1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:04,359 Speaker 1: Let us pray. And in the time of his distress 2 00:00:04,640 --> 00:00:08,440 Speaker 1: did he trespass yet more against the Lord. This is 3 00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:13,680 Speaker 1: that King a has Second Chronicles twenty eight twenty two. 4 00:00:13,920 --> 00:00:17,840 Speaker 1: Heavenly Father, I thank you that your story is a 5 00:00:17,880 --> 00:00:22,759 Speaker 1: story of redemption through brokenness. I thank you that through 6 00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:27,240 Speaker 1: Judas Kings, you reveal that you can still use me 7 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:32,920 Speaker 1: through imperfection and shortcomings. I thank you that through the 8 00:00:32,960 --> 00:00:36,479 Speaker 1: Book of Kings you've shown me that if I am willing, 9 00:00:37,479 --> 00:00:41,360 Speaker 1: you will work in me and through me. In the 10 00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:45,239 Speaker 1: same breath, I praise you for revealing corrupt kings and 11 00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:48,879 Speaker 1: their corrupted mindsets, so that I can avoid the traps 12 00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:54,279 Speaker 1: of the enemy. Unlike a has I decree and declare 13 00:00:55,240 --> 00:00:58,480 Speaker 1: that no false idol will get my attention and devotion. 14 00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:03,320 Speaker 1: Decree and declare that I will be a tool in 15 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:06,640 Speaker 1: the hand of the Lord rather than a stumbling block 16 00:01:06,840 --> 00:01:11,880 Speaker 1: to God's children. I declare that the anointing of the 17 00:01:11,920 --> 00:01:16,000 Speaker 1: power of the Holy Spirit is moving through me, so 18 00:01:16,040 --> 00:01:19,400 Speaker 1: that I am a strong representation of what God can 19 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:27,440 Speaker 1: do through the heart of a willing vessel. In Jesus' name, Amen, 20 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:32,600 Speaker 1: thank you for praying with us today. Continue your time 21 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:36,480 Speaker 1: with God by listening to today's Bible story brought to 22 00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:38,600 Speaker 1: you by Bible in a Year dot. 23 00:01:38,440 --> 00:01:52,880 Speaker 2: Com AHAs in our last story, we learned about the 24 00:01:52,920 --> 00:01:57,080 Speaker 2: faithful reign of King Uziah. Although he did not finish well, 25 00:01:57,240 --> 00:01:59,880 Speaker 2: the majority of his life was spent under the wisdom 26 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:04,800 Speaker 2: guidance of God. He fortified Judah and protected them from harm. 27 00:02:05,520 --> 00:02:09,280 Speaker 2: Then his son Jotham followed by restoring Israel back to 28 00:02:09,320 --> 00:02:13,079 Speaker 2: a loving relationship with God. He was a mighty warrior 29 00:02:13,240 --> 00:02:17,360 Speaker 2: and a loving king. He finished his time as king faithfully. 30 00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:21,320 Speaker 2: Now we learn about one of the darkest kings Judah 31 00:02:21,320 --> 00:02:24,600 Speaker 2: has ever known. His evil ran as deep as the ocean. 32 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:27,960 Speaker 2: His idolatry was taken to the highest of heights in 33 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:32,320 Speaker 2: an act against his children. God, as a result, would 34 00:02:32,320 --> 00:02:35,960 Speaker 2: not allow for such evil to go unpunished. Inspired by 35 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:38,000 Speaker 2: the Book of Second Chronicles. 36 00:02:39,639 --> 00:02:42,560 Speaker 3: Hello, I'm pastor Jack Graham with today's episode of the 37 00:02:42,560 --> 00:02:46,520 Speaker 3: Bible in a Year podcast. In the last episode, we 38 00:02:46,639 --> 00:02:49,960 Speaker 3: learned about King Usiah, who, despite his faithfulness to God 39 00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 3: in his younger days, became proud and disobeyed God's commandments 40 00:02:54,280 --> 00:02:57,720 Speaker 3: regarding the temple. As a result, he died alone and 41 00:02:57,800 --> 00:02:59,960 Speaker 3: in shame, kept away from the house of the Lord 42 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:04,240 Speaker 3: Lord because leprosy had consumed him. But we also heard 43 00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:07,160 Speaker 3: about his son Jotham, who followed the Lord