoring it • 2 Chronicles 28:24: “Then Ahaz… shut the doors of the house of the LORD.” • Godly king’s charge: keep worship central (2 Chronicles 23:16-18 under Joash; 29:3 under Hezekiah). 3. Political alliances instead of trusting the Lord • 2 Kings 16:7-9 records Ahaz appealing to Assyria for help, stripping temple treasures to pay the pagan king. • Psalm 20:7 contrasts: “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.” 4. Personal pride instead of covenant humility • Deuteronomy 17 warns the king not to let his heart “be lifted up above his brothers.” Ahaz, however, exalts himself by building altars “in every corner of Jerusalem” (2 Chronicles 28:24-25). Key Contrasts between Ahaz and the Expected Ideal • Faithfulness vs. apostasy • Temple centrality vs. temple closure • Reliance on God vs. reliance on pagan nations • Protection of children vs. child sacrifice • Humble obedience vs. arrogant innovation in worship Practical Lessons for Today • Leadership begins with personal submission to God’s revealed Word; when that anchor is lost, a whole nation drifts. • Compromise in worship quickly cascades into moral and social decay. • Trusting human power over divine help always extracts a steep spiritual cost. • God’s standards remain unchanged; the contrast between Ahaz and David underscores the timeless call to walk “in the ways of the LORD” (Psalm 101:2). |
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