Today's Ahaz Generation
By G. Kirkpatrick

Vital Words to the Body of Christ

Proclaiming the Everlasting Gospel of the Kingdom

Vital Words to the Body of Christ 
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"In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah, Ahaz the son of Jotham, king of Judah began to reign. 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." II Kings 16:1-2

Ahaz was a bad king.

"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." II Kings 16:3

This was the worship of Molech. Molech was a brazen statue with outstretched arms. They would heat this false god red hot, and the worshipers would lay their children in his red hot arms. After the screams and crying the child would die. Doctors tell us when a child is aborted the child feels pain, and if we could hear the child, we would hear screaming.

You say, "People would not do this today." And yet, this nation has legalized abortion. Even pastors say abortion is OK if the mother's life is in danger. When you look closer at this statement, anytime a woman gives birth, her life is in danger. So to say if a mother's life is in danger, abortion is permissible, it's the same as saying abortion is OK. Abortion is the worship of Molech.

In order to get a complete picture of Ahaz, we must look at II Chronicles:

"For he (Ahaz) walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for Baalim." II Chronicles 28:2

Ahaz walked in the ways of the king of Israel, but he was the king in Judah. Ahaz made molten images to Baalim. Baalim had caused Israel to sin. Baalim was also associated with the false goddess Ashteroth. These were the gods of sex. Baalim taught Israel it was OK to take strange wives, and have relationships with whoever they would. This is the god of sex. The god of sex runs rampant in this nation today. All advertizing is based on sex and everything else - - - if you use the right shaving lotion, buy the right car, or the right toothpaste - - - all the girls will flock to you.

Abortion is serving the god of sex, saying, "If I get pregnant, so what. I can get rid of the baby, and go back to my pleasures."

"And he (Ahaz) sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree." II Kings 16:4

Ahaz worshiped all the false gods of the heathen. Even when Judah had good kings, they did not destroy the high places or the groves. I wrote a book called, "High Places". This is when one puts away the sin, but does not destroy the cause of the sin. These things become their high places. Many do this today. They repent of their sin, yet hang onto that which caused them to sin.

Did Ahaz get away with his sin?

"Wherefore the Lord his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of them captives, and brought them to Damascus. and he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who smote him with a great slaughter." II Chronicles 28:5

Syria carried away a great multitude to Damascus.

"For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day, which were all valiant men; because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers." II Chronicles 28:6

Syria killed 120,000 in one day. We need to see this through the eyes of today. Who is the United States looking to battle next? It is Syria. Syria is a terrorist nation. Terrorists killed 3000 plus in the World Trade Center. This is only a drop in the bucket to what is coming with nuclear weapons in the hands of terrorists.

Why did God allow Syria and Israel to attack Judah and Ahaz It was because they had forsaken the God of their fathers. Can the United States expect any less? Judah and Ahaz had forsaken their God, but God had not forsaken His people.

"But a prophet of the Lord was there, whose name was Obed: and he went out before the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them, Behold, because the Lord God of your fathers was wroth with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage that reacheth up into heaven. And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you: but are there not with you, even with you, sins against the Lord your God? Now hear Me therefore, and deliver the captives again, which ye have taken captive of your brethren: for the fierce wrath of the Lord is upon you." II Chronicles 28:9-11

Because Judah had sinned against their God, God allowed Israel and Syria to capture and take Judah hostage. But God had His prophet Obed there to warn Israel against keeping and making slaves out of Judah.

"Then certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against them that came from the war, and said unto them, Ye shall not bring the captives hither: for whereas we have offended against the Lord already, ye intend to add more to our sins and to our trespass: for our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel." II Chronicles 28:12-13

The people of Israel in Samaria stood up against those who would make slaves out of their brothers in Judah. The lesson we need to learn through this is even though our brothers and sisters sin against the Lord, we are not to take advantage of their misfortune when God judges them.

"So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the congregation and the men which were expressed by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them upon asses, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brethren: then they returned to Samaria." II Chronicles 28:14-15

We need to know when Ahaz the leader of God's people fell into sin, God punished them, and punished them severely.

"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 up against me." II Kings 16:7

Ahaz had to abase himself and become servant to the king of Assyria to gain his help.

"At that time did king Ahaz send unto the kings of Assyria to help him. For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and carried away captives. The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the low country, and of the south of Judah, and had taken Bethshemesh, and Ajalon, and Gederoth, and Shocho with the villages thereof, and Timnah with the villages thereof, Gimzo also and the villages thereof: and they dwelt there. For the Lord brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel: for he made Judah naked, and transgressed sore against the Lord." II Chronicles 28:16-19

Ahaz's kingdom was coming apart at the seams. The Edomites and the Philistines rose up against him. Through this, God brought Judah low. Ahaz was responsible for making Judah naked against their enemy - - - ( with no Spiritual help ). Judah had nothing with which to defend itself, because they had transgressed against their God.

"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. 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." II Kings 16:8-9

Ahaz took all the silver and gold he could find, and sent it to the king of Assyria for assistance. Because of this, th e king of Assyria became his defense. Judah was naked before their enemy because God was no longer their help. This is exactly what the United States had done. They have emptied the treasures, trying to buy friends to help them get out of the mess they have made for themselves in Iraq.