and led 44 00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:10,520 Speaker 3: with honor and justice all of his days. He was 45 00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:13,040 Speaker 3: perhaps the greatest king in Judas since the days of 46 00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:18,000 Speaker 3: David and Solomon. Today we'll hear how his son Ahaz 47 00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:20,560 Speaker 3: sadly did not share his father's love for the Lord. 48 00:03:21,440 --> 00:03:23,560 Speaker 3: He would become one of the most wicked kings in 49 00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:27,320 Speaker 3: Judas's history and would commit sins so evil that God 50 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:30,480 Speaker 3: simply could not hold back his hand of judgment any longer. 51 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:32,920 Speaker 3: Let's listen to God's word today. 52 00:03:34,560 --> 00:03:38,160 Speaker 2: The story of God is a story of redemption through brokenness. 53 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:42,840 Speaker 2: Judas kings revealed that God could work through imperfection. Some 54 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:46,119 Speaker 2: kings allowed for God to work in them and through them. 55 00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:49,480 Speaker 2: Other kings kicked against the will of God, only to 56 00:03:49,520 --> 00:03:53,080 Speaker 2: be humbled later on. The story of King Jotham was 57 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:56,840 Speaker 2: a story of faithfulness from beginning to end. However, his 58 00:03:56,960 --> 00:04:01,880 Speaker 2: son had an entirely different story. Jotham died after sixteen 59 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:05,440 Speaker 2: years of being king. He ruled well and continued to 60 00:04:05,480 --> 00:04:09,320 Speaker 2: be faithful to the very end. Eventually, the sons set 61 00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:12,520 Speaker 2: on his successful rule, and it was time for Ahaz 62 00:04:12,640 --> 00:04:16,040 Speaker 2: to take the throne. Ahaz did not share the humble 63 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:19,000 Speaker 2: heart of his father, nor did he have the wits 64 00:04:19,080 --> 00:04:23,560 Speaker 2: or bravery of his grandfather Huzaiah. Ahaz was a pathetic 65 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:26,919 Speaker 2: and evil man whose heart was consumed with a great 66 00:04:26,960 --> 00:04:31,080 Speaker 2: depth of wickedness. Influenced by the kings of Israel, ay 67 00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:35,159 Speaker 2: Has dabbled in the dark worship of exotic gods. He 68 00:04:35,320 --> 00:04:38,919 Speaker 2: reveled in the mystic powers of evil. He tempted God 69 00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:43,480 Speaker 2: by destroying life itself. One night, in the forest beyond 70 00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:46,800 Speaker 2: the hills, he lured his sons in for a sacrifice. 71 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:50,479 Speaker 2: They came under the impression that they were worshiping alongside 72 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:54,360 Speaker 2: their father. The children wandered through the forest without torches 73 00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:57,919 Speaker 2: to light their way. The darkness covered the forest, and 74 00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:00,360 Speaker 2: all they could hear was the wicked laughter of their 75 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:04,960 Speaker 2: twisted and demented father. AHAs brought his sons in close 76 00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:09,000 Speaker 2: and slit the children's throats as trippy to his pagan lords. 77 00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:12,680 Speaker 2: Blood dripped over every tree in the forest that night. 