Ahaz: Walking In The Ways Of The World
2 Chronicles 28
We have spent a lot of time on the Northern Tribes of the divided Israel lately but the Southern tribes of Judah and Benjamin also had their problems. King Ahaz of Judah was the most wicked King of Judah!
During the time of King Ahaz, God used the prophets Isaiah, Hosea, and Micah, among others to carry His message so we can be sure King Ahaz knew the warnings of God.
King Ahaz made friends with many of his enemies which brought great injury to his kingdom and even his own humiliation.
Over and over again we have seen as a nation, we must be very careful who we call our friends!
We have only one true friend and that is Israel.
Ahaz begin his rule at the age of 20 but he was dead by the time he reached 36 years old.
He is remembered for bringing even more evil and idolatry into his own nation of Judah.
The greatest thing Ahaz produced was his son Hezekiah!
We can say that King Ahaz walked in the ways of the world!
King Ahaz walked in the ways of the Kings of the Northern Tribes even sacrificing his own in the arms of the fire god Molech. The priests of these false religions were called Chemarim.
Zep 1:4 I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarims with the priests;
Zep 1:5 And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the LORD, and that swear by Malcham;
Zep 1:6 And them that are turned back from the LORD; and those that have not sought the LORD, nor enquired for him.
If we had a theme for King Ahaz it could be summed up in one Scripture:
2Ch 28:19 For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel; for he made Judah naked, and transgressed sore against the LORD.
In my opinion the same could be said for our own president!
Let's begin:
*****2Ch 28:1 Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: but he did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD, like David his father:
2Ch 28:2 For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for Baalim.
The biggest misconception about the human race is the thought that all people are good but occasionally do bad things when the truth is, we are all bad and occasionally do good things.
People just do no like to think we all have a depraved heart but the truth is the truth, whether we believe it or not!
Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
And the truth of every human being is that we are all sinners!
Rom 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
We all come short of God's glory.
Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
King Ahaz was an utterly wicked and totally depraved human being who also was a king with power to do his own will, or so he thought!
When Ahaz became King of Judah, Judah had reached it's peak in prosperity and was the envy of many nations.
Sounds like the America from a few years back.
But in the 16 years of King Ahaz Judah came to ruins, he bankrupted the economy, he decimated the military, and he brought terrible suffering to the citizens of that nation.
King Ahaz turned loose a stream of wickedness that rushed to do terrible damage to God's people by bringing on Judgment by the hand of God!
*****2Ch 28:3 Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.
2Ch 28:4 He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.
Judah was the last theocratic society left at that time because Ahaz ruled with absolute authority totally ignoring the Word of God.
He promoted and led his nation into the worship of false gods.
He also committed the abominable sin of human sacrifice, even with his own son.
Over 1 million babies were aborted in America last year and this is non other than human sacrifice to a wicked behavior and our own tax dollars are used.
Jer 32:35 And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.
Every Democrat in office just this year voted to allow abortion even up to the 9nth month, just before those precious babies are to be born. This to is an abomination to the Lord! This is an abomination to the human race!
King Ahaz followed after the religious practices of the Canaanites which God had already commanded Israel to exterminate for these very same reasons.
Today we live in a nation that is trying it's best to totally kick God out of existence and in so doing, wickedness is abounding unhindered.
People either deny the existence of God or they just refuse to accept the Lord Jesus Christ while claiming to know God.
Either way they are lost!
The greatest sin of all is the sin of unbelief!
Joh 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
Joh 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Joh 16:9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;
To reject the Lord Jesus Christ is to worship some false god!
The Living True God is God the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ whose Spirit is the God who will reprove this world of the sin of unbelief!
What is the truth of Father God?
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
King Ahaz was a depraved man with a depraved heart and a heart such as this can only be cleansed by the "Blood of Jesus"!
1Pe 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
1Pe 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
1Pe 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
Though the world deceive you this is the truth of the Scriptures!
To ignore these things will bring the "Judgment of God"!
*****2Ch 28:5 Wherefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of them captives, and brought them to Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who smote him with a great slaughter.
