February 26: 2 Chronicles 27-28

Will We Never Learn?

King Jotham followed his father, Uzziah. His good rule is summarized in the nine verses of 2 Chronicles chapter twenty-seven. The following verse sums it up rather nicely.

“So Jotham became powerful because he directed his ways before the LORD his God.” (2 Chronicles 27:6, NASB)

Following this account, we find that under the leadership of Ahaz, their king, Judah returns to the sins that had brought about devastating consequences so many times before. God has been faithful to His people through all of these ups and downs. When they strayed, He sought to bring them back to Himself. When they returned to Him, He forgave them and restored them. But another generation would face the same question: Will we serve the LORD or will we forsake Him? This is the question that faces our generation, too. Revival becomes necessary when God’s people forget His blessings and forsake His ways.

What caused Ahaz, Jotham’s son, to turn away from the faith of his fathers and turn against the LORD we are not told. What we are told is that he followed the detestable practices of Israel’s rulers. He practiced idolatry, sacrificed his sons, and advanced rampant idolatry across the land.

Because of this, God allowed Aram to deliver a devastating defeat to Judah. He also allowed Israel to issue a humiliating defeat. He lost his son in battle. In the following passage (28:9-15), we find Oded, an otherwise unknown prophet, protesting the practice of Israel to retain prisoners of war from Judah, because they were brothers. The result was that the prisoners were clothed, cared for, and returned to Jericho (Ryrie). Even the Northern Kingdom of Israel sometimes listened to the LORD’s prophets and obeyed. This accentuates the level of disobedience practiced by the Southern Kingdom.

Then the Chronicler records a series of attacks meant to get the attention of Ahaz and the people.

“For the LORD had humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had brought about a lack of restraint in Judah and was very unfaithful to the LORD.” (2 Chronicles 28:19, NASB)

 Ahaz had sent to the kings of Assyria for help (verse 16). However, when Tilgath-pilneser, king of Assyria, attacked him rather than helping him, Ahaz had to take treasures from the house of the LORD and from the palace to seek to pay the Assyrian king off. It didn’t help. In an effort to find help wherever he could, he became more unfaithful by sacrificing to the gods of Damascus which had defeated him. His rationale is stated:

“For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus who had defeated him, and said, “Because the gods of the kings of Aram helped them, I will sacrifice to them so that they may help me.” But they became the downfall of him and all Israel.” (2 Chronicles 28:23, NASB)

 He cut up the utensils in the house of God and closed its doors. He made altars for himself in every corner of Jerusalem. He kept pushing idolatry so that it spread throughout the land.

This is what happens when people turn away from the LORD. Rather than being satisfied with the secular, they seek to fill the spiritual void in their lives with ever increasing forms of idolatry and wickedness. Such times cry out for REVIVAL!