King Pekah of Israel and King Rezin of Aram attacked the nation of Judah, with both armies taking some of the people of Judah captive and with the Arameans taking some of the territory that had been conquered by Judah. In yesterday's study we found a prophet of the Lord warning the army of Israel that they must send the captives home or else face the Lord's wrath; the soldiers wisely released the people.
King Ahaz of Judah does not respond to the Lord's correction appropriately. He doesn't repent of his idolatry or of his sins of murder and turn to the Lord. He also does not respond to the Lord's mercy appropriately. The Lord caused the northern kingdom of Israel to send the 200,000 people of Judah back home but Ahaz doesn't thank the Lord and repent of his sins. More trouble comes the king's way due to his stubborn rejection of the Lord but still he seeks help from other sources.
"At that time King Ahaz sent to the kings of Assyria for help. The Edomites had again come and attacked Judah and carried away prisoners, while the Philistines had raided towns in the foothills and in the Negev of Judah. They captured and occupied Beth Shemesh, Aijalon and Gederoth, as well as Suko, Timnah and Gizmo, with their surrounding villages. 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." (2 Chronicles 28:16-19) We previously learned that Ahaz participated in the rituals of several pagan religions, including the most abominable practice of all: child sacrifice. He has promoted his false religions and has encouraged others to practice these rituals along with him. We don't know how many citizens of Judah have fallen into the same sins as the king but even those who have not sinned in the manner of Ahaz are suffering from the repeated invasions by enemy armies.
Sin never hurts just the person who commits it. Sin affects those around the person too. I've suffered because of other people's mistakes before, haven't you? Suffering for my own sins isn't pleasant but at least there's a sense of justice in that. But when hardship comes into my life because of something somebody else did, it's much more difficult to accept. In our passage today we find Ahaz and his fellow idolaters suffering because of their own sins and we also find hardships befalling those who haven't engaged in idolatry.
Ahaz sends a message to the king of Assyria asking for his help against those who are attacking Judah. "Ahaz sent messengers to say to Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria, 'I am your servant and vassal. Come up and save me out of the hand of the king of Aram and of the king of Israel, who are attacking me.' And Ahaz took the silver and gold found in the temple of the Lord and in the treasuries of the royal palace and sent it as a gift to the king of Assyria. The king of Assyria complied by attacking Damascus and capturing it. He deported its inhabitants to Kir and put Rezin to death." (2 Kings 16:7-9)
The author of 2 Chronicles states that Tiglath-Pileser was no help to Ahaz. This doesn't mean that there is a contradiction between what that author says and what the author of 2 Kings says. Tiglath-Pileser did indeed take action against King Rezin of Aram but he did so only because Ahaz impoverished his household and the house of God to pay him to do it. The only thing Ahaz accomplished was trading one master for another; instead of potentially becoming subject to the Arameans he is now subject to the Assyrians. Judah will have to pay tribute to Assyria, sending the nation further into economic hardship. In addition, Tiglath-Pileser is no friend to anyone. He does whatever is most advantageous to himself and to his country. If another king offers him more than Ahaz, he has no problem turning against Ahaz and going with whoever is the highest bidder.
In our next study session we will find Ahaz going up to Damascus to meet with Tiglath-Pileser after the Assyrian king killed Rezin of Aram. There Ahaz will see a pagan altar that strikes his fancy. He will commission a replica of it to be made in Judah.
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