How does Ahaz's behavior compare to Deuteronomy's warnings against idolatry? Ahaz in His Darkest Hour “In the time of his distress, King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the LORD.” (2 Chronicles 28:22) What Ahaz Actually Did • Burned his children in the fire (2 Chronicles 28:3; cf. 2 Kings 16:3) • Sacrificed and burned incense “on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree” (2 Chronicles 28:4) • Copied a pagan altar from Damascus and installed it in the temple courts (2 Kings 16:10–12) • Shut the doors of the LORD’s temple and set up altars “in every corner of Jerusalem” (2 Chronicles 28:24–25) • Sought help from the gods of Aram after Aram defeated him (2 Chronicles 28:23) Deuteronomy’s Repeated Warnings • “Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you.” (Deuteronomy 6:14) • “You must destroy all the places where the nations you are dispossessing worship their gods.” (Deuteronomy 12:2–3) • “Be careful not to be ensnared by their ways… Do not inquire about their gods.” (Deuteronomy 12:30–31) • “The man or woman who does evil… and serves other gods… must be stoned.” (Deuteronomy 17:2–5) • “Cursed is he who makes an idol… and sets it up in secret.” (Deuteronomy 27:15) • “The LORD will bring you and the king you appoint to a nation unknown to you or your fathers; there you will worship other gods of wood and stone.” (Deuteronomy 28:36) Point-by-Point Comparison • Foreign Worship Forbidden → Ahaz imported a Syrian altar and worshiped Syrian gods. • Central Sanctuary Required → Ahaz shut the true temple and multiplied unauthorized altars. • Child Sacrifice Abhorred → Ahaz “made his sons pass through the fire,” the very abomination Deuteronomy 12:31 condemns. • Leaders Held to Higher Account → Deuteronomy 17 warns that idol-leading rulers face death; Ahaz’s dynasty nearly collapses. • Rejecting God in Crisis → Deuteronomy 4:30–31 promises mercy if Israel seeks God in distress; Ahaz hardened instead, deepening rebellion. Consequences Foretold, Consequences Felt Deuteronomy’s curses (28:20–25) predict defeat, plunder, and oppression: • Aram and Israel slaughter 120,000 Judeans in one day (2 Chronicles 28:5–6). • Edom and the Philistines raid and seize towns (2 Chronicles 28:17–18). • The treasury is emptied to buy Assyrian aid that never helps (2 Chronicles 28:20–21), echoing Deuteronomy 28:29 “oppressed and robbed continually, with no one to save you.” Why This Still Matters • Sin compounds under pressure unless confronted; hardship is not a license to compromise. • God’s Word stands unchanged; centuries after Deuteronomy, its warnings unfold precisely. • Spiritual leadership carries weight—when a king strays, a nation suffers. • True help comes from covenant faithfulness, not from adapting culture’s idols to worship tastes. |
    |