2Ch 28:6 For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day, which were all valiant men; because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers.
When God's "Judgment" comes He uses things in His created world.
When God's "Wrath" finally comes He will uses all the means He chooses!
Judgment and Wrath are not the same!
When we see the word "wherefore", God is saying that the previous Scriptures list the reasons for His actions.
Wherefore because of what Ahaz had done in verses 1-4 now God allowed His "Judgment" to take place.
We here in America better get use to seeing that word "Wherefore".
We already stated that the military of Judah was the envy of many other nations but it did not matter how strong they were, God delivered them into the hand of the King of Syria.
We can see that the Northern Tribes had also formed an alliance with Syria and took advantage of that at this time.
History calls this the Syro-Ephramite War.
The army of the King of Syria defeated the army of Judah and carried a great multitude of captives back to Damascus Syria.
But the King of Israel took advantage of the situation and caused a great slaughter of the people of Judah.
These things are the beginning of the great prophesies of Isaiah Chapter 7.
The slaughter of 120,000 people of Judah in one day was a terrible thing to take place!
When God removes His hedge of protection from a people terrible things can happen!
The Scripture is specific "because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers"!
This slaughter also included many heads of the government.
*****2Ch 28:7 And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the king's son, and Azrikam the governor of the house, and Elkanah that was next to the king.
Maaseiah would have been the next King of Judah, but that now fell to Hezekiah.
Azrikam was the palace manager, and manage the affairs of the King.
Elkanah was second in command, or we would say today the "Vice-President".
We can see that King Pekah of Israel was also a ruthless leader who had already seized the throne of Israel and would liked to have ruled Judah also as he tried to restore power to Israel.
Then he did something foolish.
*****2Ch 28:8 And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria.
King Pekah's army ransacked the cities of Judea and took over 200,000 women and children back to Samaria as
exiles and stole as much of the wealth of Judea as they could carry.
BUT, This thing was seen in Heaven.
*****2Ch 28:9 But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded: and he went out before the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them, Behold, because the LORD God of your fathers was wroth with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage that reacheth up unto heaven.
Notice God always has someone in the right place at the right time and God's prophets stood up to Kings, Generals, or anyone else without any fear.
There are no great things mentioned of the Prophet Oded except in this Scripture.
The one great lesson we can learn is that "one person with God on their side" can stop a mighty army and a foolish national leader!
Oded made this army aware that they were only victorious because the Lord had allowed this army a great victory but this army had gone much to far and had made God angry!
1) They had used excessive force.
2) They had shown brutality and cruelty.
3) They had slaughtered the army of Judah in a rage.
They had shown no mercy and God is a God of "mercy". Remember "all vengeance belongs to the Lord"!
This should be a warning to every military unit and especially to ISIS and ALL TERRORIST organizations.
God will not allow His people to become slaves to anyone other than He and God does not make slaves, God makes families!
Lev 25:46 And ye shall take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit them for a possession; they shall be your bondmen for ever: "but over your brethren the children of Israel, ye shall not rule one over another with rigour".
God never forgets what He has written down. We must always know to whom God is speaking to and keep God's Word in the context it was written!
It was time for the government of Israel to make a choice!
*****2Ch 28:10 And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you: but are there not with you, even with you, sins against the LORD your God?
2Ch 28:11 Now hear me therefore, and deliver the captives again, which ye have taken captive of your brethren: for the fierce wrath of the LORD is upon you.
The leaders of Israel must return the people of Judah to their land or face the wrath of God. God's wrath rested on the next decision they made and God was ready to strike them down at that very moment if they failed to show mercy.
In order to know the compassion of the Lord, we must show compassion to all others!
In order to know the mercy of the Lord we must show mercy to all others.
In order to be forgiven by the Lord we must be willing to forgive all others.
We can see that God never misses an opportunity to teach us more about His ways!
This military had to decide if they served the government or if they served themselves.
*****2Ch 28:12 Then certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against them that came from the war,
2Ch 28:13 And said unto them, Ye shall not bring in the captives hither: for whereas we have offended against the LORD already, ye intend to add more to our sins and to our trespass: for our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.
