2 Chronicles 27-28

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

Good King Jotham of Judah and Wicked King Ahaz

BACKGROUND NOTES



DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

  1. Believers who order their lives before the Lord receive approval from the Lord.

  2. Unbelievers who depart from the ways of the Lord provoke the Lord to anger.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

  1. Let's practice Philippians 2:15 as King Jotham did!

  2. Which way do you turn in your day of trouble?

QUESTIONS

  1. How many good kings ruled over Judah?

  2. What does it mean to order your life before the Lord?

  3. How was King Ahaz the opposite of King Jotham?

  4. List some of the ways Ahaz departed from the ways of the Lord

ANSWERS

  1. Eight. Jotham was one of them.

  2. It means that your whole walk of life takes God into account.

  3. King Ahaz, the wicked king of Israel, not only went along with his corrupt surroundings, he promoted unrighteousness.

  4. -He made molten idolatrous images (verse 2) -He burned incense to the foreign idols (verses 3-4) -He actually practiced child sacrifice (verse 3) -He sacrificed to the gods of Damascus (verse 23) -He gave away temple treasures (verse 24) -He closed the Temple to the worship of the one true God (verse 24) -He set up pagan altars in every city of Judah (verse 25)

DISCUSS/CONSIDER

  1. When Ahaz found himself in a day of trouble he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which had defeated him. Which way do you turn in your day of trouble? Do you turn to draw closer to the Lord to find your strength and comfort in Him? Or do you turn away from the Lord, become bitter and blame God, stay away from the fellowship of other believers, and try other gods to help you?

CHALLENGE

  1. Jotham and Ahaz are contrasts in how they were affected by the people surrounding them. Even though the people all around him were acting corruptly, Jotham did what was right. While Ahaz not only went along with his corrupt surroundings, he promoted unrighteousness. In what ways have you been a Jotham? In what ways have you been an Ahaz?

KEY VERSES

  • "...that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world." Philippians 2:15

  • "For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had encouraged moral decline in Judah and had been continually unfaithful to the LORD." 2 Chronicles 28:19

2 Chronicles, Old Testament, TalksRon Reid2 Chronicles 27-28