2 Chronicles

2 Chronicles 28:1-4

The account of the reign of Ahaz follows 2 Kings 16:1-17:5 very closely. Ahaz became king when Jotham, his father, died. He was 20 years old and reigned 16 years. He did evil in a way that was comparable to the kings of Israel. His reign was nothing like the reign of David, but it was characterized by pagan worship, apostasy and wickedness. Passing his son through the fire was how a sacrifice was offered to Molech, the Moabite god. Molech was a statue with extended arms. It is said that a fire would be built at the base of the statue and heat the statue up. Then a child would be laid in the arms of the statue and burned, eventually passing through the arms into the fire. See also Jeremiah 7:31.

It's interesting to note that some of the previous kings did right in the eyes of the Lord as compared to their father, while Ahaz did evil as compared to David.

2 Chronicles 28:5-8

Syria and Israel had come together to war against Judah. Isiaha 7 reveals this was to set a Syrian king on the throne of Judah. They besieged Ahaz but couldn't overcome him. It was a costly battle for Ahaz The chronicler makes the ponit that the childrend of Israel carried their brethren away into captivity. What a sad state of affairs when this nation was to be set apart in holiness to the Lord, yet resembling the world, turning on themselves. How Satan must have celebrated as this evil reigned in the land.

2 Chronicles 28:9-15

This bondage of God's people by God's people would not pass by unseen to the eyes of God. He sent a prophet to point out the obvious. The rage with which they killed them reached up to the heavens. And then putting their brethren in bondage brought guilt upon them equal to the guilt that delivered Judah into their hands. The fierce wrath of God was upon them.

The northern kingdom didn't pay much attention to the prophets of God; there were many attempting to speak to them in these days. Yet, there were some heads of the clan that still feared the Lord. These men ministered to the captives and returned them to Judah.

2 Chronicles 28:16-18

Ahaz sent to Tiglath-Pileser, the king of Assyria seeking help from him. The Philistines and the Edomites also attacked Judah and carried away captives. Ahaz didn't understand how this could happen. In his mind, he just needed a larger army or to be partnered with the right king. But verse nineteen makes it clear that Judah was brought low because of Ahaz. He had brought a moral decline and unfaithfulness to the Lord. Can we make a similar comparison today? When our leaders encourage moral decline and unfaithfulness does our nation flourish or falter?

Tiglath-Pileser came and laid siege to parts of Judah. Ahaz put Judah in subjection to Assyria; in a sense surrendering to them without a fight. Instead of going to the temple and seeking the Lord, Ahaz went to steal the temple silver & gold for a gift to Assyria. But Assyria did not assist Judah.

2 Chronicles 28:19-27

An already unfaithful king became increasingly unfaithful. The Assyrian army went up against Damascus and captured it. They carried the Syrian people off to exile. Now Ahaz went up to meet Tiglath in Damascus and saw an altar there (2 Kings 16:10-16). He reasoned that the gods of Samaria had helped them, so he would see if these gods would help him. The chroniclers summarizes that result; 'they were the ruin of him and all of Israel'.

Second Kings tells us he sent plans to his priest who modified the entire temple to make it look like this temple. He saved the bronze altar for him to inquire of the Lord there. Isaiah 8:1-2 calls Uriah the priest a faithful man; but this must have been early on. Ahaz led many astray and the priest Uriah didn't stand for the Lord but fell for the ways of Ahaz and the world.

The temple was remodeled by removing the articles used in worship and replacing them with the 'new'. The remodel of the temple is a representation of the heart of the king; it was far from the Lord and actively removed the things of the Lord to replace them with abominable things. The sacrifices were also remodeled to worship and honor other gods. In the end, he destroyed the articles of the temple, shut the doors and set up altars for people to worship other gods throughout Judah.

At the death of Ahaz he was buried in Jerusalem but was not given the burial of a king. His son Hezekiah assumed the throne.

©2017 Doug Ford