2Ch 28:14 So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the congregation.
2Ch 28:15 And the men which were expressed by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them upon asses, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brethren: then they returned to Samaria.
King Ahaz was full of wickedness and human depravity and he had completely turned away from the Lord and led the nation of Judah into false worship and the abomination of human sacrifice especially of babes and small children.
This should be a warning to all who do such things!
We see what is going on in America by our own government.
We see what is going on in America with all the rioting and rebellion because of our government.
We see the ruthlessness of terrorism world wide because governments allow this to happen.
We see the compromising church into false and abominable worship influenced by the government.
We read what God does in all these situations, why would we not expect the "Judgment" of God to come at any time?
Jesus spoke these words by the Holy Spirit to the Apostle John.
Rev 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Jesus spoke these words by the Holy Spirit to Luke
Luk 17:24 For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.
Luk 17:25 But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.
Luk 17:26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
Luk 17:27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
Luk 17:28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
Luk 17:29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
Luk 17:30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.
The truth is, there is no one on this earth that lives in isolation which means we all have some influence on others!
When we reject the Lord and compromise on the Word of God, or participate in false worship, we become a stumbling block to our friends, our neighbors and especially our families!
When we give our stamp of approval for anything that goes against the Word of God, we are misleading others to the truth of God!
We should clearly understand, if God loved this world enough to send His only begotten Son to save this world, then God loves this world too much to allow the suffering of His people to go on very much longer.
2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
As we will see when a nation plunders and destroys, it opens the door for the ruthlessness of society to do as they please!
*****2Ch 28:16 At that time did king Ahaz send unto the kings of Assyria to help him.
2Ch 28:17 For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and carried away captives.
2Ch 28:18 The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the low country, and of the south of Judah, and had taken Bethshemesh, and Ajalon, and Gederoth, and Shocho with the villages thereof, and Timnah with the villages thereof, Gimzo also and the villages thereof: and they dwelt there.
2Ch 28:19 For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel; for he made Judah naked, and transgressed sore against the LORD.
King Ahaz was too foolish to repent and turn to the Lord and he was also foolish enough to turn to another enemy for help.
While a nation who once had a military that was the envy of other nation and been decimated and sat defenseless, those old life time enemies took advantage of that situation!
The Edomites, the descendants of Esau still carried that bitter hatred.
The Philistines who had always been aggressive toward Israel took advantage of Judah at this time.
All these things had taken place because of King Ahaz but he still refused to repent!
Even the Assyrians showed their true colors.
*****2Ch 28:20 And Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria came unto him, and distressed him, but strengthened him not.
2Ch 28:21 For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of the LORD, and out of the house of the king, and of the princes, and gave it unto the king of Assyria: but he helped him not.
As we have seen in other lessons, money simply cannot by your way out of all your troubles!
Especially when that money robs the House of God!
Time after time our own government threatens to take or hinder the money given to the House of God, they should also learn yet another lesson from the Word of God!
King Ahaz was wicked enough, but the people of Judah had followed after him in wickedness.
This another thing we see in America today!
Assyria did actually attack Syria and conquered them but never helped Judah at all.
In other words King Ahaz had financed the Assyrian King enough that he had become the dominate power in the region. The Syrian threat may have been removed but all King Ahaz had accomplished, was to bankrupt his own nation.
King Ahaz had inherited a strong and wealthy nation and he had brought his own nation to it's knees and sat very vulnerable to the world of evilness.
King Ahaz had looked for a Savior other than the Lord, even though the Lord had delivered his nation since they had escaped from the bondage of Egypt.
The lessons of the history of Israel were ignored!
Today our own leaders are looking for a Savior other than the Lord, (in fact Allah), and they have forgotten the history of America and in fact are trying to erase the history of America.
We should not expect God to offer a different result than what He has proven He has done in the past!
On a personal level, if we seek salvation from any source other than the Lord, that salvation will never be found.
It is only the Lord Jesus Christ who has the power to deliver us from the wickedness of sin!
It is only the Lord Jesus Christ who has the power to carry us to victory in this life and on into the eternal life of Heaven!
