TOTAL DISASTER. 2nd Chronicles 28 How quickly prosperity can turn into disaster! Sixteen years of prosperity under Jotham swiftly shifted to sixteen years of rapid decline under Ahaz, until hardly anything of God was visible publicly among the children of Judah. Rampant idolatry, the scent of incense burned to idols, the smell of children being burned, war in both the north and south, humiliation, the house of the Lord was closed down, and idols on every corner of the capital city left the entire nation essentially in ruins.
What happened? How did it happen so fast? "Dearth in the land. Is there not a cause?" Isaiah and Micah were prophets during King Ahaz's reign, and they issued multiple warnings. Many details of Ahaz's reign are recorded in 2 Kings 16 and Isaiah 7. God remains in control of events, even when circumstances are not what we desire or expect. It is crucial for our spiritual health to align our minds and attitudes with God's ways, as we learn from the scriptures. When we do this, we can view situations from God’s perspective, even if we cannot always understand the specific reasons behind what occurs.
The two leaders, Jotham and Ahaz, were different men, even though they were father and son. The reign of each over the nation, each lasting sixteen years, was entirely different. For some reason, Ahaz's character appeared to be marked by unrestrained wickedness. The righteousness and success of his father, along with his awareness of his need for God, did not influence Ahaz. His wickedness seemed limitless. He thought wrongly, did wrong, was given to idolatry, and deliberately abandoned the Lord. As his life and reign progressed, he became increasingly evil in his motives and actions. As a father, king, and individual, there was nothing good to be found in him. It seems he was truly committed to doing evil.
It's difficult to understand how a godly father can have an evil son living at the same time he is alive. Many believers have children raised in the same home, taught the same things, attend the same church services, go to the same school, and share the same family environment, yet one becomes righteous while the other becomes truly evil. Parents often feel guilty, thinking they have failed, and that may be true in some cases. Ultimately, each person makes moral and spiritual choices that significantly impact their entire life.
When people lack awareness of God, there are no limits to how far they will go in seeking pleasure and sin. Ahaz never showed respect or gratitude toward God. He ignored the warnings of the prophets. In his apostasy, he "made molten images for Baalim," almost as a challenge to what he had been taught. The sacrifices at high places and the burning of incense to false gods were grave sins. He went even further by sacrificing his own children, burning them in the fire to the gods of the Canaanites and others whom the Lord God had commanded His people to eliminate. When he closed the temple and stopped worshiping God, he promoted idolatry and total disobedience to God, even as the nation was falling apart.
It was at the Valley of Hinnom, the garbage dump filled with impurity, where idol worshipers and Ahaz burned children to idol gods like “the abomination of the heathen.” Idolatry was visible everywhere, from evergreen trees to every hill, in outright rebellion against God and righteousness. Even the Israelites turned against Judah, killing thousands and taking women and children captive. God used them to judge the Jews for abandoning the Lord and choosing idols instead, but He did not intend for them to take pleasure in what they had done.
Within ten years, the Israelites in the north would be captured by the Assyrians and dispersed throughout the Assyrian Empire, never to be recognized as part of the Jewish nation. They would be treated cruelly, and this continues still and will persist until the Lord Jesus Christ returns to reign. Unfaithfulness to God has lasting, unavoidable consequences.
A willfully disobedient man can cause significant harm to God's people and create difficult issues to resolve. Messages from those who care for others and are called by God to share His word should be listened to and respected, especially when their teachings and advice are based on scripture and are relevant to the situation. One unruly man with influence can have a deeply negative impact on all of God's people if he tries to impose his agenda.
Ahaz became ruler over a prosperous nation but quickly led it to ruin. War broke out on both the north and south borders of Judah. In both cases, the Jews were defeated, leading to a great slaughter of people and chaos that followed. From each side, the Lord allowed Judah’s enemies to triumph over them, enslaving many and impoverishing the nation. In this way, “The Lord brought Judah low.” Despite this, Ahaz went further from God into unbelief and idolatry, which was “The ruin of him and all Israel.” He even attributed the dealings of God with His people to idols.
His reign was characterized by failure, and military defeat resulted in the capture of thousands of women and children. The prophets Isaiah and Oded clearly explained to the leaders and the people why the disaster had happened. There was a fierce rage that reached up to heaven, and God's intense wrath descended upon them as an offended God judged them to correct their ways and turn them back to obedience.