78 00:05:13,360 --> 00:05:17,240 Speaker 2: Innocent children were torn apart by their wicked father. This 79 00:05:17,640 --> 00:05:20,640 Speaker 2: was the evil God desired to shield his people from. 80 00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:23,599 Speaker 2: He would not allow AHAs to corrupt or kill more 81 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:27,080 Speaker 2: of his children. The Lord rose up an army from 82 00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:29,919 Speaker 2: the east. The King of Syria was stirred up to 83 00:05:29,960 --> 00:05:33,360 Speaker 2: go into battle with Judah for land and wealth. God 84 00:05:33,480 --> 00:05:36,560 Speaker 2: bolstered the armies of Syria and used them as a 85 00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:40,599 Speaker 2: gavel of justice upon AHAs. He also rose up Israel 86 00:05:40,680 --> 00:05:43,000 Speaker 2: to mount another attack and claim more. 87 00:05:42,839 --> 00:05:43,720 Speaker 3: Of Judah's land. 88 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:46,839 Speaker 2: In a matter of days, Ah has managed to lose 89 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:50,880 Speaker 2: every man of valor his father had trained. Israel took 90 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:55,120 Speaker 2: over two hundred thousand Judeans captive. Women and children were 91 00:05:55,160 --> 00:05:58,200 Speaker 2: claimed as slaves, and the entire storehouse of the king 92 00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:02,200 Speaker 2: was raided. Yet God's quarrel was not with women and children. 93 00:06:02,400 --> 00:06:05,200 Speaker 2: It was with the king. He would not allow Israel 94 00:06:05,279 --> 00:06:08,119 Speaker 2: to take slaves, so he sent a prophet to speak 95 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:11,400 Speaker 2: out against the commanders of Israel. He stopped them on 96 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:15,080 Speaker 2: their way back home and proclaimed liberty. It is because 97 00:06:15,120 --> 00:06:18,240 Speaker 2: the Lord is angry against Judah that he allowed you 98 00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:21,760 Speaker 2: to have victory, the prophet shouted. But that does not 99 00:06:21,960 --> 00:06:26,000 Speaker 2: mean you are without sin yourselves. God will not tolerate 100 00:06:26,080 --> 00:06:30,280 Speaker 2: you taking women and children captive. Turn back and return 101 00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:33,640 Speaker 2: them lest the fierce wrath of God come upon you. 102 00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:39,240 Speaker 2: The commanders of Israel's armies responded with humility in unexpected 103 00:06:39,320 --> 00:06:43,880 Speaker 2: yet welcomed reaction. They clothed the captives, fed them, and 104 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:48,080 Speaker 2: led them safely back to Judah. Meanwhile, ay Has panicked 105 00:06:48,120 --> 00:06:48,760 Speaker 2: in his palace. 106 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:50,160 Speaker 1: He was not stable. 107 00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:54,680 Speaker 2: He was irate in irrational. The Philistines attacked from the east. 108 00:06:55,040 --> 00:06:58,240 Speaker 2: Ay Has desired to save his own skin and therefore 109 00:06:58,279 --> 00:07:02,160 Speaker 2: reached out to gain aid. He reached out to Tiglath Pileser, 110 00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:07,279 Speaker 2: the king of Assyria. He pleaded for aid. He wanted soldiers, money, 111 00:07:07,320 --> 00:07:10,760 Speaker 2: and resources to restore his nation to stability. Yet he 112 00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:15,040 Speaker 2: had nothing to offer. Assyria King Tiglath Pileser saw Judah 113 00:07:15,120 --> 00:07:18,400 Speaker 2: as weak and ripe for raiding. He led his armies 114 00:07:18,440 --> 00:07:21,240 Speaker 2: to Judah under the rules of aid, and then plundered 115 00:07:21,280 --> 00:07:25,240 Speaker 2: Jerusalem for all its wealth. This defeat should have caused 116 00:07:25,240 --> 00:07:28,520 Speaker 2: AHAs to repent. Instead, it caused him to press deeper 117 00:07:28,560 --> 00:07:32,400 Speaker 2: into darkness. He made sacrifices to the gods of Damascus, 118 00:07:32,680 --> 00:07:35,880 Speaker 2: the very gods his enemies worshiped. In a has has 119 00:07:35,960 --> 00:07:39,800 Speaker 2: warped and twisted logic. He thought that since they helped 120 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:43,320 Speaker 2: his enemies, they would help him. He was painfully unaware 121 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:46,360 Speaker 2: that it was God who strengthened his enemies to capture 122 00:07:46,360 --> 00:07:50,440 Speaker 2: his attention. Instead of providing comfort, they sent Ahaz into 123 00:07:50,480 --> 00:07:54,320 Speaker 2: a deeper pit of despair. A has tore up vessels 124 00:07:54,320 --> 00:07:56,800 Speaker 2: from the House of God and shut up its doors. 