2Ti 4:18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
2Pe 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
2Pe 2:10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, self willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
The truth is King Ahaz just became more wicked even after all these things.
*****2Ch 28:22 And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the LORD: this is that king Ahaz.
2Ch 28:23 For 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.
The truth is, when we have not learned from the chastisement of God, then God does not make it easier, God just makes it harder.
Chastisement either brings to our knees or just makes us mad at God for not allowing us to enjoy our sin and sin can only bring pleasure for a season, or a short time!
We will return to those old false gods searching for relief or we will make our own selves a god and continue to think we know better than God.
This, in "typology", this attitude of King Ahaz, will be the attitude of all those who have rejected God after the "Rapture" of the Church and we are beginning to see that now in the attitude of the world, where good is called evil, and evil is called good.
Isa 5:18 Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope:
Isa 5:19 That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it!
Isa 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Isa 5:21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
Isa 5:22 Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:
Isa 5:23 Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!
Isa 5:24 Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
Remember Isaiah also prophesied in the time of Ahaz.
It even seems that King Ahaz, even more tried to destroy his own nation because he was mad at God.
This is the attitude of Satan himself!
The gods of Syria had defeated him so he prayed even harder to the gods of Syria to see if he could change things, which is impossible because they had no power to begin with.
King Ahaz sunk as low as a ruler can go!
*****2Ch 28:24 And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shut up the doors of the house of the LORD, and he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem.
2Ch 28:25 And in every several city of Judah he made high places to burn incense unto other gods, and provoked to anger the LORD God of his fathers.
The guilt of King Ahaz drove him to madness.
King Ahaz mutilated the artistry of the vessels in God's house and destroyed them.
He took away the brazen lavers. The Brazen Lavers are considered a "type" of Christ. The water in those lavers are in "typology" the Word of God.
The first step for consecrating the Temple Priests was to wash them with the water of the brazen laver.
Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
Eph 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Joh 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
He altered the great laver King Solomon had made by taking down the brazen sea from the oxen on which it stood and set it upon a pavement of stones.
Here is what King Solomon had constructed:
1Ki 7:23 And he made a molten sea, ten cubits from the one brim to the other: it was round all about, and his height was five cubits: and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about.
1Ki 7:24 And under the brim of it round about there were knops compassing it, ten in a cubit, compassing the sea round about: the knops were cast in two rows, when it was cast.
1Ki 7:25 It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east: and the sea was set above upon them, and all their hinder parts were inward.
Here is what King Ahaz did to it:
2Ki 16:17 And king Ahaz cut off the borders of the bases, and removed the laver from off them; and took down the sea from off the brasen oxen that were under it, and put it upon a pavement of stones.
2Ki 16:18 And the covert for the sabbath that they had built in the house, and the king's entry without, turned he from the house of the LORD for the king of Assyria.
And King Ahaz did everything that he could to provoke the anger of the Lord and it cost him his life!
*****2Ch 28:26 Now the rest of his acts and of all his ways, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
2Ch 28:27 And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, even in Jerusalem: but they brought him not into the sepulchres of the kings of Israel: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.
All these things of King Ahaz were written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and at the young age of 36, God had ended his life.
There were very few rulers at that time who had lived lives as wicked and who had brought so much destruction to their own nation as had King Ahaz.
But today we cannot say that as we have seen many who have brought great destruction to their own nations and who had also rejected the Living God.
King Ahaz was buried in Jerusalem but he was not buried in the sepulchres of the Kings which began with King David.
King Ahaz forsook the Lord and fell in the depths of unbelief but we see an entire world heading in that same direction today!
We have seen as this results in a tragic life.
A life without God is a life of misery and it is usually a short one.
King Ahaz not only rejected the Lord but he caused all worship to cease in the Temple for all others who would want to worship the Lord.
King Ahaz again is a "type" of the people and the governments of the end times and we are beginning to see these things take place and we have for awhile.
2Ti 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
2Ti 4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
We all know that King Hezekiah was a great King of Judah but not many of us realize the state of Judah was in when a young Hezekiah became King of Judah.
