Pastor Marshall Ochs | November 10, 2024
In this message, Pastor Marshall teaches from 2 Kings 15-16. In the land of Israel and Judah, the people have turned away from God, allowing idolatry, violence, and sin to take root, leaving the land spiritually barren. Uzziah's reign starts well but ends as a warning about the dangers of pride, while Israel experiences decades of chaos with assassinations and political instability, reflecting the consequences of sin. In Judah, King Ahaz’s extreme idolatry, including child sacrifice and the corruption of temple worship, demonstrates how unrepentant sin affects both individuals and the larger society, revealing the devastating impact of putting sin at the center of life.
Watch
Listen
Reflect
2 Kings 15
Israel and Judah, the land promised by God as a place “flowing with milk and honey.” This land was intended to be a dwelling place of peace, joy, and protection—where God’s presence would be central to every part of life. But by this chapter, the Promised Land has become a place of darkness and chaos. Instead of worshiping Yahweh, Israel, and Judah are filled with pagan idols, foreign altars, and violence.
This tragic spiritual decline reminds us of Ichabod from 1 Samuel 4:21, where “the glory has departed.” When people forsake the Lord, He may give them over to their choices, allowing them to experience the consequences of a life separated from Him. Israel and Judah have become spiritually bankrupt, marked by emptiness and lack of peace.
The chapter begins by focusing on Judah and King Uzziah. Unlike many of Israel’s leaders, Uzziah “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord,” bringing stability and prosperity to Judah. Chronicles expands on Uzziah’s life, showing that he sought the Lord from a young age, and as a result, God blessed him with success in war and even advancements in technology.
However, success and technology opened the door to pride. Uzziah eventually lost sight of his role and his need for God, taking liberties meant only for priests. His pride led to a life-altering consequence: God struck him with leprosy, a visual reminder of the spiritual pride that had taken root in his heart. Uzziah’s life serves as a powerful warning—pride is like leprosy of the heart. Left unchecked, it spreads, clouds our perspective, and ultimately leads us away from God.
Following Uzziah’s life story, the author turns to Israel, where chaos and violence rule. Over about thirty years, Israel saw a rapid succession of kings—six in total—marked by assassinations, conspiracies, and corruption. Zechariah reigns for six months before being assassinated by Shallum, who himself reigns only one month before being murdered. The pattern of power grabs and betrayal continues with Menahem, Pekahiah, Pekah, and Hoshea, each of whom rises through betrayal and ultimately falls.
The author includes a disturbing detail in verse 16: Menahem attacked the Israelite city of Tiphsah, killing the people and brutally harming pregnant women because the city rejected him as king. This detail is shocking, not only because of its brutality but because it reveals the utter depravity that had taken hold of Israel. Why does the author include such a graphic account? It is a vivid illustration of the depths of depravity that result when people are given over to their sin. Israel’s became a nation where violence and chaos ruled, with no regard for the sacredness of life or God’s justice.
This chapter reminds us that turning away from God brings consequences. When we pursue the world, the result is spiritual and moral chaos, just as it was in Israel and Judah. Israel’s political instability and moral decay reflect what happens when people remove God from the center of their lives: violence, pride, and self-destruction take over. God may allow us to experience the consequences of our choices, but He remains compassionate and ready to restore us when we return to Him.
Uzziah’s story, too, calls us to examine our hearts. When we find our identity or signifiance based on our own success and achievements, we choose that over complete dependence on God and drift into self-sufficiency. Uzziah’s life began with humility and devotion, yet his end cautions against allowing success to overshadow our need for God.
Reflection Questions:
Uzziah started well, seeking the Lord, but pride eventually led to his downfall. Are there areas of success or personal achievements in your life that might be taking the place of humble dependence on God? How can you guard your heart against pride and continually seek God’s guidance and glory in all you do?
