I'm gonna ask you to open your Bibles this morning, please, to 2 Chronicles chapter 27. 2 Chronicles and the 27th chapter. I can assume you're all familiar with Isaiah the prophet, this faithful messenger of God. who for many long years faithfully served God and did so, as we see from the opening verse of Isaiah, under the reign of four different kings. Many years, much faithfulness. And he actually might have served also under a fifth king, Manasseh, Hezekiah's wicked son. The Talmud suggests that or says that Isaiah was actually martyred by being sawn in two during the reign of Manasseh. I wonder if that's what's referred to by the writer of Hebrews over there in 1137 of that book. Well, I didn't say that to say this, that we're going to give at least a couple of studies to some kings in Isaiah's day and beginning now, especially with Jotham and Ahaz. We do this this morning really as something of a follow-up on our consideration last Lord's Day evening of the salvation of our offspring, our concern for our offspring, and their being right with God through Christ. And we look at these two men because Ahaz was the offspring of Jotham, and there are a number of very sobering lessons to see from his life. But we want to begin, firstly, with a look at King Jotham, the son of Uzziah. Let's take up our reading, actually, at chapter 26, the last verse. 2 Chronicles 26, verse 23. So Uzziah rested with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of burial which belonged to the kings, for they said, he is a leper. Therefore, you don't want to be burying him right there with the other kings. So even in his death, there's no saying, well, he's a leper. You don't want to put him there with those other kings, though they were dead. Then Jotham his son reigned in his place. Jotham was 25 years old when he became king. And he reigned 16 years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jerusha, the daughter of Zadok. And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Uzziah had done, although he did not enter the temple of the Lord. But still, the people acted Now when it says that Uzziah was a leper and refers to him having entered the temple of the Lord, I trust you remember how all of that came to be. Why it is that he had entered the temple, it was really out of his own pride. Back to verse 18 of 26, After he's entered in the temple, he's going to burn incense there. Perhaps other kings in other nations, they were also the religious head as well as being the civil head. So he's going to go right in there and he's going to worship God in the temple. But of course, then the high priest says to him, and not him only, but others, they withstood King Uzziah verse 18 and 26, said to him, it is not for you Uzziah. to burn incense to the Lord, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have trespassed. You will have no honor from the Lord God." Now he got angry with them, and here he is, he's ready to resist them, until God strikes him with leprosy on the spot. They see leprosy. Well, they're really trying to get him out of there, and by the way, he also is making a quick getaway after God has struck him with Leprosy. Well, apart from that episode, it seems that King Uzziah was a good king. He reigned for 52 years. We're told earlier in chapter 26 that he did what was right in the sight of the Lord according to all that his father, Amaziah, had done. So Uzziah, a good king, good was done. Judah prospered, became strong. Sadly, he responded with pride as if I'm the one and I can go before God, etc. Well, when he was struck with leprosy, verse 21 of chapter 26 says that his son Jotham then took over as kind of a vice regent. That is, he was exercising kingly authority on behalf of his leprous dad. And so when he was then given the scepter himself, it seems that he would have had a number of years of experience and he followed also in the good steps of his father. He continued a good reign, granting stability to Judah, there were triumphs going on, we see that there was a national prosperity being enjoyed. Now this short statement of his life and reign here in chapter 27 it gives much emphasis on Jotham's regard for God and the impact that it had upon Jotham. For instance, as we see from 27.2, he did right in the sight of the Lord. In his reign as king over the people of God, and also in his private conduct, He did what was right as one who was aware of what right was, one who knew God's revealed will, God's word, but then was also careful to walk in the way of God's word, being himself aware of God in the sight of the Lord. So he's taking his responsibilities seriously because he's mindful of God. He's knowing that everything I do is in God's sight. Now when we're told in verse two that he did according to all his father had done, well, you would think that maybe Uzziah had instructed him. What kind of instruction had he been given? But all through his dad's long reign, whenever Jotham came into this world, daddy was probably already king. Well, he was already king. And what kind of lessons? He saw it lived out of a good reign. And then when the writer here adds in 2 Chronicles 27, 2 that although he did not enter the temple, well of course it's referring to that one blot on Uzziah's name. Well you can imagine seeing his dad as a leper. and knowing how this came about, you took too much on yourself. You would rather think it would make impression on Jotham, giving him a due humility before God. So it talks about in the sight of God, I know who this God is and I know you don't mess around. He had understood that this great and glorious God is a holy God. In saying that, Again, that he did not go in the temple, it is underscoring he did better than his dad. His dad was a good king for the most part, apart from that one episode. But the idea is that Jotham lived even more consistently as very aware of God and God's greatness. Now, as if that doesn't say enough, in verse two, notice what is said of him in verse six of chapter 27. So Jotham became mighty because he prepared his ways before the Lord his God. Now this is written after telling of Jotham's reign and accomplishments. And it's a reason for his reign being a good one. It's especially pointing out that the good done by him, the good done to that people, was the result of God's blessing upon him. He prepared his ways. It points to his being established. Some would translate it, he ordered his ways. But it does carry with it the idea of preparing. Like it's used, I think the word is, for preparing to go into battle. You think in terms of what needs to be done, and here you go. Well, it didn't just happen in other words. It just is, well, you know, you had a good dad, taught him right, and he just naturally did the right thing. No. No, he deliberately set his heart and did what was necessary to do that which was right, both as a king and as a man. So here he is, his ways, all his ways, he's prepared. He's taken necessary steps and he's done so, he says, before the Lord his God. Again, it's underscoring he lived in sight of God. He recognized, I am before God. Listen to the words of John Gill. He ordered, directed, and guided his ways according to the word and will of God, and walked as in the sight of God, having the fear of God continually before him. That's already been said back in verse two, basically, but