Day 340 – Consequences

2 Kings 16:1 In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah, Ahaz the son of Jotham, king of Judah, began to reign. 2 Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem; and he did not do what was right in the sight of JEHOVAH his Elohiym, as his father David had done. 3 Instead, he walked in the way of the kings of Israel; indeed, he made his son pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom JEHOVAH had cast out from before the children of Israel. 4 Also, he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.

 5 Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, came up to Jerusalem to make war; and they besieged Ahaz but could not overcome him.

 6 At that time Rezin king of Syria captured Elath for Syria and drove the men of Judah from Elath. Then the Edomites went to Elath, and dwell there to this day.

 7 So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria, saying, “I am your servant and your son. Come up and save me from the hand of the king of Syria and from the hand of the king of Israel, who revolt against me.” 8 Ahaz took the silver and gold found in the house of JEHOVAH, and in the treasuries of the king’s house, and sent it as a present to the king of Assyria.

 9 Thus, the king of Assyria heeded him; for the king of Assyria went up against Damascus and took it, carried its people captive to Kir, and killed Rezin.

 10 Now King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria and saw an altar at Damascus; and King Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the design of the altar and its pattern, according to its workmanship.

 11 Then Urijah the priest built an altar according to everything King Ahaz had sent from Damascus. Thus, Urijah the priest made it before King Ahaz came back from Damascus.

 12 When the king came back from Damascus, the king saw the altar; and the king approached the altar and made offerings on it.

 13 Thus, he burned his burnt offering and his grain offering; and he poured his drink offering and sprinkled the blood of his peace offerings on the altar. 14 He also brought the bronze altar, before JEHOVAH, from the front of the temple—from between the new altar and the house of JEHOVAH—and put it on the north side of the new altar.

 15 Then King Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying, “On the great new altar burn the morning burnt offering, the evening grain offering, the king’s burnt sacrifice, and his grain offering, with the burnt offering of the people of the land, their grain offering, and their drink offerings; and sprinkle on it the blood of the burnt offering and the blood of the sacrifice. The bronze altar will be for me to inquire by.”

 16 Thus did Urijah the priest, according to everything King Ahaz commanded.

 17 King Ahaz cut off the panels of the carts and removed the lavers from them; and he took down the Sea from the bronze oxen under it and put it on a pavement of stones. 18 Also, he removed the Sabbath pavilion which they had built in the temple, and he removed the king’s outer entrance from the house of JEHOVAH, on account of the king of Assyria. 19 Now the rest of the acts of Ahaz which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 20 Then Ahaz rested with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the City of David. Then Hezekiah, his son reigned in his place.

God’s names:

JEHOVAH – Self-existent, Eternal

Elohiym – Supreme God

Yeshuwa – Jesus

Iesous – Jesus

Christos – Anointed One, Messiah

Pater – Father

God’s character:

Sovereign

People believe they can do whatever they want without regard to the effect it will have on other people. They don’t consider the consequences of their actions.

Rezin, king of Syria, and Pekah, king of Israel went to war against Ahaz, but could not defeat him. Ahaz sent for help from Assyria. While in Assyria, he admired an altar and sent the details to Urijah the priest to build one identical to it. When he returned and saw the altar, he burned the offerings on it instead of the bronze altar for JEHOVAH.

Everything Ahaz did defied JEHOVAH. He didn’t realize the long-term consequences of his actions or that JEHOVAH would shorten his life. He was twenty years old when he began his reign and reigned for sixteen years. He was thirty-six years old when he died and had one of the shorter reigns in Judah due to his disobedience to JEHOVAH.

When you accepted Yeshuwa as Savior and Lord, you committed to a life of obedience to Elohiym. Yet many Christians are like King Ahaz. They do whatever they want without regard to the consequences, believing Yeshuwa will look the other way when they sin.

Romans 6:1 What will we say then? Will we continue in sin that grace may abound?

 2 Certainly not! How will we who died to sin live any longer in it?

 3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christos Iesous were baptized into His death?

 4 Therefore, we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christos was raised from the dead by the glory of the Pater, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Christos lives in you. You belong to Him. You are not your own. Therefore, every action you make will have consequences when your actions disobey Yeshuwa. The consequences of obedience are a long life in Him.

Consequences come with every action you make, good or bad. When you realize everything brings consequences, you should live an obedient life in Christos Iesous. Remember, you are in a war with Satan. He will do everything he can to turn you away from Yeshuwa. You need to take the upper hand by reading and studying your Bible, pray, spend time with other believers to encourage and receive encouragement, and go to church if you are able. If you cannot attend, there are many online services. Your church may have one available so you are not without Yeshuwa’s Word.

Ahaz didn’t consider the consequences. You should. Your life depends on it.

Let’s pray: Father, I stand before You guilty of taking no thought to my actions. The consequence of sin is death. Yet You promised me life if I obey you. Let Your Word dwell in me so I know what my actions will do to me and others. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Copyright © 24 December 2024 by Valerie Routhieaux