Ahaz Changes His Religion

Being attacked from every side, and losing battle after battle, Ahaz decided he had to have som e help if Judah was to survive.  The Assyrian Empire was just beginning to expand, and his most serious threats, Israel and Syria, lay between Judah and Assyria, and the Assyrians were already in conflict with Syria.  A Joingt effort seemed like a great deal for both sides, so he contacted the Assyrians, asking for help and offering to pay for their help, in II Kings 16:7-9.  “So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, saying, I am thy servant and thy son: come up, and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, which rise up against me.  And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house, and sent it for a present to the king of Assyria.  And the king of Assyria hearkened unto him: for the king of Assyria went up against Damascus, and took it, and carried the people of it captive to Kir, and slew Rezin.”

Ahaz’ offer gave the Assyrians incentative to expand and take over Syria and they invaded, defeating the Syrians as far south as Damascus.  They were happy to accept the money, but had no interest in helping Ahaz, insead trying to invade Judah themselves, as II Chronicles 28:20-21 tells us.  “Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria came unto him, and distressed him, but strengthened him not.  For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of the LORD, and out of the house of the king, and of the princes, and gave it unto the king of Assyria: but he helped him not.”

In an effort to negotiate a deal with Assyria and get their help, Ahaz met with Tiglathpileser in Damascus, as II Kings 16:10 describes.  “And king Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, and saw an altar that was at Damascus: and king Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the fashion of the altar, and the pattern of it, according to all the workmanship thereof.”  Frustrated that God was not answering his prayers, he decided to adopt the Syrian religion as II Chronicles 28:22-23 describes his reasoning.  “And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the LORD: this is that king Ahaz.  For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him: and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me. But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel.”

Likw Ahaz, many people view God as some kind of fairy godmother or genie who is there to be ordered aroune.  When he doesn’t give them what they want they get mad and walk out on him, never recognizing him as God and considering what he demands.  Ahaz gave orders for the priests to build an altar like the Syrian one to replace the brazen altar in the Temple.   The priests followed his orders, and when he returned Ahaz tried to make the Syrian religion of Judah, as we see in II Kings 16:11-18.  “And Urijah the priest built an altar according to all that king Ahaz had sent from Damascus: so Urijah the priest made it against king Ahaz came from Damascus. And when the king was come from Damascus, the king saw the altar: and the king approached to the altar, and offered thereon.  And he burnt his burnt offering and his meat offering, and poured his drink offering, and sprinkled the blood of his peace offerings, upon the altar.

And he brought also the brazen altar, which was before the LORD, from the forefront of the house, from between the altar and the house of the LORD, and put it on the north side of the altar.  And king Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying, Upon the great altar burn the morning burnt offering, and the evening meat offering, and the king's burnt sacrifice, and his meat offering, with the burnt offering of all the people of the land, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings; and sprinkle upon it all the blood of the burnt offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice: and the brazen altar shall be for me to inquire by.  Thus did Urijah the priest, according to all that king Ahaz commanded.

 And king Ahaz cut off the borders of the bases, and removed the laver from off them; and took down the sea from off the brazen oxen that were under it, and put it upon a pavement of stones.  And the covert for the sabbath that they had built in the house, and the king's entry without, turned he from the house of the LORD for the king of Assyria.

In his efforts to appease the Assyrians, Ahaz stripped the Temple of everything of value, and closed it down, placing altars to other Gods throughout Jerusalem, and the rest of Judah, according to II Chronicles 28:24-25.  “And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shut up the doors of the house of the LORD, and he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem.  And in every several city of Judah he made high places to burn incense unto other gods, and provoked to anger the LORD God of his fathers.

Though the people had not been following God fully, they resented Ahaz’ efforts to force them to change their beliefs.  When he died, they refused to allow him to be buried alongside the other kings, as II Chronicles 28:27 tells us.  “And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, even in Jerusalem: but they brought him not into the sepulchres of the kings of Israel: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.”  Changing his religion did not solve his problems.  He needed to get right with  God.