Ahaz, cowering before his nation’s invaders, rejected the Lord and turned instead to the powerful Assyrians to rescue him. Fawning before their power, Ahaz copied one of their pagan alters and installed it in the temple in Jerusalem.

Ahaz then redecorated the temple, chopping up and shoving to the side various temple furnishings that Solomon, under the direction of the Lord, set in place hundreds of years before.

Why did Ahaz snub his ancestors—and the Lord—with this profane installation in the temple of God? In order to lick the boots of the most powerful ruler in the world—in deference to the king of Assyria.

As these stories remain for our guidance, I have to ask—where might I prove guilty of the same? Where am I tempted to compromise my faith in deference to the prevailing powers of our world?

For example, the Bible remains clear about the ways to live out our sexuality, but do I minimize those views because the wanton opinions of our world stand opposite?

The Bible is clear on gender—male and female He created them—but do I reevaluate such clarity in light of postmodern psychoanalysis?

Be holy, as I am holy. Do my steaming media choices add to, or detract from, a pursuit of holiness?

Be humble. Does taking endless pictures of myself and posting them for the world to see and comment upon push me toward humility?

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and all your soul, and all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. Does social media surfing and commenting on the latest controversy help with any of this?

I’m wondering, who is the King of Assyria in my life? Who or what pressures me to compromise my faith, to shade my commitment to the Lord, to minimize or turn from the truth of God’s Word?

What am I choosing and where does it lead me?

Join me asking the Lord for clarity in understanding where such deference might lead us. While the original king of Assyria is long gone, his spirit fills our age. Rather than follow the example of Ahaz, I hope to defer in the Lord’s direction.

2 Kings 16 in week thirty-three of reading the Bible cover to cover

Photo by Victoriano Izquierdo