What is the meaning of 2 Chronicles 28:16? At that time “ At that time ” (2 Chronicles 28:16) points us back to the immediate crisis Judah was facing. • Earlier in the chapter, the LORD “gave him (Ahaz) into the hand of the king of Aram… and into the hand of the king of Israel” (28:5). Defeat, captivity, and devastating losses filled the land. • 2 Kings 16:5-6 records the same siege, while Isaiah 7:1-2 describes hearts “shaken like the trees of the forest.” • This was not a random misfortune; verse 19 says, “For the LORD humbled Judah because of Ahaz.” God’s discipline was active, and “that time” was the moment it pressed in hardest. King Ahaz Ahaz ruled Judah about 735-715 BC. Scripture sketches his character plainly. • “He did not do what was right in the eyes of the LORD… even making cast images for the Baals” (2 Chron 28:1-4; cf. 2 Kings 16:2-4). • He burned his sons in the fire and “shut the doors of the LORD’s temple” (28:3, 24). • Romans 1:22-23 later echoes the folly of exchanging God’s glory for idols; Ahaz is a living example. His spiritual rebellion sets the backdrop for every political move that follows. sent for help Instead of humbling himself before the LORD who had sent the discipline, Ahaz looked horizontally. • 2 Kings 16:7 reveals his message: “I am your servant and your son. Come up and save me.” • Psalm 146:3 warns, “Do not put your trust in princes… in whom there is no salvation.” • Isaiah 30:1-3 calls alliances like this “a covering but not of My Spirit,” while Jeremiah 17:5 says, “Cursed is the man who trusts in man.” • The irony is sharp: the covenant-keeping God stood ready to defend Judah (Isaiah 7:4-9), yet Ahaz preferred an earthly savior. from the king of Assyria Assyria, led by Tiglath-Pileser III, was the rising superpower. • 2 Chron 28:20-21 recounts that the Assyrian king “came against him and afflicted him instead of strengthening him.” Human help became heavier bondage. • 2 Kings 16:9 shows Assyria gladly taking the silver and gold from the temple and royal treasuries. • Isaiah 7:17-20 forewarned that the very razor Ahaz hired would “shave” the land; judgment often rides in on the alliances we forge outside God’s will. • The lesson is timeless: any refuge sought apart from God eventually exacts a costly tribute. summary 2 Chronicles 28:16 captures the pivotal misstep of Ahaz: under pressure, he turned from the LORD to Assyria. The verse exposes a heart issue—trust misplaced. Scripture consistently contrasts the cursed path of leaning on human power with the blessed security of relying on God alone (Psalm 118:8-9). Ahaz’s choice brought deeper affliction, proving that political calculations cannot substitute for covenant faithfulness. |
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