2 Kings 16-17,  Psalm 119:161-168,  Luke 6:17-26,  Philippians 3:10-14

2 Kings 16-17:

Wicked King Ahaz—a whole chapter of his disastrous choices and activities makes somber reading (2 Kings 16). His father did better than he (2 Kings 15:32-36), as did his son (2 Kings 18:1-8), but Ahaz was an evil king. He even burned his own son as an offering (16:3): human sacrifice, a pagan idolatrous tendency, was seen in Israel again. It goes on and on.

Then the camera turns to Israel whose own evil deeds are about to be met with what God had long threatened through the faithful words of his prophets: exile. Assyria takes Israel into exile (17:6). Verse 7 to the end of chapter 17 explain why. Israel had not been faithful to God. They had worshipped and served other gods. Their deeds therefore had been wicked. God had warned them time and again through his prophets. But in their stubbornness they had refused to listen. And so God, as he promised, sent them into exile.

This section of Scripture should be required reading for any leader of God’s people. And for any member of any church. Our covenant faithfulness to God matters. Rejecting God and serving idols of money or sex or power has consequences: it leads to evil deeds and social decay. In the end, God acts in discipline against his people. We are to be faithful.