What Not to Do in Times of Trouble

"In his time of trouble King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to God." 2 Chronicles 28:22

If you occasionally enjoy a good lesson-teaching story with more than one tragic twist that is not short on graphic details, give this chapter of Scripture a whirl. Wow, what a shocking example of a life gone completely awry, with a totally wanton disregard for God.

Imagine, Ahaz is David's son, too. Only twenty when he became King; probably too young, and definitely too immature. Ahaz was murderous, killing thousands mercilessly, including sacrificing his own sons in the fire trying to appease other Gods. Does it get any further from God than that? Even after more trouble befalls him, after he has committed unthinkable atrocities, he continues his downward spiral by selling stuff from The Temple for quick cash. Ahaz was an abomination machine. He literally went from bad and horrible, to worse and despicable. But, in his abject failure he teaches us something very valuable in this verse that literally chronicles his life. "In his trouble King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to God."

They say the first thing you need to do to get out of a whole is to stop digging. Good advice, huh? Misery loves company even when we are alone. Ahaz suffered from three fatal delusions. 1) He was not repentant. 2) He allowed himself to become desperate. 3) He took no counsel.

Indeed a toxic combination of low character traits. In order to not repeat his tragic tale to any extent we must always be immediately penitent; clinging to God, and never sinking into desperation, and let God, His Word and Godly people be our hope and guide. Ahaz brought devastation on himself, his family and his people. The sooner we humbly turn to the Lord the less we will compound our troubles. If not, we risk tragic consequences of our own making. An extreme example, but a sober warning of what can happen to self-consumed rebels. Sometimes the starkest examples can give us clues as to how avert smaller problems in our lives.

Learning with you, Pastor Fred

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