125 00:07:57,320 --> 00:07:59,920 Speaker 2: He made altars to false gods all throughout the st 126 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:02,840 Speaker 2: streets of Jerusalem. He taught them how to bow to 127 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:06,440 Speaker 2: other gods. He led them astray. Yet God would not 128 00:08:06,520 --> 00:08:10,200 Speaker 2: allow his people to suffer much longer. Under Ahaz. Every 129 00:08:10,280 --> 00:08:13,240 Speaker 2: king must meet his end, and God would guide and 130 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:17,000 Speaker 2: love his people back into a relationship with him soon enough. 131 00:08:19,920 --> 00:08:22,600 Speaker 3: As we begin today's passage, a new king sits on 132 00:08:22,640 --> 00:08:26,560 Speaker 3: the throne in Judah. Jotham had ruled righteously, never turning 133 00:08:26,560 --> 00:08:30,080 Speaker 3: from God in his sixteen years as king. When he died, 134 00:08:30,160 --> 00:08:33,640 Speaker 3: his son Ahaz became king. But rather than follow in 135 00:08:33,640 --> 00:08:37,480 Speaker 3: his father's righteous footsteps, A has turned down a very 136 00:08:37,559 --> 00:08:41,400 Speaker 3: dark and evil path. His heart was filled with evil, 137 00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:43,760 Speaker 3: and he turned to foreign gods, just as the kings 138 00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:46,480 Speaker 3: in Israel Judas neighbor to the north, were doing in 139 00:08:46,520 --> 00:08:50,360 Speaker 3: those days. How sad it is when a person overlooks 140 00:08:50,440 --> 00:08:53,520 Speaker 3: or even rejects the godly example of a parent and 141 00:08:53,559 --> 00:08:56,480 Speaker 3: follows the pattern of others who seek their own glory 142 00:08:56,920 --> 00:09:00,720 Speaker 3: rather than the glory of God. And as a Has 143 00:09:00,760 --> 00:09:04,199 Speaker 3: worshiped other gods, false gods, the darkness in his soul 144 00:09:04,320 --> 00:09:08,960 Speaker 3: grew deeper and deeper, and more wicked and immoral. This 145 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:11,600 Speaker 3: was not a man with a divided heart. He was 146 00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:15,600 Speaker 3: a man fully given over to rebellion and sin. His 147 00:09:15,720 --> 00:09:18,679 Speaker 3: wickedness reached his peak when he murdered his own children 148 00:09:18,720 --> 00:09:21,840 Speaker 3: and burned them as an offering to pagan gods. It 149 00:09:21,960 --> 00:09:24,600 Speaker 3: was a sin so egregious that God could not allow 150 00:09:24,640 --> 00:09:28,439 Speaker 3: a Has to go unpunished any longer. We know God 151 00:09:28,679 --> 00:09:31,360 Speaker 3: is a patient God, and he is full of mercy. 152 00:09:31,960 --> 00:09:34,319 Speaker 3: But we also know that He is a holy God 153 00:09:34,720 --> 00:09:38,920 Speaker 3: and will judge sin and sin consequences to all sin 154 00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:43,040 Speaker 3: and rebellion against him. So God caused the Syrian king 155 00:09:43,120 --> 00:09:46,320 Speaker 3: to go to war against Judah. He gave AHAs and 156 00:09:46,400 --> 00:09:48,559 Speaker 3: his army over into the hands of the enemy as 157 00:09:48,559 --> 00:09:51,880 Speaker 3: a judgment for the evils a Has had done. This 158 00:09:52,040 --> 00:09:54,840 Speaker 3: was not a case of God blessing the Syrians, who 159 00:09:54,920 --> 00:09:58,640 Speaker 3: themselves were wicked and did not worship God. This was God, 160 00:09:58,760 --> 00:10:03,480 Speaker 3: in his supremacy and sovereignty, using an outside nation to 161 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:07,520 Speaker 3: break his people and their king. God also stirred up 162 00:10:07,559 --> 00:10:09,800 Speaker 3: the army of Israel to attack and claim more of 163 00:10:09,880 --> 00:10:13,720 Speaker 3: Judas's land. They decimated ah has his army and killed 164 00:10:13,760 --> 00:10:16,440 Speaker 3: all the brave men who had served under King Jotham. 165 00:10:17,200 --> 00:10:21,840 Speaker 3: They also took two hundred thousand captives, including women and children. 166 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:25,640 Speaker 3: But this was not God's plan, so the Lord sent 167 00:10:25,640 --> 00:10:28,840 Speaker 3: a prophet to tell the commanders to release all of 168 00:10:28,880 --> 00:10:32,800 Speaker 3: the captives. God reminded the Israelites that they too were 169 00:10:32,840 --> 00:10:36,120 Speaker 3: living in sin and would only make matters worse by 170 00:10:36,160 --> 00:10:42,360 Speaker 3: taking those innocent lives. Surprisingly, despite their wicked and wayward ways, 171 00:10:42,880 --> 00:10:45,960 Speaker 3: the leaders of Israel responded with honor, saying in Second 172 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:49,880 Speaker 3: Chronicles twenty eight, verse thirteen, you shall not bring the 173 00:10:49,920 --> 00:10:52,920 Speaker 3: captives in here, for you propose to bring upon us 174 00:10:52,920 --> 00:10:55,840 Speaker 3: guilt against the Lord, in addition to our present sins 175 00:10:55,880 --> 00:10:59,360 Speaker 3: and guilt, for our guilt is already great, and there 176 00:10:59,400 --> 00:11:04,160 Speaker 3: is fierce wrath against Israel. So they treated the captives kindly, 177 00:11:04,720 --> 00:11:08,400 Speaker 3: clothing and feeding them before returning them home to freedom. 