Ahaz II Kings 16

II Kings 16:2 "Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reign and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem, and did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD his God, like David his father."

This is a very important chapter ( I know they all are) because it represents the time before the first captivity.

Other nations are brought into Canaan, some to help Israel, some to help Judah. The result was not what the kings hoped for. The treasures of the nation are depleted, people are carried away and the strength of Israel is gone.

v5 "Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to war and they besieged Ahaz but could not overcome him."

v7 "So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying I am thy servant and thy son: come up and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria and out of the hand of the king of Israel, which rise up against me."

We now have two nations in Canaan besides Israel and Judah. The Assyrians took Damascus and killed Rezin but did not stop there. We will see it in the next chapter.

Ahaz went up to Damascus and saw an altar he like better than the one in the LORD's house so he modified that one to the one in Damascus. He moved things around and made his offerings.

v18 "And the covert for the sabbath that they had built in the house of the king's entry without, turned he from the house of the LORD for the king of Assyria."

It is a sad time. I remember Joshua leading a mighty army into Canaan. A unified army. They settled the land and enjoyed prosperity and world fame under David and Solomon. The people turned away from the one true God and worshipped idols. Now the nation is divided and foreign armies tramps in the land.

You may jump ahead to II Chronicles 28 to see some of the stuff that was going on. It was bad.

Joshua 24:15 "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell, but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."

v16 "And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods."

Psalm 71:1 "In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be put to confusion."

Keywords: Ahaz, Israel, Judah, Damascus, Bible Study, Kings, Old Testament. Last chapter before the captivity.