29 lines
2.1 KiB
Markdown
29 lines
2.1 KiB
Markdown
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title = "2 Chronicles 28:16–27"
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date = "2025-05-24"
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### [Read the passage.](https://biblia.com/bible/esv/2Chronicles28.16-27)
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Even though Israel returned their captives, more of Judah's neighbors invaded and captured people from its villages.
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Edom and Philistia again rose up and raided Judah, even going so far as to settle their own peple in the land.
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King Ahaz attempts to get help from Assyria, the dominant world power of the time, by sending tribute, but it did not help.
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Tiglath-pileser was not impressed with the gift and instead of helping, afflicted Judah still further.
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Ahaz's response to these problems is the exact opposite of what we should do.
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Instead of recognizing them as punishments from the Lord for leading the people of Judah into idolatry, he doubles down.
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He believes that the gods of Syria were mightier than the God of his fathers, and begins sacrificing to them in the hope of gaining their favor.
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Not only does he give his own allegience to them, but he actively inhibits the worship of Yahweh by destroying the vessels of the temple and blocking up the doors.
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Until this point, idolatry in Israel and Judah seems to have been fairly syncretic.
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People would worship the Lord in His temple, but also go to the high places and sacrifice there.
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For a lot of the time, they didn't see a problem with these split allegiences.
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I find it shocking, really, that the exile of Judah didn't start at this point.
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However, the Lord in His faithfulness to His people, even in the midst of their faithlessness, knew that it was not the right time in history for it.
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Babylon when it conquered would keep the people as a cohesive community within its empire, but when Assyria conquered Israel it dispersed them so that they would integrate better.
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The kings and prophets that came after Ahaz would not have had the chance to do as they did, which have direct impacts on the Scriptures we have today.
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The Lord has an eternal perspective and knows all things that can and would happen, so He always makes perfect decisions.
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* * *
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Do not let us be discouraged, because we can trust You to do what is ultimately right.
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