Evil King Ahaz

Fellow Christians, I must take some time off so look for this blog again in a couple of weeks.

II Kings Chapter 16

Ahaz, son of Jotham, ruled for sixteen years in Jerusalem. He did not do what was pleasing in the sight of the Lord and instead worshiped pagan idolatry and even sacrificed his own son in the fire.

Then King Rezin of Aram and King Pekah of Israel declared war on Ahaz and beseiged Jerusalem, but did not conquer it. At that time, the king of Edom recovered the town of Elath for Edom, drove the people out of Judah and sent Edomites to live there.

King Ahaz sent messengers to King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria to come rescue him as he was their servant and vassal. Ahaz took gold and silver from the Temple of the Lord and palace treasury and sent it to the Assyrian king and the Assyrians responded by attacking the Aramean capital of Damascus. They took the people hostage and killed King Rezin.

King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet with King Tilglath-pileser and noticed an unusual altar. So he sent a model of it to Uriah the priest and Uriah built an altar just like it for Ahaz. The old bronze altar of the Temple was moved to make way for the new altar and the old one was used only for Ahaz's personal use.

The king also removed the side panels and basins from the water carts and removed the Sea from the backs of the bronze oxen and placed it on the stone pavement. In deference to the king of Assyria, he removed the canopy that had been constructed inside the palace for the Sabbath day, as well as the king's outer entrance to the Temple of the Lord. When Ahaz died, he was buried in the city of David and his son Hezekiah became the next king.

BIBLE NOTES SHOW: King Ahaz was so depraved that he sacrificed his own son to pagan gods. This was a practice of the Canaanites, who the Israelites were supposed to drive out of the land long before.

Both Israel and Aram were under Assyrian control. They joined forces against Judah hoping to force the southern kingdom to join their revolt against Assyria and strengthen their western alliance. But the plan backfired when Ahaz asked Assyria to come to his aid.

Ahaz went to Assyria because he was counting on his money to keep the powerful Assryian king out of his land. He regretted asking for his help. Ahaz was an evil king who copied pagan religious ceremonies and changed the Temple services and used the altar for his own personal benefit. In doing so, he demonstrated callous disregard for the God's commands. God had been specific in his instructions for how the basins were to be used and the huge sea water was for Temple ceremony. Building a new altar was like building a new idol.

HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY? Listening to the evil king Ahaz bring Judah's religious system to shambles, can help us to understand how if we please only those who are in power, it can backfire and we can make them more important than God. We condemn Ahaz but often we act in the same way. How? Sometimes we try to mold God's message to fit our own personal preferences. We are selfish humans and need to recognize our faults and rectify them by putting all our faith in the Almighty. Pray today to put God first in your life and ask his guidance in all that we do.

Yours in Christ,
Mary

Prayer Requests are needed for:
HEALTH: Update on Stella: I’m sorry to report that this tiny baby has finally passed and is in heaven with our Lord. She fought a long fight and endured much in her few months. Pray for her family.
Gabe, Wanda, Janice Long’s parents. especially her mother whose cancer has returned, and Arlene’s nephew David. Pray for my neighbor Al who is nearing the end of his life. Pray for Carolyn’s brother Ronald who has cancer. Pray for our friend Michelle who was diagnosed with MS. Pray for Cyndi Sullivan who was given 14 months to live with cancer, but has made it six years. The pain has returned and she needs our prayers.
UPDATE on Barb who went in for back surgery and had a heart attack and stroke, she has 90 percent of her speech back and is home , but continues to have a problem with one arm and hand. She will require long therapy and insurance may soon be a problem since her job was not held for her.
Pray for Robert Sargent with lung cancer and Marthaline Sargent with serious health issues..
Pray for Carolyn’s friend Margaret and her husband who were in a car accident. As elderly drivers they may face a life change which may cost them their independence. Let’s all raise our voices to God to hear our prayers.
Pray for the speedy recovery of Sandy in Minnesota who underwent successful brain surgery for a tumor recently.
SPIRITUAL UPLIFTING: Gail, Mary
RESTORATION OF FAITH: Al, John
LOVE AND SUPPORT: Claire, Hunter, Brian
SUPPORT: Haiti, Chile, survivors of Japan’s earthquake, survivors of the devastating tornadoes in our southernmost states and Joplin, Missouri. Pray too, for our country’s leaders and our military people who die each day for our freedom.