◄ 2 Chronicles 28:6 ►
For in one day Pekah son of Remaliah killed 120,000 valiant men in Judah. This happened because they had forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers.
Study Bible
For in one day
The phrase "in one day" emphasizes the suddenness and severity of the judgment that fell upon Judah. This rapid destruction serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of turning away from God. In biblical history, swift judgments often highlight the seriousness of sin and the need for repentance.

Pekah son of Remaliah
Pekah was the king of Israel, reigning during a tumultuous period marked by political instability and idolatry. His reign is noted for its aggression against Judah, reflecting the divided kingdom's internal strife. Pekah's actions were part of a larger conflict known as the Syro-Ephraimite War, where Israel allied with Syria against Judah.

killed 120,000 valiant men in Judah
The number 120,000 signifies a massive loss for Judah, indicating a significant military defeat. The term "valiant men" suggests that these were not ordinary soldiers but skilled and courageous warriors, highlighting the magnitude of the disaster. This event underscores the vulnerability of Judah when it strayed from God's protection.

This happened because they had forsaken the LORD
The phrase points directly to the spiritual cause of Judah's defeat. Forsaking the LORD implies a deliberate turning away from God's commandments and covenant. Throughout the Old Testament, Israel and Judah's prosperity and protection were contingent upon their faithfulness to God. This principle is reiterated in passages like Deuteronomy 28, where blessings and curses are outlined based on obedience or disobedience.

the God of their fathers
This phrase emphasizes the covenantal relationship between God and the ancestors of Judah, such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It serves as a reminder of the historical faithfulness of God to His people and their obligation to remain faithful in return. The reference to "the God of their fathers" also highlights the continuity of God's promises and the expectation of loyalty across generations.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Pekah son of Remaliah
The king of Israel who led the attack against Judah. His actions were part of the larger conflict between the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah.

2. Judah
The southern kingdom, which was under the rule of King Ahaz at the time. Judah was experiencing a period of spiritual decline and idolatry.

3. Valiant men
Refers to the warriors of Judah who were killed in the battle. Their loss was significant and highlighted the severity of the judgment against Judah.

4. Forsaking the LORD
This phrase indicates the spiritual apostasy of Judah, which led to their defeat. It underscores the covenant relationship between God and His people, which was broken by their idolatry and disobedience.

5. The LORD, the God of their fathers
This title emphasizes the covenantal faithfulness of God to the patriarchs and the expectation that their descendants would remain faithful to Him.
Teaching Points
The Consequences of Forsaking God
Forsaking God leads to severe consequences, both spiritually and physically. Judah's defeat serves as a warning to remain faithful to God and His commandments.

The Importance of Covenant Faithfulness
God's relationship with His people is based on a covenant that requires faithfulness. The history of Israel and Judah illustrates the blessings of obedience and the dangers of turning away from God.

The Role of Leadership in Spiritual Health
The spiritual state of a nation often reflects the faithfulness of its leaders. Ahaz's idolatry and unfaithfulness had dire consequences for Judah, highlighting the importance of godly leadership.

God's Sovereignty in Judgment and Mercy
While God allows judgment as a consequence of sin, His ultimate desire is for repentance and restoration. The account of Judah's defeat is a call to return to God and seek His mercy.
Bible Study Questions
1. What were the spiritual and political factors that led to Judah's defeat by Pekah, and how can we apply these lessons to our personal lives today?

2. How does the concept of covenant faithfulness in 2 Chronicles 28:6 relate to the New Covenant established through Jesus Christ?

3. In what ways can we ensure that our leaders, both in the church and in society, promote spiritual health and faithfulness to God?

4. Reflect on a time when you experienced the consequences of forsaking God. How did you find your way back to Him, and what role did His mercy play in your restoration?

5. How can we, as individuals and as a community, guard against spiritual apostasy and ensure that we remain faithful to the Lord, the God of our fathers?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Deuteronomy 28
This chapter outlines the blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience to God's covenant. The defeat of Judah is a direct consequence of their disobedience, as foretold in these covenantal warnings.

Isaiah 7
This passage provides context for the political and military tensions between Israel and Judah during the reign of Ahaz, including the prophecy of Immanuel as a sign of God's presence and future deliverance.

2 Kings 16
Offers a parallel account of Ahaz's reign and his unfaithfulness, providing additional details about his idolatry and political alliances.
Sermons
This is that King AhazT. Whitelaw 2 Chronicles 28:1-27
People
Ahaz, Amasa, Aram, Azariah, Azrikam, Ben, Berechiah, David, Edomites, Elkanah, Hadlai, Hezekiah, Israelites, Jehizkiah, Jehohanan, Johanan, Maaseiah, Meshillemoth, Oded, Pekah, Remaliah, Shallum, Tilgathpilneser, Timnah, Zichri
Places
Aijalon, Assyria, Beth-shemesh, Damascus, Gederoth, Gimzo, Jericho, Jerusalem, Negeb, Samaria, Shephelah, Soco, Syria, Timnah, Valley of Hinnom
Topics
Death, Fathers, Fighting-men, Forsaken, Forsaking, Hundred, Judah, Killed, Pekah, Remaliah, Remali'ah, Slayeth, Slew, Soldiers, Sons, Thousand, Twenty, Valiant, Valor, Valour
Dictionary of Bible Themes
2 Chronicles 28:1-27

     5366   king

Library
Costly and Fatal Help
'He sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him: and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me. But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel.'--2 CHRON. xxviii. 23. Ahaz came to the throne when a youth of twenty. From the beginning he reversed the policy of his father, and threw himself into the arms of the heathen party. In a comparatively short reign of sixteen years he stamped out the worship of God, and …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

That the Employing Of, and Associating with the Malignant Party, According as is Contained in the Public Resolutions, is Sinful and Unlawful.
That The Employing Of, And Associating With The Malignant Party, According As Is Contained In The Public Resolutions, Is Sinful And Unlawful. If there be in the land a malignant party of power and policy, and the exceptions contained in the Act of Levy do comprehend but few of that party, then there need be no more difficulty to prove, that the present public resolutions and proceedings do import an association and conjunction with a malignant party, than to gather a conclusion from clear premises. …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

The Prophet Micah.
PRELIMINARY REMARKS. Micah signifies: "Who is like Jehovah;" and by this name, the prophet is consecrated to the incomparable God, just as Hosea was to the helping God, and Nahum to the comforting God. He prophesied, according to the inscription, under Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. We are not, however, entitled, on this account, to dissever his prophecies, and to assign particular discourses to the reign of each of these kings. On the contrary, the entire collection forms only one whole. At …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Degrees of Sin
Are all transgressions of the law equally heinous? Some sins in themselves, and by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the sight of God than others. He that delivered me unto thee, has the greater sin.' John 19: 11. The Stoic philosophers held that all sins were equal; but this Scripture clearly holds forth that there is a gradual difference in sin; some are greater than others; some are mighty sins,' and crying sins.' Amos 5: 12; Gen 18: 21. Every sin has a voice to speak, but some …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

Chronicles
The comparative indifference with which Chronicles is regarded in modern times by all but professional scholars seems to have been shared by the ancient Jewish church. Though written by the same hand as wrote Ezra-Nehemiah, and forming, together with these books, a continuous history of Judah, it is placed after them in the Hebrew Bible, of which it forms the concluding book; and this no doubt points to the fact that it attained canonical distinction later than they. Nor is this unnatural. The book …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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