In this chapter, a powerful message of mercy is shared with the northern tribes, who had captured many people from Judah. In an act of grace, God stepped into the plans of the Israelites even as He judged the actions of the idolaters. How incredible it was of God not only to bring judgment on the evildoers but also to turn the outcomes around for the captive women and children. Mercy in the middle of judgment always stands out. The response of the Israelites to the prophet Oded's message and the needs of the captives was positive, demonstrating grace. This is an example of "Christian grace," where we strive to bring blessings to those in distress.
The purpose of the writer of the chronicles was to warn and instruct those who returned from Babylon about how quickly things can change when people forsake the Lord. Self-will in leadership leads to self-will in the people of the nation. Forsaking God by leaders changes the entire country. Disobedience to God’s revealed will results in consequences we cannot control and which are inevitable.
Ahaz decided to seek help from the king of Assyria instead of turning to the Lord. As a result, the Lord humbled the entire nation because of Ahaz's disobedience. He persisted in his wickedness, and as he declined, he dragged others down with him. The whole country suffered because of his arrogant rebellion against God.
Spiritual decline and trouble go hand in hand. Turning away from what is right and seeking help in wrong places are closely connected. It must grieve and anger our righteous God when we follow rebellious ways and ignore God's tested and proven truth, along with the good outcomes that come from obedience. We must sincerely pray for wisdom, grace, mercy, and faith for those leading God's people. "Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived."
The ruin of him. Does a child have fundamental rights or just those we choose to allow? Before a child leaves the mother’s womb, does that child have a soul? Personhood seems to escape the minds of those who only want convenience, and the ashes of little bodies that have been burned will someday rise to haunt those who take the lives of their unborn children. The gods of the past motivated even leaders to ignore the value of a child’s life. They thought then, as now, that if it pleases me and saves me money, everything will be all right. To sacrifice what was made in God’s image will bring a person to ruin. Those offerings made to the gods of this world will someday bring us regret.
Looking around and forming opinions based on what others consider acceptable has led some people who claim faith in Christ to ignore what God genuinely says. A major problem with this is that it also influences many others, who follow the popular mindset of these times and are swayed by mainstream opinion. The result is that an entire generation could be lost due to poor decisions. There will be those around who lack wisdom and remain spiritually dead. The one who should lead in the ways of the Lord will be responsible for them, as he directs them along the broad road that leads to their downfall.
We are not free from guilt even if we haven't spilled blood when we refuse to stand up for what is right. The grace people need, they often overlook or don’t heed, seeing things only through their own perspective. The terrible cost is that their souls will be lost in hell, and they will suffer and burn as their consciences awaken to the way you led them to take, guiding them toward ruin. Enemies around never sleep soundly if there is a Christian to bring down. In this place where we recall past blessings, judgment is coming on this town. People once prayed here, and many remained faithful to the Lord's call. However, the majority have changed, with their values rearranged in response to the world's call.
Our heritage influences our decisions, values, and the way we live, but it does not determine the choices we make. That is up to each of us. We alone are responsible for what we do and the outcomes of our actions. We may have good, godly parents, but the kind of life we live and the eternal destiny ahead of us depend on each individual’s choices. Even if parents have no time for God or are atheists, their child may become a faithful, God-fearing believer who is a shining example of true faith and Christianity.
It’s always disheartening when I see people stray from the ways God teaches in His Word. These new human ideas lead to more open sins as people pursue pleasures that don’t last. Payday is coming, and the clock is ticking, as the downfall of people draws near. We may hope it won’t happen, but sin, when it is committed, will bring God’s judgment right here. People have decided that a person isn’t entirely a person until they are recognized as such. There are also those who help those in pain to die. Have mercy on this ungodly generation, O God. We are drifting farther and farther from You. Help us shed some light on this matter.
The failures and fears of Ahaz remind us that whatever a person sows, they also reap. Turning to people for help without first seeking God’s will does not prevent us from making wrong decisions. When failure and defeat occur, repenting of our sins and turning to God for mercy and grace can yield positive results, even in the most difficult and tragic circumstances. It is possible to learn lessons in such times that we would not know any other way.