What is the meaning of 2 Chronicles 28:5? So the LORD his God delivered Ahaz into the hand of the king of Aram - Judah’s king is not simply out-maneuvered; the Lord actively “delivered” him (cf. Deuteronomy 28:25; 2 Chronicles 24:24). - “The LORD his God” underscores covenant: God still owns Judah, yet disciplines Ahaz for idolatry (2 Chronicles 28:1-4). - Rezin of Aram becomes God’s instrument, showing that even pagan powers serve the Lord’s purposes (Isaiah 10:5-6; 13:5). who attacked him and took many captives to Damascus - Rezin’s campaign succeeds where human strategy fails; Judah’s defenses crumble because the Lord has withdrawn protection (2 Kings 16:5-6; Isaiah 7:1-2). - The captives marched north echo the covenant curse of exile (Leviticus 26:33). - Judah’s humiliation reminds us that sin always carries real, historical consequences. Ahaz was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel - A second “delivered” intensifies the point: the Lord repeats the judgment through Pekah of the northern kingdom (2 Chronicles 28:6-8; 2 Kings 15:37). - God can use even a wayward sibling nation to chastise Judah, proving His sovereignty over all kingdoms (2 Kings 14:26-27). - Ahaz’s alliances cannot shield him; only covenant faithfulness can (Psalm 20:7; Isaiah 30:1-3). who struck him with great force - Pekah’s onslaught is staggering: “120,000 in Judah were killed in one day” (2 Chronicles 28:6). - The phrase highlights the severity of divine discipline—measured, purposeful, yet devastating (Hebrews 12:6-11; Proverbs 3:11-12). - God’s intent is corrective, calling the nation back to Himself (2 Chronicles 28:9-11). summary 2 Chronicles 28:5 shows the Lord’s direct hand in Judah’s military disasters. Because King Ahaz rejected God and embraced idolatry, the Lord employed Aram and Israel to discipline him, sending Judah a vivid warning that obedience brings protection while rebellion invites ruin. The verse stands as a sober reminder that God remains sovereign over history, faithful to His Word, and committed to shaping His people—even through painful judgment—so they might return to Him. |
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