2 Chronicles 28: Time of Trouble

Chapter Summary by Matthew Henry: This chapter is the history of the reign of Ahaz the son of Jotham; a bad reign it was, and which helped to augment the fierce anger of the Lord. We have here, I. His great wickedness, 2 Chronicles 28:1-4. II. The trouble he brought himself into by it, 2 Chronicles 28:5-8. III. The reproof which God sent by a prophet to the army of Israel for trampling upon their brethren of Judah, and the obedient ear they gave to that reproof, 2 Chronicles 28:9-15. IV. The many calamities that followed to Ahaz and his people, 2 Chronicles 28:16-21. V. The continuance of his idolatry notwithstanding ( 2 Chronicles 28:22-25), and so his story ends, 2 Chronicles 28:26, 27.

I. Verses 1-4: “…he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. Unlike David his father, he did not do what was right in the eyes of the LORD. He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and also made cast idols for worshiping the Baals. He burned sacrifices in the Valley of Ben Hinnom and sacrificed his sons in the fire, following the detestable ways of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites. He offered sacrifices and burned incense at the high places, on the hilltops and under every spreading tree.” A. Not only did Ahaz ignore the good example of his father Jotham, he ignored what oral and written history had recorded for him about the reign of David. 1. Romans 15:4 explains, “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” 2. King David had recorded how he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord; David understood where his help came from, and even in his darkest hour, he turned to God Almighty for forgiveness and strength. When we ignore what was written in the past, we will inevitably take the next step down the wrong path, just as Ahaz did: B. When (like Ahaz) we ignore good examples who do what’s right in God’s eyes, we will either do what’s right in our own eyes, or we’ll look somewhere else for guidance: Ahaz looked to the apostate (traitorous) northern kingdom of Israel for how to worship, and they were imitating the pagan nations around them, so the leader of God’s southern kingdom has fallen into the same pit, even to the extent of offering his own children as sacrifices. II. Verses 5-8: “Therefore the LORD his God handed him over to the king of Aram. The Arameans defeated him and took many of his people as prisoners and brought them to Damascus. He was also given into the hands of the king of Israel, who inflicted heavy casualties on him. In one day Pekah son of Remaliah killed a hundred and twenty thousand soldiers in Judah--because Judah had forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers. Zicri, an Ephraimite warrior, killed Maaseiah the king's son, Azrikam the officer in charge of the palace, and Elkanah, second to the king. The Israelites took captive from their kinsmen two hundred thousand wives, sons and daughters. They also took a great deal of plunder, which they carried back to Samaria.” A. The very people that Ahaz chose to imitate defeated him and his people and made them slaves. B. When we choose the World, God will eventually let us have what we most desire, but know that it will enslave us. God always gives a chance at repentance, but it seems that Ahaz continued in his wickedness, even after losing everything! III. Verses 9-11: “But a prophet of the LORD named Oded was there, and he went out to meet the army when it returned to Samaria. He said to them, ‘Because the LORD, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah, he gave them into your hand. But you have slaughtered them in a rage that reaches to heaven. And now you intend to make the men and women of Judah and Jerusalem your slaves. But aren't you also guilty of sins against the LORD your God? Now listen to me! Send back your fellow countrymen you have taken as prisoners, for the LORD's fierce anger rests on you.’" A. My first response to this section is, wow, what a courageous man of God! He stood up to an army. When we stand on our own, we are promised failure. But when one person stands in the Name of God Almighty, he stands behind the strength of his Creator/Captain, and one man can take on an army… and win…and save two hundred thousand people in the process. Those are the odds that God likes, because then you’re completely dependent on him! B. The prophet’s question, “But aren’t you also guilty of sins against the LORD your God?” is one we must constantly ask ourselves. Many of us fall into the trap, however, of believing we’re okay; after all, I haven’t murdered anyone! Well, cover your toes; this may hurt: Jewish rabbis believe gossiping to be a sin that is equal to, or even surpassing, the seriousness of murder: “It has been said that lashon ha-ra (disparaging speech) [gossip] kills three: the person who speaks it, the person who hears it, and the person about whom it is told.” (Talmud Arachin 15b). When is the last time you passed along some not-so-endearing information about someone to another person? We harmed ourselves, the hearer, and the person it was about the moment we passed that information along. A good reminder that we certainly don’t always have the mind of Christ, yes? We, too, are guilty of sins against the Lord our God. C. I point this out, not to make you feel guilty, but to remind you to turn lose the people you’re unknowingly enslaving with guilt! Without the blood of Christ, the Lord’s fierce anger would rest on you! Praise God for his Grace…and offer that Grace, rather than judgment, to those who’ve gone astray. IV. Verses 12-14: “Then some of the leaders in Ephraim--Azariah son of Jehohanan, Berekiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai--confronted those who were arriving from the war. ‘You must not bring those prisoners here,’ they said, ‘or we will be guilty before the LORD. Do you intend to add to our sin and guilt? For our guilt is already great, and his fierce anger rests on Israel.’ So the soldiers gave up the prisoners and plunder in the presence of the officials and all the assembly.” A. So, 1 man led by God (Oded), influenced 4 men who feared God, who influenced and entire army, who set the people free! B. It was a very dark time in the northern kingdom, and every king was corrupt; even so, there were at least 4 men who hadn’t forgotten about God: good reminder that things aren’t always as hopeless as they may seem. V. Verse 15: “The men designated by name took the prisoners, and from the plunder they clothed all who were naked. They provided them with clothes and sandals, food and drink, and healing balm. All those who were weak they put on donkeys. So they took them back to their fellow countrymen at Jericho, the City of Palms, and returned to Samaria.” A. Christ’s command to us: “But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven” (Mt. 5:44-45). B. “Will you try it? Will you begin by doing kind acts to those who have harmed you? Not because as yet you feel as you would, but because it is right. Then as you dig the trench in right-doing, look up to God, and He will pour into your heart the warm gush of affection. If you sincerely will His will in this matter, and act as the Good Samaritan did to the Jew, and exercise faith, God will come to your aid while you clothe others and minister to them, you will find their hard heart melted, and yourselves clothed with the beautiful garments of salvation, and of a meek and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is of great price” (F.B. Meyer). VI. Verses 16-21: “At that time King Ahaz sent to the king of Assyria for help. The LORD had humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had promoted wickedness in Judah and had been most unfaithful to the LORD. Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria came to him, but he gave him trouble instead of help. Ahaz took some of the things from the temple of the LORD and from the royal palace and from the princes and presented them to the king of Assyria, but that did not help him.” A. Ahaz looked to the World for strength: the king of Assyria. The worldly king answered, but brought trouble instead of help! When you look anywhere but to God for help, you’ll find more trouble than help, just like Ahaz. B. What happens when you look to someone or something else for help? Ahaz took things out of the temple, the royal palace, and from the princes, and gave them to the one he needed help from: You’ll give away what rightly belongs to God and his princes/people, and you’ll give to whomever or whatever you think will make you feel better. VII. Verses 22-27: “In his time of trouble King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the LORD.” Folks, Jesus promises us that, in this world, we will have troubles. In those times of trouble, you and I will either become bitter or we’ll become better. In king David, we saw someone who suffered and became better because of it, drawing closer to the Lord no matter how bad the circumstances. In men like Ahaz, we witness bitterness and desperation take root, and in their times of trouble, they became even more unfaithful than they were before. May we never become such a person.

Father, as we pass through crucibles; may all of the trash and dross float to the top so You can remove it from us leaving purest gold behind, and may we cling to You and You alone in our times of trouble Becoming Better…Not Bitter.