King Ahaz BC

Transcription

1 King Ahaz BC

2 Israel to the North Philistines then the sea to the West Negev desert to the South Dead Sea, Moab, Edom to the East fewer neighbors than Israel smaller no international trade routes less important regionally and internationally

3 fewer ethnic divisions 2 tribes Judah and Benjamin 1 single dynasty the house of David even when there was a coup, the kingship passed on to a descendent

4 Temple built by Solomon Priesthood priests descended from Aaron assistants from tribe of Levi Written Law Deuteronomy 5 books of Moses Annual Festivals Passover/Unleavened Bread Feast of Weeks Feast of Booths God s Presence

5 continuous occupation of Jerusalem over millennia excavations confined to small areas in between active neighborhoods must dig down through many meters of ancient and modern debris navigating the different nationalities, languages, and religions of inhabitants and workers is tricky the interpretation of archaeological finds is hotly debated

6 Battle against Zerah the Cushite (2 Chron 14) Huge Cushite army gathered to attack Asa called to the Lord his God and asked for help The Lord struck down the Cushites before Asa and Judah Covenant with the Lord (2 Chron 15) Azariah the prophet told Asa the Lord was with him Asa took courage and removed the idols from the land He assembled all Judah and many from Israel They sacrificed to the Lord and entered a covenant to seek the Lord with all their heart and soul They sought God eagerly and he gave them rest on every side

7 Asa looks to Aram for help (2 Chron 16) King Baasha of Israel attacked Judah Asa took gold and silver out of the Temple and sent it to Ben-Hadad king of Aram and asked for help Ben-Hadad attacked Israel, so Israel left Judah alone Hanani the seer came and rebuked Asa for seeking help from Aram rather than from the Lord Asa was angry and put Hanani in prison He also brutally oppressed some of the people Asa s illness Asa was afflicted with a disease in his feet He did not seek help from the Lord, but just doctors

8 Jehoshaphat orders the land for the Lord (2 Chr 17) He did not consult the Baals but his heart was devoted to the Lord He removed the high places and the Asherah poles He sent Levites and priests to teach in towns of Judah They taught the Book of the Law to all the people The fear of the Lord fell on all the kingdoms around Judah, so they did not make war on Jehoshaphat The Philistines and Arabs brought him tribute He built forts and stocked them with large quantities of supplies

9 Jehoshaphat allies himself with Ahab (2 Chr 18) He allied himself with Ahab by marriage (2 Chr 18:1) prophet Micaiah said don t go to Ramoth Gilead Jehoshaphat and Ahab went anyway, and Ahab was killed He allied himself with Ahab s son (2 Chr 20:35) They built a fleet of trading ships together Eliezer son of Dodavahu prophesied against him saying, Because you allied yourself with Ahaziah, the Lord will destroy what you have made. The ships were wrecked

10 Dynasty saved from Athaliah (2 Chron 23) Athaliah, Ahab s daughter, Jehoshaphat s daughter-inlaw, seizes power and kills all of Jehoshaphat s grandsons One nursing baby, Joash, saved and hidden in Temple Raised by priest Jehoiada Jehoiada launched a coup and deposed Athaliah Little Joash crowned with a copy of the Law in his hand Joash s reforms (2 Chron 24) Did what was right in the Lord s eyes Collected money and repaired the Temple Reorganized the priests and Levites and musicians

11 Wickedness (2 Chron 24:17-27) Priest Jehoiada died Joash stopped listening to priests; listened to secular officials instead Abandoned the Temple Worshiped Asherah poles and idols Would not listen to the prophets God sent Zechariah son of Jehoiada confronted Joash Joash plotted against him and had him stoned him to death The Lord delivered Judah into the hands of Aram, and they were defeated in battle Joash was wounded in battle, then murdered

12 Judah prospers (2 Chron 26) Uzziah had a long prosperous reign (52 years) He did what was right in the Lord s eyes He was instructed in the fear of God by Zechariah He was victorious over the Philistines, Arabs, and Ammonites His fame spread because he was very powerful He rebuilt towns, built towers in Jerusalem, dug wells He had much livestock, many fields and vineyards Uzziah had a well-trained, large army Well-equipped with shields, armor, bows, slingshots