178 00:11:08,800 --> 00:11:12,280 Speaker 3: It was an act of honor and humility, demonstrating that 179 00:11:12,320 --> 00:11:15,040 Speaker 3: there were still some in Israel who feared the Lord 180 00:11:15,240 --> 00:11:18,000 Speaker 3: and wanted to please him. All of this should have 181 00:11:18,040 --> 00:11:21,679 Speaker 3: humbled a Has, but instead it filled him with fear, desperation, 182 00:11:22,120 --> 00:11:27,440 Speaker 3: and even more rebellion. When God disciplines or corrects us, 183 00:11:28,120 --> 00:11:31,640 Speaker 3: or when situations seemed desperate, do we turn to him 184 00:11:31,720 --> 00:11:35,240 Speaker 3: in faith and humility, knowing that he can rescue us 185 00:11:35,320 --> 00:11:38,600 Speaker 3: and save us from our own sins, Or do we 186 00:11:38,640 --> 00:11:41,240 Speaker 3: seek security from the world for those who have no 187 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:44,480 Speaker 3: real power to help us and who may actually wish 188 00:11:44,559 --> 00:11:48,720 Speaker 3: us harm. It is an important spiritual truth to learn 189 00:11:49,400 --> 00:11:51,880 Speaker 3: that we always believe in trust in the only God 190 00:11:51,920 --> 00:11:55,199 Speaker 3: who can save us, and never listen to the world 191 00:11:55,440 --> 00:11:58,600 Speaker 3: who does not know him. A has turned to a 192 00:11:58,640 --> 00:12:01,760 Speaker 3: foreign nation, the Assyrians. He wanted their help, but the 193 00:12:01,880 --> 00:12:05,200 Speaker 3: king of Assyria saw a weakened nation and foolish king 194 00:12:05,280 --> 00:12:09,600 Speaker 3: and attacked, plundering Jerusalem and leaving a Has even worse 195 00:12:09,640 --> 00:12:14,040 Speaker 3: off than before. Still a Has refused to turn to God. 196 00:12:14,640 --> 00:12:17,760 Speaker 3: He worshiped the idols of Damascus, hoping to find favor 197 00:12:17,800 --> 00:12:21,400 Speaker 3: and success from these foreign gods, but all he found 198 00:12:21,520 --> 00:12:25,760 Speaker 3: was more defeat and despair, until he finally died, away 199 00:12:25,800 --> 00:12:29,360 Speaker 3: from God and never tasting the goodness of fellowship. With 200 00:12:29,480 --> 00:12:33,040 Speaker 3: the Lord his God. He was not the only king 201 00:12:33,320 --> 00:12:36,040 Speaker 3: that was evil, however, and the next time we'll hear 202 00:12:36,080 --> 00:12:41,679 Speaker 3: of God's judgment of Judah's northern neighbors Israel. Remind us always, 203 00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:43,760 Speaker 3: Lord that you are the source of our strength and 204 00:12:43,800 --> 00:12:47,280 Speaker 3: the only source of our hope. We thank you for 205 00:12:47,360 --> 00:12:50,520 Speaker 3: your love and your grace that seeks us and calls 206 00:12:50,559 --> 00:12:53,880 Speaker 3: us to yourself, even when we are far away from you. 207 00:12:54,120 --> 00:12:57,760 Speaker 3: May we always believe in you through your son, the 208 00:12:57,800 --> 00:13:02,600 Speaker 3: Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Thank you for listening to today's 209 00:13:02,600 --> 00:13:06,520 Speaker 3: Bible in a Year podcast. I'm Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. 210 00:13:06,920 --> 00:13:10,280 Speaker 3: Download thepray dot com app and make sure that prayer 211 00:13:10,400 --> 00:13:13,920 Speaker 3: and Bible reading is a priority in your life. If 212 00:13:13,960 --> 00:13:16,880 Speaker 3: you enjoy this podcast, let someone else know, share it 213 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:19,520 Speaker 3: with someone you love, and let's get the Word of 214 00:13:19,559 --> 00:13:23,240 Speaker 3: God out to many, many people. And if you want 215 00:13:23,280 --> 00:13:26,920 Speaker 3: more resources as to how you can learn and live 216 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:31,360 Speaker 3: the Christian life, be sure to visit Jack Graham dot org. 217 00:13:31,920 --> 00:13:34,000 Speaker 3: That's Jack Graham dot org. 218 00:13:39,720 --> 00:13:43,520 Speaker 1: This episode is sponsored by Meta Share, an innovative healthcare 219 00:13:43,559 --> 00:13:47,680 Speaker 1: solution for Christians to save money without sacrificing quality.