What lessons can we learn from Ahaz's reliance on foreign powers over God? Setting the Scene • 2 Chronicles 28 paints the reign of King Ahaz of Judah. Surrounded by threats from Israel and Aram, he “sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria” (2 Kings 16:7). • Verse 20 sums up the outcome: “So Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came to him, but he gave him distress instead of strength.” • Ahaz emptied the temple treasuries, stripped the gold from the doors, and still wound up weaker than before (2 Chron 28:21). Ahaz’s Fatal Choice • He looked horizontally—toward a pagan empire—rather than vertically, toward the God who had repeatedly rescued Judah. • His decision was deliberate, not ignorant; prophets like Isaiah were warning him (Isaiah 7:3–9). • Instead of repentance, he doubled down, sacrificing “to the gods of Damascus that had defeated him” (2 Chron 28:23). Consequences That Followed 1. Political bondage – Judah became a vassal state (2 Kings 16:9). – Foreign idols flooded Jerusalem (2 Chron 28:24). 2. Spiritual bankruptcy – Ahaz “shut the doors of the house of the LORD.” Worship life collapsed. 3. Personal misery – “He gave him distress instead of strength.” Alliances forged outside God’s will always turn sour. Key Lessons for Our Daily Walk • Trust misplaced invites trouble – “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind… whose heart turns away from the LORD.” (Jeremiah 17:5) – “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.” (Psalm 20:7) • Quick fixes cost more in the long run – Ahaz paid gold and silver; the invoice kept growing. Modern shortcuts—dishonest deals, unethical partnerships—carry hidden fees. • Compromise spreads like leaven – The altar patterned after Assyrian worship (2 Kings 16:10–12) replaced the true bronze altar. One concession opened the door to many. • God offers a standing alternative – Isaiah’s word to Ahaz: “If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.” (Isaiah 7:9) – Proverbs 3:5–6 reminds us that leaning on Him brings straight paths. Living Out These Truths Today • Pause before every alliance—career, financial, relational—and ask, “Does this decision lean on God or on human strength?” • Guard worship: keep personal and corporate devotion central so that no partnership can crowd it out. • Remember that faithfulness may look riskier upfront but leads to lasting security—unlike Ahaz’s dashed hopes in Assyria. |
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