Reading
SAA Notes
Jotham was a steadfast believer. 2 Chronicles 27:6. His son Ahaz, however, was a cat of a different stripe. Ahaz was one of those who stood in Solomon’s sin and sacrificed their sons in the fire to Molech (the King of Heaven) or Baal (the Lord). We need to be discerning with “Christians” who would have us worship the “Lord” in a way contrary to Scripture. What “Lord” is he?
SJA Notes
“And King Ahaz sent to Uriah the priest a model of the altar, and its pattern, exact in all its details.”
Turning to false gods leads to false practice and creating broken copies of the heavenly things.
In a mockery of the planning an architecture of the tabernacle that God directed under Moses and that of the temple under David and then Solomon, here we have a king giving out plans for a false altar.
Ahaz did a lot of harm. He went ripping and tearing through the church (the people) as well as the physical temple building. He instituted practices like had been done in Israel (Jeroboam and many more), taking the good worship of the true God and twisting it into falseness and darkness.
But was our God lessened because of this? Absolutely not!
We see this true today too. We see God’s beautiful church, His people – rent by schisms, by heresies torn asunder.
And yet we hold to King Jesus, a king like no other, who continues to build His church!
God kept a remnant of the faithful of His people, through all these kings, through the ups and downs, through exile and forced-relocation into many and varied nations, and then through the return and the trouble that happened at that time.
And God keeps us safe and secure today! Through His steadfast love and faithfuless, what a wonderful God we have! What a Father in heaven!
He is not lessened by other religions rising and falling, or by political movements and social agendas.
He is our God. Creator. Sustainer. Life-giver. The one, true and holy God – There is no other!
* God Above,
You are the true and living God, we praise Your name!
You are the one who created all that we see and all that we don’t see.
You are the three-persons in one God, the pattern of unity, the power that creates and sustains, the one true source of wisdom and life itself.
Thank You Lord, for all that You are.
Amen.