February 16, 2025 – 2 Chronicles 28:16-27 – Ahaz Tries to Rearrange the Temple

The idolatrous and evil King Ahaz of Judah rejects the sign of “Immanuel” from the prophet Isaiah promising God’s support if he would only have faith. Instead he desperately tries to get Assyria to aid him against his enemies. Meanwhile he is enchanted by an elaborate altar he sees in Damascus. He has a duplicate made and installs it in the Temple, sidelining the original altar, and making other radical changes in the Temple furniture and vessels. His sin points to our own attempts to change and “improve” ourselves through our own strength according to our own pattern.

Notes on 2 Chronicles 28:16-27, 2 Kings 16:5-20, Isaiah 7:1-25