Questions?
Let's Pray!
2 Chronicles 28
We have spent a lot of time on the Northern Tribes of the divided Israel lately but the Southern tribes of Judah and Benjamin also had their problems. King Ahaz of Judah was the most wicked King of Judah!
During the time of King Ahaz, God used the prophets Isaiah, Hosea, and Micah, among others to carry His message so we can be sure King Ahaz knew the warnings of God.
King Ahaz made friends with many of his enemies which brought great injury to his kingdom and even his own humiliation.
Over and over again we have seen as a nation, we must be very careful who we call our friends!
We have only one true friend and that is Israel.
Ahaz begin his rule at the age of 20 but he was dead by the time he reached 36 years old.
He is remembered for bringing even more evil and idolatry into his own nation of Judah.
The greatest thing Ahaz produced was his son Hezekiah!
We can say that King Ahaz walked in the ways of the world!
King Ahaz walked in the ways of the Kings of the Northern Tribes even sacrificing his own in the arms of the fire god Molech. The priests of these false religions were called Chemarim.
Zep 1:4 I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarims with the priests;
Zep 1:5 And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the LORD, and that swear by Malcham;
Zep 1:6 And them that are turned back from the LORD; and those that have not sought the LORD, nor enquired for him.
If we had a theme for King Ahaz it could be summed up in one Scripture:
2Ch 28:19 For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel; for he made Judah naked, and transgressed sore against the LORD.
In my opinion the same could be said for our own president!
Let's begin:
*****2Ch 28:1 Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: but he did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD, like David his father:
2Ch 28:2 For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for Baalim.
The biggest misconception about the human race is the thought that all people are good but occasionally do bad things when the truth is, we are all bad and occasionally do good things.
People just do no like to think we all have a depraved heart but the truth is the truth, whether we believe it or not!
Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
And the truth of every human being is that we are all sinners!
Rom 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
We all come short of God's glory.
Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
King Ahaz was an utterly wicked and totally depraved human being who also was a king with power to do his own will, or so he thought!
When Ahaz became King of Judah, Judah had reached it's peak in prosperity and was the envy of many nations.
Sounds like the America from a few years back.
But in the 16 years of King Ahaz Judah came to ruins, he bankrupted the economy, he decimated the military, and he brought terrible suffering to the citizens of that nation.
King Ahaz turned loose a stream of wickedness that rushed to do terrible damage to God's people by bringing on Judgment by the hand of God!
*****2Ch 28:3 Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.
2Ch 28:4 He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.
Judah was the last theocratic society left at that time because Ahaz ruled with absolute authority totally ignoring the Word of God.
He promoted and led his nation into the worship of false gods.
He also committed the abominable sin of human sacrifice, even with his own son.
Over 1 million babies were aborted in America last year and this is non other than human sacrifice to a wicked behavior and our own tax dollars are used.
Jer 32:35 And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.
Every Democrat in office just this year voted to allow abortion even up to the 9nth month, just before those precious babies are to be born. This to is an abomination to the Lord! This is an abomination to the human race!
King Ahaz followed after the religious practices of the Canaanites which God had already commanded Israel to exterminate for these very same reasons.
Today we live in a nation that is trying it's best to totally kick God out of existence and in so doing, wickedness is abounding unhindered.
People either deny the existence of God or they just refuse to accept the Lord Jesus Christ while claiming to know God.
Either way they are lost!
The greatest sin of all is the sin of unbelief!
Joh 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
Joh 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Joh 16:9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;
To reject the Lord Jesus Christ is to worship some false god!
The Living True God is God the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ whose Spirit is the God who will reprove this world of the sin of unbelief!
What is the truth of Father God?
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
King Ahaz was a depraved man with a depraved heart and a heart such as this can only be cleansed by the "Blood of Jesus"!
1Pe 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
1Pe 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
1Pe 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
Though the world deceive you this is the truth of the Scriptures!
To ignore these things will bring the "Judgment of God"!
*****2Ch 28:5 Wherefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of them captives, and brought them to Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who smote him with a great slaughter.
2Ch 28:6 For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day, which were all valiant men; because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers.
