SCRIPTURE: 2 KINGS 16
AHAZ KING OF JUDAH (vs. 1-20)
Ahaz was 20 years old when he became king of Judah and he reigned in Jerusalem for 16 years. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord and sacrificed his son in the fire, following the detestable ways of other nations. He offered sacrifices and burned incense at the high places, on the hilltops and under every spreading trees.
The king of Aram Rezin and the king of Israel Pekah came together to fight against Ahaz, king of Judah. Rezin recovered Elah and drove out the men of Judah. Edomites moved into Elath and lived there to this day.
Ahaz sent messenger to Tiglath-Peliser, king of Assyria with this message: ” I am your servant and vassal. Come up and save me out of the hand of the king of Aram and of the king of Israel, who are attacking me.” (v. 7) Ahaz took the silver and gold found in the temple of the Lord and in the treasuries of the royal palace and sent it as a gift to the king of Assyria. The king of Assyria complied by attacking Damascus and capturing it. He deported its inhabitants to Kir and put Rezin to death.
Then king Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria. He saw an altar in Damascus and sent to Uriah the priest a sketch of the altar with detailed plan for its construction. Uriah built the altar in accordance with all the plans and finished it before King Ahaz returned. When king Ahaz came back from Damascus and saw the altar, he offered burnt offering and grain offering, poured out his drink offering and sprinkled blood of his fellowship offering on the altar. He brought the bronze altar and put it on the north side of the new altar. King Ahaz gave order to Uriah that he will use the bronze altar for seeking guidance. Ahaz rested with his fathers and was buried in the city of David. And Hezekiah his son succeeded him as king.
THOUGHTS:
FAILURES OF AHAZ:
- He followed the wicked examples of the kings of Israel.
- He was defeated by the enemy and robbed God’s temple to buy protection and offered his son to Molech, a heathen god to secure help.
- He borrowed a pattern from a heathen temple and built a different altar instead of following the heavenly pattern.
LESSONS LEARNED FROM AHAZ’S FAILURE:
- We must not follow the wicked examples of others but only God’s example.
- We must not use bribery to seek protection and help.
- We must not robbed the things that belongs to God.
- We must not imitate the world by following their pattern. God’s people do not need the novelties of the world.
In his eagerness to please the Assyrian king, king Ahaz copied pagan religious customs, changed the temple services and used the temple altar for his personal benefit. If we try to mold God’s message to fit our personal preferences, we are acting like Ahaz’s action of disregarding God’s commands.
Israel and Aram were both under Assyrian control. They joined forces against Judah to force Judah to join their revolt against Assyria. But king Ahaz of Judah unexpectedly asked Assyria to come to his aid. He used the temple money to send as gift to him. Ahaz allowed the king of Assyria to replace God as Judah’s leader. No one no matter how attractive or powerful should replace God’s leadership in our lives.