Before Ahaz was enthroned, four generations of kings such as Joash, Amaziah, Uzziah and Jotham were godly kings. Although these kings did what was right in God’s eyes, they did not remove the high places, the places of idol worship. Ahaz grew up in that godly royal heritage. After he came to power, however, he didn’t desire to follow God. Instead, he followed the detestable practices of the pagan nations. Faith is not something that is inherited. Each person is responsible for their own personal relationship with God. We are to pray for young people and our children earnestly to come to know God personally.

Ahaz faced a crisis as the armies of Aram and northern Israel came together and besieged Judah. Ahaz was so fearful that he shook like the leaves in the wind (Is 7). In fear, he made a decision to seek quick help from Assyria, offering treasures from the temple as a tribute. Later, he copied a pagan altar in Damascus and built it in the temple in Jerusalem. He offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus, thinking that these gods that had helped the king of Assyria would now help him. But these idols were the downfall of Ahaz and his people. Ahaz was a man of fear. Perhaps, he wanted to get help from many different idols and powerful Assyria, while rejecting the help of God who could really help him.