When God's "Judgment" comes He uses things in His created world.
When God's "Wrath" finally comes He will uses all the means He chooses!
Judgment and Wrath are not the same!
When we see the word "wherefore", God is saying that the previous Scriptures list the reasons for His actions.
Wherefore because of what Ahaz had done in verses 1-4 now God allowed His "Judgment" to take place.
We here in America better get use to seeing that word "Wherefore".
We already stated that the military of Judah was the envy of many other nations but it did not matter how strong they were, God delivered them into the hand of the King of Syria.
We can see that the Northern Tribes had also formed an alliance with Syria and took advantage of that at this time.
History calls this the Syro-Ephramite War.
The army of the King of Syria defeated the army of Judah and carried a great multitude of captives back to Damascus Syria.
But the King of Israel took advantage of the situation and caused a great slaughter of the people of Judah.
These things are the beginning of the great prophesies of Isaiah Chapter 7.
The slaughter of 120,000 people of Judah in one day was a terrible thing to take place!
When God removes His hedge of protection from a people terrible things can happen!
The Scripture is specific "because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers"!
This slaughter also included many heads of the government.
*****2Ch 28:7 And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the king's son, and Azrikam the governor of the house, and Elkanah that was next to the king.
Maaseiah would have been the next King of Judah, but that now fell to Hezekiah.
Azrikam was the palace manager, and manage the affairs of the King.
Elkanah was second in command, or we would say today the "Vice-President".
We can see that King Pekah of Israel was also a ruthless leader who had already seized the throne of Israel and would liked to have ruled Judah also as he tried to restore power to Israel.
Then he did something foolish.
*****2Ch 28:8 And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria.
King Pekah's army ransacked the cities of Judea and took over 200,000 women and children back to Samaria as
exiles and stole as much of the wealth of Judea as they could carry.
BUT, This thing was seen in Heaven.
*****2Ch 28:9 But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded: and he went out before the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them, Behold, because the LORD God of your fathers was wroth with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage that reacheth up unto heaven.
Notice God always has someone in the right place at the right time and God's prophets stood up to Kings, Generals, or anyone else without any fear.
There are no great things mentioned of the Prophet Oded except in this Scripture.
The one great lesson we can learn is that "one person with God on their side" can stop a mighty army and a foolish national leader!
Oded made this army aware that they were only victorious because the Lord had allowed this army a great victory but this army had gone much to far and had made God angry!
1) They had used excessive force.
2) They had shown brutality and cruelty.
3) They had slaughtered the army of Judah in a rage.
They had shown no mercy and God is a God of "mercy". Remember "all vengeance belongs to the Lord"!
This should be a warning to every military unit and especially to ISIS and ALL TERRORIST organizations.
God will not allow His people to become slaves to anyone other than He and God does not make slaves, God makes families!
Lev 25:46 And ye shall take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit them for a possession; they shall be your bondmen for ever: "but over your brethren the children of Israel, ye shall not rule one over another with rigour".
God never forgets what He has written down. We must always know to whom God is speaking to and keep God's Word in the context it was written!
It was time for the government of Israel to make a choice!
*****2Ch 28:10 And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you: but are there not with you, even with you, sins against the LORD your God?
2Ch 28:11 Now hear me therefore, and deliver the captives again, which ye have taken captive of your brethren: for the fierce wrath of the LORD is upon you.
The leaders of Israel must return the people of Judah to their land or face the wrath of God. God's wrath rested on the next decision they made and God was ready to strike them down at that very moment if they failed to show mercy.
In order to know the compassion of the Lord, we must show compassion to all others!
In order to know the mercy of the Lord we must show mercy to all others.
In order to be forgiven by the Lord we must be willing to forgive all others.
We can see that God never misses an opportunity to teach us more about His ways!
This military had to decide if they served the government or if they served themselves.
*****2Ch 28:12 Then certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against them that came from the war,
2Ch 28:13 And said unto them, Ye shall not bring in the captives hither: for whereas we have offended against the LORD already, ye intend to add more to our sins and to our trespass: for our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.
