Micah 6 and 7

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2 Kings 16 (King James Version)

1 In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah Ahaz the son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign.

2 Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem, and did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD his God, like David his father.

Ahaz was king, is living a life that demonstrates that there is absolutely no reason to walk away from God, but he did. Even if circumstances were worse, there is no purpose a man should leave home without directions and hold the title as king. Ahaz is the leader, and what is going on in his mind a king to lead people?  

3 But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out from before the children of Israel.

To have your child's life given or offered to show piety is extreme. For a parent to take his own child's life was the practice of the pagans. It was common for some people who wanted to prove how dedicated they were to a cause to participate in this manner. How did a man of Judah, a man who understands the word of God, join in this heinous sacrifice?

4 And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.

To offer sacrifices and burn incense as worship to God was forbidden to do it any other place or way than what God gave Moses to teach the children of Israel.

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

Rezin and Pekah were the kings who unsuccessfully besieged Jerusalem.

Our enemies may encamp around us, but God will help us even when we have walked away from him. There are times we may deserve punishment from those who hate us; God shows that I want you protected because he loves us, hoping we will turn back to him. It is hard for God to see us hurt.

6 At that time Rezin king of Syria recovered Elath to Syria, and drave the Jews from Elath: and the Syrians came to Elath, and dwelt there unto this day.

Elath was a resourceful land. Syria drove the Jews from this land. Wherever the people of God are, goodness and mercy follow them, and since nobody can produce what God produces for his children, the enemy wants to rob us from it. God created the best, and the best was for his people. God's people will always be harassed by enemies because there is no way to duplicate the goodness of God. Our lives are better; our food tastes better, our crop produces better, and so on. Being in God is good.

7 So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, saying, I am thy servant and thy son: come up, and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, which rise against me.

Ahaz sent messengers for assistance. Ahaz ignored God. When we feel it necessary to consult someone other than God, it shows we do not trust God's word. God is right. We have to settle ourselves in knowing that we can trust God in all things. 

8 And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house, and sent it for a present to the king of Assyria.

Ahaz took from God to give to man what only God could solve. It is like, you steal to pay a debt. What does that solve?

9 And the king of Assyria hearkened unto him: for the king of Assyria went up against Damascus, and took it, and carried the people of it captive to Kir, and slew Rezin.

 King Tiglathpileser took the present, captured Damascus, made prisoners of the people, and killed King Rezin. Ahaz's problems increased, and no resolution was evident.

10 And king Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, and saw an altar that was at Damascus: and king Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the fashion of the altar, and the pattern of it, according to all the workmanship thereof.

The king of Judah went to his enemy and wanted a replica of what appeared to be better than what God had in place. Ahaz is the leader; he is leading the minds of people away from God. For example, he leads a group of thirsty people to a picture of water. The image is pretty paper.

Furthermore, he gets others involved with the nonsense of working on wasting time.

11 And Urijah the priest built an altar according to all that king Ahaz had sent from Damascus: so Urijah the priest made it against king Ahaz came from Damascus.

Urijah the priest, completed the assignment before king Ahaz came from Damascus.

12 And when the king was come from Damascus, the king saw the altar: and the king approached to the altar, and offered thereon.

When the king returned, he made an offering on the altar. When we copy the world's way of doing things, we become the property of the world.

13 And he burnt his burnt offering and his meat offering, and poured his drink offering, and sprinkled the blood of his peace offerings, upon the altar.

God gave specific orders on how to use the altar. If we deviate any portion of what God designed, it is of no use.

14 And he brought also the brasen altar, which was before the LORD, from the forefront of the house, from between the altar and the house of the LORD, and put it on the north side of the altar.

When we touch any passage of God's word to arrange it to fit our desire, we sin.

15 And king Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying, Upon the great altar burn the morning burnt offering, and the evening meat offering, and the king's burnt sacrifice, and his meat offering, with the burnt offering of all the people of the land, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings; and sprinkle upon it all the blood of the burnt offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice: and the brasen altar shall be for me to enquire by.

King Ahaz did not have God's authorization to do any of the commands he gave the priest. A king cannot override the priest's position and knowledge, representing God's conduit to man.

16 Thus did Urijah the priest, according to all that king Ahaz commanded.

The priest sins. We must obey God rather than man, even if it means we lose our position. Often, we feel obligated to go against God's word because the people in power dictate our decisions. We become nothing working for nothing and producing nothing.

17 And king Ahaz cut off the borders of the bases, and removed the laver from off them; and took down the sea from off the brasen oxen that were under it, and put it upon a pavement of stones.

King Ahaz is doing what we do to scripture. He is removing God's guidelines to suit his selfish needs.

18 And the covert for the sabbath that they had built in the house, and the king's entry without, turned he from the house of the LORD for the king of Assyria.

King Ahaz modified God's house to impress the wicked demands of a murdering king. When we lower our standards to meet other people's lusts, we will work for eternity and work as slaves.

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 And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.

King Ahaz wasted an entire life of time.