13 Uzziah usurps the priestly role (2 Chron 26:16-23) Uzziah became proud He entered the Temple to burn incense on the altar of incense Azariah the priest and 80 other brave priests confronted him He became angry at them Leprosy broke out on his forehead The priests hurried him out of the Temple He lived in a separate house, excluded from the palace and the Temple, till he died

14 Azaruah son of Oded (2 Chron 15:1) - Asa Hanani the seer (16:7) - Asa Jehu son of Hanani the seer (19:1) - Jehoshaphat Eliezer son of Dadavahu (20:37) - Jehoshaphat Elijah the prophet (21:12) - Jehoram Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest (24:20) - Joash a man of God (25:7) - Amaziah a prophet (25:15) - Amaziah Zechariah (26:5) - Uzziah Isaiah son of Amoz (26:22) Uzziah Jotham Ahaz Hezekiah

15 25 years old when became king did what was right in the eyes of the Lord Temple repairs rebuilt the Upper Gate repaired the wall on the hill of the Ophel other construction built towns in the Judean hills built forts and towers in the wooded areas military success conquered the Ammonites who then paid him tribute Jotham grew powerful because he walked steadfastly before the Lord his God (2 Chron 27:6)

16 Did not do right in the eyes of the LORD (2 Chron 28) walked in the ways of the kings of Israel made idols for worshiping Baal sacrificed his son in the fire followed the detestable ways of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites Therefore, the LORD handed him over to Aram and Israel (2 Chron 28:5)

17 Tiglath-Pileser III, king of Assyria, recorded tribute paid seal of Ushna, servant of Ahaz Ahaz s personal seal "Belonging to Ahaz [son of] Jotham, King of Judah. Fingerprints can be seen on the left side of the impression, possibly those of Ahaz himself. The seal is roughly one-half inch in size. Was used to seal messages.

18 8 th Century Prophets o Hosea o Amos o Jonah o Micah o Isaiah

19 son of Amoz from Judah preached during the reigns of (Isa 1:1) Uzziah Jotham Ahaz Hezekiah long ministry ( BC) court advisor royal historian (2 Chron 26:22) had a wife (Isa 8:3) had 2 sons Shear-jashub (Isa 7:3) (a remnant will return) Maher-shalal-hash-baz (Isa 8:3) (swift to plunder and quick to carry away)

20 Isaiah is the longest prophet in the OT (66 chapters) and the most frequently quoted in the NT His main message: God is completely dependable it is foolish to rely on anyone else He told the kings: do not rely on Assyria do not rely on Egypt do not turn to idols Foretold the future: God will punish wickedness but he will keep a remnant he will build his Kingdom and send his Messiah

21 King Rezin of Aram decided to fight Assyria He allied himself with King Pekah of Israel They wanted King Ahaz of Judah to join them Ahaz refused to join them He appealed to Tiglath- Pileser III of Assyria for help

22 (the guy who improved the Assyrian military and invented the army boot: remember him?) He besieged Damascus and defeated Aram completely He beat Israel back, took tribute, they became vassals He reduced Judah to vassal status His records give a list of the kings from whom he received tribute including Jehoahaz of Judah, Ahaz full name After TP III defeated Aram, Ahaz reported to him in Damascus, Aram s capital

23 Ahaz made Judah a vassal state of the Assyrian Empire Once Israel was defeated in 722 BC, Judah was surrounded by Assyria But Judah lasted another 150 years, outlasting the Assyrian Empire itself How did that happen?!

24 2 Kings 16 Who did King Ahaz follow? What did King Ahaz give TP III that really belonged to the LORD? (both physical and non-physical things) Who was Uriah the priest supposed to follow? Who did he follow? Isaiah 7 What emotion did the king and people feel? What was God s message to them? What sign did God offer them? What did the sign mean? What was the NT usage of this sign?

25 If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all. א ם ל א ת א מ ינ ו כ י ל א ת א מ נ ו (Isaiah 7:9)

26 Southern Kingdom King Hezekiah son of Ahaz Hezekiah story is told in: 2 Kings Chronicles Isaiah 36-39