2Ch 28:14 So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the congregation.
2Ch 28:15 And the men which were expressed by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them upon asses, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brethren: then they returned to Samaria.
King Ahaz was full of wickedness and human depravity and he had completely turned away from the Lord and led the nation of Judah into false worship and the abomination of human sacrifice especially of babes and small children.
This should be a warning to all who do such things!
We see what is going on in America by our own government.
We see what is going on in America with all the rioting and rebellion because of our government.
We see the ruthlessness of terrorism world wide because governments allow this to happen.
We see the compromising church into false and abominable worship influenced by the government.
We read what God does in all these situations, why would we not expect the "Judgment" of God to come at any time?
Jesus spoke these words by the Holy Spirit to the Apostle John.
Rev 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Jesus spoke these words by the Holy Spirit to Luke
Luk 17:24 For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.
Luk 17:25 But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.
Luk 17:26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
Luk 17:27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
Luk 17:28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
Luk 17:29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
Luk 17:30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.
The truth is, there is no one on this earth that lives in isolation which means we all have some influence on others!
When we reject the Lord and compromise on the Word of God, or participate in false worship, we become a stumbling block to our friends, our neighbors and especially our families!
When we give our stamp of approval for anything that goes against the Word of God, we are misleading others to the truth of God!
We should clearly understand, if God loved this world enough to send His only begotten Son to save this world, then God loves this world too much to allow the suffering of His people to go on very much longer.
2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
As we will see when a nation plunders and destroys, it opens the door for the ruthlessness of society to do as they please!
*****2Ch 28:16 At that time did king Ahaz send unto the kings of Assyria to help him.
2Ch 28:17 For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and carried away captives.
2Ch 28:18 The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the low country, and of the south of Judah, and had taken Bethshemesh, and Ajalon, and Gederoth, and Shocho with the villages thereof, and Timnah with the villages thereof, Gimzo also and the villages thereof: and they dwelt there.
2Ch 28:19 For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel; for he made Judah naked, and transgressed sore against the LORD.
King Ahaz was too foolish to repent and turn to the Lord and he was also foolish enough to turn to another enemy for help.
While a nation who once had a military that was the envy of other nation and been decimated and sat defenseless, those old life time enemies took advantage of that situation!
The Edomites, the descendants of Esau still carried that bitter hatred.
The Philistines who had always been aggressive toward Israel took advantage of Judah at this time.
All these things had taken place because of King Ahaz but he still refused to repent!
Even the Assyrians showed their true colors.
*****2Ch 28:20 And Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria came unto him, and distressed him, but strengthened him not.
2Ch 28:21 For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of the LORD, and out of the house of the king, and of the princes, and gave it unto the king of Assyria: but he helped him not.
As we have seen in other lessons, money simply cannot by your way out of all your troubles!
Especially when that money robs the House of God!
Time after time our own government threatens to take or hinder the money given to the House of God, they should also learn yet another lesson from the Word of God!
King Ahaz was wicked enough, but the people of Judah had followed after him in wickedness.
This another thing we see in America today!
Assyria did actually attack Syria and conquered them but never helped Judah at all.
In other words King Ahaz had financed the Assyrian King enough that he had become the dominate power in the region. The Syrian threat may have been removed but all King Ahaz had accomplished, was to bankrupt his own nation.
King Ahaz had inherited a strong and wealthy nation and he had brought his own nation to it's knees and sat very vulnerable to the world of evilness.
King Ahaz had looked for a Savior other than the Lord, even though the Lord had delivered his nation since they had escaped from the bondage of Egypt.
The lessons of the history of Israel were ignored!
Today our own leaders are looking for a Savior other than the Lord, (in fact Allah), and they have forgotten the history of America and in fact are trying to erase the history of America.
We should not expect God to offer a different result than what He has proven He has done in the past!
On a personal level, if we seek salvation from any source other than the Lord, that salvation will never be found.
It is only the Lord Jesus Christ who has the power to deliver us from the wickedness of sin!
It is only the Lord Jesus Christ who has the power to carry us to victory in this life and on into the eternal life of Heaven!