"And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the Lord: this is that king Ahaz. For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him: and he said, Because the god of the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me. But they were the ruin of him, and all Israel." II Chronicles 28:22-23

Ahaz, like so many - - - when he saw all the judgment God had sent on Judah - - - did not repent, but sinned yet the more. He sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus because he thought their gods were stronger than the God he had forsaken. But this only brought more ruin upon all Judah.

"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. 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." II Kings 16:10-11

Ahaz saw an altar made for the worship of the false gods of Syria, and desired one just like it. So he called the priest Urijah, and instead of Urijah the priest objecting to build the altar, he agreed to build the altar as Ahaz had ordered. Nothing is different today. The church follows blindly the dictates of a godless government..

"And when the king was come from Damascus, the king saw the altar: and the king approached to the altar, and offered thereon. 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." II Kings 16:12-13

When Ahaz came back from Damascus, he began to worship before the altar of Damascus, pouring out his drink offerings, his burnt offerings and his meat offerings before the false altar. You may say - - - as long as Ahaz was worshiping God, what made the difference what altar he did it on? This is the same thing we hear today - - - All religions are the same. This nation gives more credence to Islam then they do to Christ. But if God does not accept what we put on His altar, then our worship is in vain.

"And he brought also the brazen 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." II Kings 16:14

The brazen altar is the altar of repentance. Ahaz moved it out of the way, and put his new altar of worship in its place. This altar is the altar of religion.

"And king Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying, Upon the great altar burn the morning burnt offering, and sprinkle upon it all the blood, the burnt offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice: and the brasen altar shall be for me to enquire by." II Kings 16:15

Ahaz commanded the priest to do all the sacrifices on his altar of religion. He changed the worship of the one true God to the worship of religion. He called his new altar "The Great Altar."

"Thus did Urijah the priest, according to all that king Ahaz commanded. 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." II Kings 16:16-17

The laver represents baptism. Ahaz cut off the border of the bases and took the oxen upon which the laver sat, and placed it directly on the pavement. What Ahaz did, is what the church system has done today, and that is to change the order of baptism. Now churches sprinkle, pour, and many have spiritualized baptism.

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." Acts 2:38

A man sat in our house and said there was no water in Acts 2:38. This man stated the baptism of the Holy Spirit replaced water baptism. He should have told Jesus, because Jesus did not receive the Holy Spirit until John baptized him in the Jordan. The same is true with the Ethiopian eunich. He went down into the water. Now the church system has changed or eliminated baptism all together. Even the Pentecostals make an issue of what name to be baptized in. Jesus said to baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. The pentecostals use the name of Jesus only, which is OK, but why not follow the words of Jesus. The important thing is not in the name one baptizes, but the cleansing act that is accomplished in the baptismal pool.

"And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shut up the doors of the house of the Lord, and he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem." II Chronicles 28:24

Ahaz took all the vessels used to worship God, and cut them in pieces. He also closed the house of God and made his new altar of religion in every corner of Jerusalem. This is what the denominations have done. They have built their churches in every corner of the land to allure God's people to their way of thinking. These have become prison houses to enslave God's people.

"But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore." Isaiah 42:22

God's people are snared in holes of religious ruts, and there are none crying, "Restore!" The word restore means "to turn back, to repent." The church system has removed the brazen altar, and are worshiping upon the altar of Syria.

"And in every several city of Judah he made high places to burn incense unto other gods, and provoked to anger the Lord God of his fathers." II Chronicles 28:25

Ahaz sinned even more, and provoked God to anger. Because of this, God sent enemies against all Judah.

"And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, even in Jerusalem: but they brought him not into the sepulchres of the kings of Israel: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead." II Chronicles 28:27

Ahaz died and they buried him in a common grave in Jerusalem. He was not honored to be buried with the kings of Judah. Ahaz is a sign of the times we live in. Today, as in the time of Ahaz, many of God's people have corrupted themselves, and left the true worship of God.

Ahaz's name means "possessor, or one who had." God has blessed the church down through the ages. But this end time Ahaz church is going to be judged severely by God, and there will be no glory in its death.

But praise the Lord, God raised up Hezekiah:

"Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that David his father did. He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan. He trusted in the Lord God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him. For he clave to the Lord, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the Lord commanded Moses." II Kings 18:1-6

Hezekiah's name means "God is my strength." God is going to raise up His kingdom church who know their strength is in the one true God. These are the manifested sons of God who are the young men who have overcome the wicked one. They are strong in the Word and they know their God. These will destroy all that is in the Ahaz church, and replace it with the true Word of God, so God can again bless His church. The Holy Spirit is about to bless and mightily empower this end time generation of righteous people.

God has promised through Jeremiah:

"Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture! saith the Lord. Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel against the pastors that feed My people; Ye have scattered My flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord. And I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the Lord.

Behold, the days come saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth." Jeremiah 23:1-5

We need not be dismayed with this Ahaz generation. God is going to raise up and strengthen His people to do mighty exploits.

"Look up! For thy redemption draweth nigh."