Ahaz then became king as recorded in 2 Chronicles 28. He was unfaithful to the Lord; making cast idols for worshipping the Baals, burning incense and even sacrificing his sons in the fire. He didn’t go to the Lord for help but went to the king of Assyria for help. He even took items from the Temple of Lord and gave them to the king.  Then he started taking the furnishings from the Temple to set up altars at every street corner in Jerusalem and built high places in every town of Judah to burn sacrifices to other gods.

All this activity angered God and the results were devastating for Judah. The Arameans defeated them in war and then Israel struck Judah with a blow; affecting the lives of the people. Many soldiers were killed and plunder was taken. Wives, sons and daughters of these soldiers were taken captive with the intent to make them slaves.

Worshiping idols and promoting evil resulted in troubling times. Rather than asking for God’s help, Ahaz became even more unfaithful and this would lead to his further decline. What can we take away from the passage today? One is to focus solely on God.

Photo Credit – http://3forjc.blogspot.com

This day with God, expect His presence all the time. He’s present on the back porch in the fresh breeze as the warm, golden sunshine warms your face. He’s present when you read. He’s present when you meet others. He’s present when you take a walk and see the neighborhood children playing. He’s present when the day lets go and the unique mixture of the sounds of night produce a special music that sooths the soul. He’s present when you reflect and have a few minutes in silence, putting away the cares and concerns and noise of the day, listening for the Holy Spirit.

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