II Chronicles 27-28  After Uzziah, came Jotham, who "did what was right in the sight of the Lord." Jotham "became mighty because he ordered his ways before the Lord his God."  ( v6)  

But, after 16 years Jotham died and his son Ahaz became king.. and Ahaz was not good at all. 

Ahaz made idols, he sacrificed his own sons, and he even closed the doors of the Temple.  Because of his sin, God "delivered him into the hand of the king of Aram."  Judah was defeated by Aram and then by Israel. Ahaz tried to  fix things by making an alliance with Assyria, which backfired when they "came against him and afflicted him instead of strengthening him." 

"For the Lord humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had brought about a lack of restraint in Judah and was very unfaithful to the Lord." v19 Ahaz never learned his lesson and only became worse and worse.  II Kings 16 tells us that Ahaz went up to Damascus to see the king of Assyria. There he saw a great altar and he sent the pattern for it back to Jerusalem for Urijah the priest to make.  He had this pagan altar put in place of God's altar and offered sacrifices on it.  "And in every city of Judah he made high places to burn incense to other gods, and provoked the Lord, the God of his fathers, to anger." ( II Chronicles 28:25) 

Amazingly enough.. when Ahaz died, his son Hezekiah became king.. "And he did right in the sight of the Lord." 

Why is it that some people have such hard hearts? Why don't they see what is happening because of their sin? Why is it that Ahaz, whose father served the Lord, so quickly and blatantly chose evil instead of good?  Why is it that all of us.. at some time or other in our lives.. make choices that lead us on the wrong path?    

As Paul wrote to the Romans.. we are "of flesh, sold into bondage to sin.."  What we want to do.. we don't; what we don't want to do.. we do.  Paul said, "I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wishes to do good."  We are all wretched  and need to be set free.. and we are.. by Jesus Christ our Lord.   Oh what grace.. grace.. God's grace!

Ahaz could have found grace.. God would have been his salvation, his refuge, and his help.. but he refused.  Again we are given this illustration of a life offered to the world.. leading to ruin, instead of a life offered to God.. leading to blessing. 

Father in heaven, Your name is holy and glorious. We exalt in Your grace and goodness. We praise You and give You thanks for the salvation that is in Jesus Christ our Savior.  Thank You for setting us free from sin and death and bringing us into the Light of the Kingdom of Your blessed Son.  May we choose this day to order our lives according to Your will.  May we choose to use restraint and obedience in our decisions.. in our words and in our actions.  You are our stronghold.. our strength.. our fortress, and we will keep on trusting in You. May we seek You, walk with You, hear Your voice, and glorify Your name today! Amen.