2Ti 4:18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
2Pe 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
2Pe 2:10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, self willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
The truth is King Ahaz just became more wicked even after all these things.
*****2Ch 28:22 And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the LORD: this is that king Ahaz.
2Ch 28:23 For 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.
The truth is, when we have not learned from the chastisement of God, then God does not make it easier, God just makes it harder.
Chastisement either brings to our knees or just makes us mad at God for not allowing us to enjoy our sin and sin can only bring pleasure for a season, or a short time!
We will return to those old false gods searching for relief or we will make our own selves a god and continue to think we know better than God.
This, in "typology", this attitude of King Ahaz, will be the attitude of all those who have rejected God after the "Rapture" of the Church and we are beginning to see that now in the attitude of the world, where good is called evil, and evil is called good.
Isa 5:18 Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope:
Isa 5:19 That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it!
Isa 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Isa 5:21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
Isa 5:22 Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:
Isa 5:23 Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!
Isa 5:24 Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
Remember Isaiah also prophesied in the time of Ahaz.
It even seems that King Ahaz, even more tried to destroy his own nation because he was mad at God.
This is the attitude of Satan himself!
The gods of Syria had defeated him so he prayed even harder to the gods of Syria to see if he could change things, which is impossible because they had no power to begin with.
King Ahaz sunk as low as a ruler can go!
*****2Ch 28:24 And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shut up the doors of the house of the LORD, and he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem.
2Ch 28:25 And in every several city of Judah he made high places to burn incense unto other gods, and provoked to anger the LORD God of his fathers.
The guilt of King Ahaz drove him to madness.
King Ahaz mutilated the artistry of the vessels in God's house and destroyed them.
He took away the brazen lavers. The Brazen Lavers are considered a "type" of Christ. The water in those lavers are in "typology" the Word of God.
The first step for consecrating the Temple Priests was to wash them with the water of the brazen laver.
Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
Eph 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Joh 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
He altered the great laver King Solomon had made by taking down the brazen sea from the oxen on which it stood and set it upon a pavement of stones.
Here is what King Solomon had constructed:
1Ki 7:23 And he made a molten sea, ten cubits from the one brim to the other: it was round all about, and his height was five cubits: and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about.
1Ki 7:24 And under the brim of it round about there were knops compassing it, ten in a cubit, compassing the sea round about: the knops were cast in two rows, when it was cast.
1Ki 7:25 It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east: and the sea was set above upon them, and all their hinder parts were inward.
Here is what King Ahaz did to it:
2Ki 16:17 And king Ahaz cut off the borders of the bases, and removed the laver from off them; and took down the sea from off the brasen oxen that were under it, and put it upon a pavement of stones.
2Ki 16:18 And the covert for the sabbath that they had built in the house, and the king's entry without, turned he from the house of the LORD for the king of Assyria.
And King Ahaz did everything that he could to provoke the anger of the Lord and it cost him his life!
*****2Ch 28:26 Now the rest of his acts and of all his ways, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
2Ch 28:27 And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, even in Jerusalem: but they brought him not into the sepulchres of the kings of Israel: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.
All these things of King Ahaz were written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and at the young age of 36, God had ended his life.
There were very few rulers at that time who had lived lives as wicked and who had brought so much destruction to their own nation as had King Ahaz.
But today we cannot say that as we have seen many who have brought great destruction to their own nations and who had also rejected the Living God.
King Ahaz was buried in Jerusalem but he was not buried in the sepulchres of the Kings which began with King David.
King Ahaz forsook the Lord and fell in the depths of unbelief but we see an entire world heading in that same direction today!
We have seen as this results in a tragic life.
A life without God is a life of misery and it is usually a short one.
King Ahaz not only rejected the Lord but he caused all worship to cease in the Temple for all others who would want to worship the Lord.
King Ahaz again is a "type" of the people and the governments of the end times and we are beginning to see these things take place and we have for awhile.
2Ti 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
2Ti 4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
We all know that King Hezekiah was a great King of Judah but not many of us realize the state of Judah was in when a young Hezekiah became King of Judah.
Questions?
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