2 Chronicles 28:16-27
Ahaz Closes the Temple
16At that time King Ahaz sent for help from the king of Assyria.
17The Edomites had again come and attacked Judah and carried away captives.
18The Philistines had also raided the cities of the foothills and the Negev of Judah, capturing and occupying Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, and Gederoth, as well as Soco, Timnah, and Gimzo with their villages.
19For the LORD humbled Judah because Ahaz king of Israel had thrown off restraint in Judah and had been most unfaithful to the LORD.
20Then Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came to Ahaz but afflicted him rather than strengthening him.
21Although Ahaz had taken a portion from the house of the LORD, from the royal palace, and from the princes and had presented it to the king of Assyria, it did not help him.
22In the time of his distress, King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the LORD.
23He sacrificed to the gods of Damascus, who had defeated him, and he said, “Because the gods of the kings of Aram have helped them, I will sacrifice to them that they may help me.” But these gods were the downfall of Ahaz and of all Israel.
24Then Ahaz gathered up the articles of the house of God, cut them into pieces, shut the doors of the house of the LORD, and set up altars of his own on every street corner in Jerusalem.
25In every city of Judah he built high places to offer incense to other gods, and so he provoked the LORD, the God of his fathers.
26As for the rest of the acts of Ahaz and all his ways, from beginning to end, they are indeed written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.
27And Ahaz rested with his fathers and was buried in the city of Jerusalem, but he was not placed in the tombs of the kings of Israel. And his son Hezekiah reigned in his place.
Berean Standard Bible
The Edomites attack Judah again, and the Philistines capture cities in the foothills and the Negev. Ahaz sends to the king of Assyria for help, but the Assyrians come and trouble him rather than strengthening him.
Ahaz takes treasures from the temple, the palace, and the houses of the officials and gives them to the king of Assyria. It does not help. The king of Assyria comes against him, and Ahaz's attempt to purchase security leaves him weaker.
In his distress, Ahaz becomes even more unfaithful to the LORD. He sacrifices to the gods of Damascus, thinking they have defeated him and will help him. Instead, those gods become his downfall and the downfall of all Israel.
Ahaz gathers the vessels of the house of God, cuts them into pieces, shuts the doors, and makes altars at every street corner in Jerusalem. He builds high places in every city of Judah. When he dies, he is not brought into the tombs of the kings, and his son Hezekiah succeeds him.
Questions
1 Whom did Ahaz ask for help?
AnswerAhaz asked the king of Assyria for help against the Edomites and Philistines.
2 What did Ahaz give the Assyrians?
AnswerHe gave them treasures from the temple, palace, and houses of the officials, but the help did not rescue him.
3 Why did Ahaz worship Damascus's gods?
AnswerHe thought those gods had defeated him and would therefore help him, but they became his downfall.
4 What did Ahaz do to the temple?
AnswerHe cut up its vessels, shut its doors, and replaced its worship with altars and high places.
What This Means for Us
Distress does not automatically turn a person toward God. Ahaz responds to fear by buying political help, then by adopting the gods he thinks have power, until he closes the temple itself.
Pay attention to what suffering is teaching you to trust. A desperate solution can become a new master when it receives the loyalty that belongs to God.
Prayer
Lord, meet us in distress before fear drives us toward false help. Keep us from trading away what is holy for temporary security, and lead us back to faithful worship. Amen.