This verse shows how a king’s compromise with worldly power can lead his people away from God.
King Ahaz was under pressure from surrounding enemies when the Scriptures state, “Now King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and saw the altar which was at Damascus; and King Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the pattern of the altar and its model, according to all its workmanship.” (v.10). This ancient city of Damascus lay northeast of Israel in the region of Aram (present-day Syria) and served as a proud capital in the ancient Near East. Rather than trusting the LORD’s promise of protection, King Ahaz, who reigned over Judah from 732-715 BC, chose to seek favor from Tiglath-pileser, the powerful king of Assyria. Ahaz was known to do evil in the sight of God, and even engaged in child sacrifice according to 2 Chronicles 28, making his alliance with Assyria fit into a pattern of disobedience that marked his reign.
When Ahaz saw the foreign altar in Damascus, he became enamored by its design. Although God had prescribed precise instructions for Israel’s worship, King Ahaz went so far as to send its pattern to Urijah the priest, seeking to replicate the altar in Jerusalem. This incident stands against the backdrop of numerous scriptural warnings forbidding the people of God from copying pagan practices. Yet Ahaz’s political and religious choices reflected his lack of reliance on the LORD’s covenant and the example set by his ancestor David. He was instead tempted by Assyria’s might and the allure of pagan worship structures.
Ahaz’s refusal to follow God’s instructions foreshadowed distress for Judah, and yet God’s promise to preserve David’s lineage remained. Significantly, Ahaz is listed in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:9), reflecting how God’s redemptive plan continued despite Judah’s unfaithful king.
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2 Kings 16:10 meaning
King Ahaz was under pressure from surrounding enemies when the Scriptures state, “Now King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and saw the altar which was at Damascus; and King Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the pattern of the altar and its model, according to all its workmanship.” (v.10). This ancient city of Damascus lay northeast of Israel in the region of Aram (present-day Syria) and served as a proud capital in the ancient Near East. Rather than trusting the LORD’s promise of protection, King Ahaz, who reigned over Judah from 732-715 BC, chose to seek favor from Tiglath-pileser, the powerful king of Assyria. Ahaz was known to do evil in the sight of God, and even engaged in child sacrifice according to 2 Chronicles 28, making his alliance with Assyria fit into a pattern of disobedience that marked his reign.
When Ahaz saw the foreign altar in Damascus, he became enamored by its design. Although God had prescribed precise instructions for Israel’s worship, King Ahaz went so far as to send its pattern to Urijah the priest, seeking to replicate the altar in Jerusalem. This incident stands against the backdrop of numerous scriptural warnings forbidding the people of God from copying pagan practices. Yet Ahaz’s political and religious choices reflected his lack of reliance on the LORD’s covenant and the example set by his ancestor David. He was instead tempted by Assyria’s might and the allure of pagan worship structures.
Ahaz’s refusal to follow God’s instructions foreshadowed distress for Judah, and yet God’s promise to preserve David’s lineage remained. Significantly, Ahaz is listed in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:9), reflecting how God’s redemptive plan continued despite Judah’s unfaithful king.