What other biblical examples show consequences of seeking help outside God's will? Setting the Scene • 2 Chronicles 28:16 sketches King Ahaz’s panic: “At that time King Ahaz sent word to the kings of Assyria for help.” • Two verses later we learn the outcome: “Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria came to him, but he caused him distress and did not strengthen him” (v. 20). • Scripture repeatedly shows that bypassing God for human or occult aid brings loss, bondage, or judgment. Below are several clear illustrations. Abraham and Hagar—Shortcuts Bring Strife • Genesis 16:2—“So Sarai said to Abram, ‘Look now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Please go to my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family by her.’ And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.” • Consequences: immediate tension between Sarai and Hagar (16:4-6); Ishmael’s descendants become “a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone” (16:12). • Lesson: when believers try to “help” God fulfill His promise, the fallout can echo for generations. Joshua and the Gibeonites—Presuming without Praying • Joshua 9:14—“So the men of Israel sampled their provisions, but did not seek the LORD’s counsel.” • Result: Israel is bound by oath to spare the deceptive Gibeonites; later wars must be fought on their behalf (10:6-14). • Lesson: earnest appearances and logical plans never replace a moment of prayerful inquiry. King Asa—Allies in Aram, Anger in Judah • 2 Chronicles 16:7—“Because you relied on the king of Aram and not on the LORD your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand.” • Hanani’s rebuke is followed by constant warfare (v. 9) and a terminal disease Asa faces “yet even in his illness he did not seek the LORD, but only the physicians” (v. 12). • Lesson: trusting political leverage over divine help invites continuous unrest. Saul and the Medium—Opening Doors to Darkness • 1 Samuel 28:7—“Find me a woman who is a medium, so I may go and inquire of her.” • Samuel’s spirit pronounces judgment: “Because you did not obey the voice of the LORD… tomorrow you and your sons will be with me” (vv. 18-19). • Lesson: occult counsel seems momentarily informative but ultimately seals disaster. Ahaziah—A Sick King Who Refused the Great Physician • 2 Kings 1:3-4—“Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going off to consult Baal-zebub…? Therefore, you will not leave the bed on which you lie; you will surely die.” • Verse 17 records the exact fulfillment. • Lesson: when crisis comes, the object of our inquiry reveals our true allegiance. Judah to Egypt—Horsepower with No Help • Isaiah 31:1—“Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help… but do not look to the Holy One of Israel.” • Isaiah 30:3 adds, “The protection of Pharaoh will become your shame.” • Historical backdrop: Egypt’s promised protection collapses; Judah suffers invasion. • Lesson: depending on worldly strength multiplies shame rather than safety. Patterns to Notice • A common thread runs through every account: a deliberate step away from God’s counsel toward human schemes or forbidden sources. • The initial gain (relief, information, alliance) quickly turns into greater bondage or loss. • God’s faithfulness remains unchanged, yet He allows chosen substitutes to prove their emptiness (cf. Jeremiah 2:13). Walking It Out Today • Remember Proverbs 3:5-6—“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” • Before treaties, treatments, or tactics, pause and “inquire of the LORD” (1 Samuel 23:2). • The consistent scriptural witness affirms: seeking help inside God’s will secures blessing; stepping outside invites consequences we never intended. |
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