Certain chiefs also of the men of Ephraim

 

 

 

2 Chronicles 28:12-21

 

August 29, 2023

 

Certain chiefs also of the men of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against those who were coming from the war and said to them, “You shall not bring the captives in here, for you propose to bring upon us guilt against the Lord in addition to our present sins and guilt. For our guilt is already great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.”  So, the armed men left the captives and the spoils before the princes and all the assembly.  And the men who have been mentioned by name rose and took the captives, and with the spoil, they clothed all who were naked among them. They clothed them, gave them sandals, provided them with food and drink, and anointed them, and carrying all the feeble among them on donkeys, they brought them to their kinsfolk at Jericho, the city of palm trees. Then they returned to Samaria.

At that time King Ahaz sent to the king of Assyria for help.  For the Edomites had again invaded and defeated Judah and carried away captives.  And the Philistines had made raids on the cities in the Shephelah and the Negeb of Judah and had taken Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Soco with its villages, Timnah with its villages, and Gimzo with its villages. And they settled there.  For the Lord humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had made Judah act sinfully and had been very unfaithful to the Lord.  So Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came against him and afflicted him instead of strengthening him.  For Ahaz took a portion from the house of the Lord and the house of the king and of the princes, and gave tribute to the king of Assyria, but it did not help him.

Ahaz was an evil king of Judah who became king at the age of 20 and reigned for 4 years with his father, Jotham, from 735 to 731 BC, and 16 years on his own, from 731 to 715 BC.  He did much evil even to the killing of his own children.

When a leader is evil his or her actions do not only bring harm to them but to the people under them.  Today we see this happening in the USA, in our government, in our schools, and in many of the businesses.  It always brings harm to others.

Like certain chiefs, and the men of Ephraim, that stood for good and not evil, and knew they were under the judgment of God as a people, we also in the USA have men and women who are standing for what is true and good.

One of our greatest sins is not standing with Israel in this time of war, for God has spoken that, He would bless those who blessed Israel and curse those who did not.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice