In his time of trouble King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the Lord. He offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus, who had defeated him; for he thought, “Since the gods of the kings of Aram have helped them, I will sacrifice to them so they will help me.” But they were his downfall and the downfall of all Israel. 2 Chronicles 28:22-23
What an absurd thought!
King Ahaz would have known Israel’s history. How God rescued them from slavery in Egypt, how he gave Moses the Law and enabled Joshua’s conquest of the land. Yet now Ahaz thinks sacrificing to the gods of Damascus will help him. Rather than face his own pride and sin of not being faithful to the Lord, he rationalized his shortcomings by choosing to believe the gods of Damascus were more powerful.
It was said of his father, Jotham that he “grew powerful because he walked steadfastly before the Lord his God” (2 Chronicles 27:6). His grandfather was Uzziah, who also “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord” (2 Chronicles 27:2). Ahaz had a good heritage of faith in God. He should’ve realized that Judah experienced peace and victory when the king followed the Lord, and defeat when they didn’t.
Ahaz was looking for easy answers and quick solutions. Instead of making the effort to seek the Lord, to pray, and to listen to godly counsel, he looked to the false refuge of idols, comfortable alternatives and simple explanations.
Similarly, there are people today, who have grown up in church, and prefer to continue in their wrong thinking about God. When they are challenged, they appeal to the short term successes of the ungodly and don’t consider the bigger picture of God’s character, his history, or his enduring purposes.
