Jotham and Ahaz's Reign. II Chronicles 27 & 28

 

II Chronicles 27 & 28 Jotham and Ahaz’s Reign

 

Jotham was a good king. Judah has had three good kings in a row. He was 25 years old and he reigned 16 years in Jerusalem.

When his father went into the temple and burnt offerings, he was made a leper. Jotham did what was right in the sight of the Lord, but he stayed away

From the temple. There was an understandable background for his action.

There are many people today who are kept away from God’s house by prejudice.

Jotham built castles among the trees in the hills. He was a great builder. He kept his nation strong militarily as his father had done. Here is a young man who could have been a great king, but a prejudice prevented him from being a great king and doing great things for God.

 Chapter 28

Ahaz was a bad king. He offered his children on a red-hot altar. It was an idol that was heated red-hot for human sacrifices. Ahaz went completely into idolatry and plunged the southern kingdom into idolatry.

God permits the enemy to come in. Syria comes down and the wall is breached into the southern kingdom. There are many who are taken captive. Many became captives of Israel, the northern kingdom. Israel took men of Judah into captivity.

God permitted this to happen because Ahaz and his people had plunged into idolatry. God sends Oded, a prophet to express God’s forbidding of taking their brethren into slavery. Lev. 25:39-40. They were able to secure their release and return them to their homes.

If it had not been for the fact that God intervened, they would have been almost eliminated as a nation.

When God removed His protection, it was like opening the flood gates and letting the enemy come in. Because of sin on the part of the people they will not have peace. Instead of turning to God, he turned to Assyria for help. He sent him a generous gift from the wealth of the temple and of the palace. The king of Assyria accepted it, but he never did send any help to Ahaz.

The Bible tells us we are not to put our trust in man. We are to put our trust in God.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

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J. Vernon McGee Commentary and Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.