2 Ch. 28: No W-Ahaz It Gotten Worse?

2 Chronicles 28:23 "He offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus, who had defeated him; for he thought, "Since the gods of the kings of Aram have helped them, I will sacrifice to them so they will help me." But they were his downfall and the downfall of all Israel."

Ahaz, son of Jotham was about as low as one could get, and its mainly because he sacrificed his children in the fire. That's as detestable as it gets in the scriptures at this point. He really reigned in chaos. The temple was a bank for paying tribute to other nations with the treasures. He set up altars wherever he wanted. He was attacked on all sides, seemingly simultaneously. Assyria, the Edomites, the Philistines...even eventually by Israel! 

Israel was warned not to take their own brothers as slaves, even though it would have been a huge haul. Plus, it was a long standing order since the days of Moses not to take your own countrymen as slaves.

So while all this horror is going on, Ahaz offers sacrifice to gods of Aram, figuring, "Hey, they helped them, they can help me." It makes sense in polytheism. Apparently Ahaz missed it when his dad Jotham humbled himself before God. Hindsight, though. It is easy to say, "What were you thinking?" Why didn't Ahaz humble himself? What kept him so intent on, as the Bible says, "promoting evil?" Even the hardest heart, though still punished to maintain justice, when humbled, God offers a helping of grace. We've seen it before.

In spite of his evil, Ahaz at death rests with his fathers. Apparently everyone rests with their fathers at this point.

Further reading on Ahaz: 2 Kings 16, 9/21/08 Entry