Israel’s spiritual and moral chaos resulted from forsaking God. Are there areas in your life where you’ve drifted from God’s guidance or allowed other “idols” to take center stage? How can you refocus and make God the central influence in your life once again?
Menahem’s violent act against Tiphsah shows the depth of depravity when sin goes unchecked. Are there sins or attitudes you’ve allowed to persist without addressing in your life? How can you seek God’s strength to root out and flee these sins before they take a deeper hold?
The rapid succession of kings and constant betrayal in Israel reflect instability and brokenness. In what ways have you experienced instability in your own life when you’ve drifted from God? How can you refocus your eyes, mind, and heart to God, making Him the foundation of your life?
Pride is called the “leprosy of the heart” because it spreads and isolates. Are there ways pride might subtly influence your relationships, decisions, or faith? How can you humble these areas before God, asking Him to cleanse your heart?
2 Kings 16
In 2 Kings 16, the author shifts focus back to Judah. Uzziah’s son Jotham did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, yet the high places were still not removed. Then, after Jotham's death, Ahaz reigned. Ahaz fully embraced Israel's idolatrous ways, becoming one of Judah's most wicked kings. Ahaz's life reveals what happens when God is not the center of our lives, trading true worship for political alliances and pagan practices.
As war threatens Judah, Ahaz faces a choice: Will he trust in the Lord or seek an alliance elsewhere? Instead of trusting God, Ahaz turns to Assyria for help. This alliance works temporarily—Assyria defeats Ahaz's enemies—but it comes at a high cost.
When Ahaz visits Assyria, he is captivated by their pagan altar and orders a replica built in the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. He goes even further and dismantles the temple furniture and alters the worship practices. These actions reflect Ahaz's true spiritual state: God is not at the center of his life. His choices not only dishonor God but also influences worship, the role of priests, and the hinder the people's relationship with God.
Ahaz's idol worship shows us how the center of our lives profoundly affects everything else. When God is not at the center, compromise and sin distort our priorities, actions, and relationships.
In 2 Kings 16:3, the author records that Ahaz sacrificed his own son by fire, adopting the horrifying practices of the pagan nations around him. This act of child sacrifice is also noted in 2 Kings 15:16 and condemned by the prophet Hosea during this period (Hosea 13:1-2). Hosea connects the worship of idols like the golden calf to the acceptance of extreme practices like human sacrifice. As people increasingly turn away from God, their sin deepens, eventually leading to acts that seem unimaginable.
Ahaz's sacrifice exposes the horrific impact of sin and rebellion. What began with Jeroboam's golden calves—a seemingly small act of compromise for "convenient worship"—has grown into child sacrifice generations later. Sin is like a web, it entangles and leads to destruction. Pulling on one thread of sin draws others with it, leading to a downward spiral. It reminds us that if left unchecked, sin affects every aspect of life and can lead to terrible consequences.
The author includes these shocking details to emphasize sin's severe and far-reaching effects. When God is not at the center, life becomes distorted, and everything—our priorities, relationships, and choices—becomes negatively impacted. This reminds us of the importance of centering our lives on God rather than on things like power, pride, or convenience. When God is at the center, the Holy Spirit guides and gives us everything we need for life and godliness.
Reflection Questions:
Ahaz compromised his faith by seeking help from Assyria rather than trusting God. Are there areas where you rely on worldly solutions or alliances rather than turning to God? How can you turn to God and put your trust back to Him in these areas?
When Ahaz was captivated by the Assyrian altar, he replicated it in Judah. Have things in your life taken your attention or devotion away from God? How can you refocus your heart and mind to ensure God remains at the center?
Ahaz's life story reveals the horrific consequences of sin-centered living. Have you made "small compromises" that could lead to greater sin over time? How can you guard against allowing small compromises to grow into destructive sin?
Ahaz's sin affected not only him but also all the worship practices and Judah's faith. Do you make choices that might influence those around you, especially in their walk with God? What steps can you take to model a life centered on God for those around you?