now he says it again. He's mindful of God, he knows God as his reality, his concern is to please God, and not only that he did this, but he prepared his ways before the Lord in order to do this, very on purpose. Now, here is this king. It's obvious from what is said, he was a busy man, he had a lot going on. And yet, maybe even when he was still vice regent under his daddy, he then was preparing, feeling the weight of the responsibility so as to walk before God. And one old commentator, Thomas Scott, said, most, if not all, the pious kings of Judah have some evil thing laid to their charge, like his daddy Uzziah. Good, but there's going to the temple thing. Most some evil thing laid to their charge, but Jotham has not. And I read more than one commentator that made that observation, that there's really nothing said about him, particularly as a, well, here's an evil laid to his charge. And making that even more impressive, not everybody was on board with him. In fact, he may have faced real opposition Because as we see at the end of verse two, he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, but still the people acted corruptly, as if to suggest that they were resisting his good reign. And we see that in the account over in 2 Kings 15, how the high places were not removed, the people still sacrificed and burned incense, on the high places. Here they are. They're not coming to Jerusalem. They're not doing what they're supposed to do. It would suggest not that, well, Jotham, go ahead and do it. But rather, they wouldn't be restrained. They did corruptly. They're going to have it their way. Now remember, this was in the days of Isaiah. And if you're familiar, especially with the earlier part of Isaiah, you know that there in Israel, many were outwardly conformed. They are going about Jehovah worship, at least by way of the externals, but they're actually engaged in great evil. Their mouths are drawing near to God, their hearts far from Him. Well notwithstanding the evil of the people acting corruptly, any resistance Jotham still did the right thing. He's living in God's sight and God blessed. And the nation prospered because of this good king, even though, in actual fact, there was a large number of evil people. We do read how later, in his reign, chastisement began on the nation as a whole, but still, he did what was right. Now Jotham we know then had at least one son, maybe he had many, but he had at least one son. And it's that one who succeeded him that is King Ahaz. So by way of a second heading then, notice what we're here told about that son, about King Ahaz. We'll start with the last verse of chapter 27 and go on down into chapter 28. So Jotham rested with his fathers and they buried him in the city of David. Then Ahaz his son reigned in his place. Ahaz was 20 years old when he became king and he reigned 16 years in Jerusalem, same amount of years as his daddy. And he did not do what was right in the sight of the Lord as his father David had done. For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and made molded images for the Baals. He burned incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom and burned his children in the fire according to the abomination of the nations whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel. And he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills and under every green tree. How very different he was from his dad. If there's nothing bad to lay to Jotham's charge, then it's also right to say, and there's nothing good to be said about Ahaz. His wickedness was manifold and it grew worse and worse with the passing of time. Verse two, he followed in the steps of the wicked northern kingdom, Israel, their kings and their people in Baal worship. In fact, that's bad enough, right? Baal worship. But you must remember that prior to this time, 2 Kings chapter 10 verse 28, Jehu destroyed Baal from Israel. They weren't even worshiping Baal at the time. Furthermore, prior to this in 2 Chronicles 23, under the time of Jehoiada the priest when King Joash was but a youngster, well, during that period of time, Baal worship, the Baal temple and the priests were destroyed, were killed, were removed. He's actually reviving something that had already been wiped out, not only in the north but in the southern kingdom. Worse than that, he revived and embraced the abomination of the nations whom the Lord had cast out. The idea of burning children in the fire, Well, that was not only an ancient superstition, it was great wickedness. And it's the wickedness that had brought judgment in the past on those nations. They had been cast out of the land for doing just such wickedness as that. And how wicked? Burning children in the fire. Now, Gill pointed out that in some cases, by passing through the fire, it would mean you've got two different fires and the children are passing through. So in some cases, it wasn't always burning their children, right? That they're passing through these fires as a dedication to Moloch, the Ammonite god. But we're not told that Ahaz passed his children through the fire between two. No, the language is, he burned his children, plural. I suppose in an age which they rip unborn children from a mother's womb, it shouldn't necessarily shock us to read such words. What's the difference, right? I mean, it's still a child being killed. But the point is, it's as if he offered up his own children, more than one. as a burnt offering to the Ammonite idol, Molech. Listen to Matthew Henry's comment. to complete his wickedness as one perfectly divested of all natural affection, as well as religion, and perfectly devoted to the service and interest of the great enemy of mankind. He burnt his children in the fire to Molech, not thinking it enough to dedicate them to the infernal fiend by causing them to pass through the fire, just passing through it, See what an absolute sway the prince of the power of the heir, Satan himself, bears among the children of disobedience, which is actually referenced to Ephesians 2.2. See what wickedness and surely it is a testimony that prince of the power of the heir, Satan himself, at work. in those who are called the sons of disobedience. Now having said that, you went the way of Baal worship, you went the way even of these nations drawn out. Verse four almost sounds anticlimactic when it talks about him there in the land of Israel, worshipping on the high places and so forth, except this. Before the people had tried to do it, right, they would worship, they worshipped on the high places, but evidently King Jotham kind of kept it in check. But now, here's a king who's not keeping in check. Rather, he's leading the way, not just giving permission, but he himself is doing it. And mind you, he did it zealously, not just on the high places, but under every green tree. And not Jehovah worship, but idolatry. And therefore we're told in verse 19, he encouraged moral decline in Judah. He caused evil to abound in the land and as a result God came against them in judgment. Verse five, therefore the Lord his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria. This same verse goes on to speak also of the king of Israel, probably in confederation with the king of Syria. Ended up with many people in Judah being carried away captive to the northern kingdom. However, some in the northern kingdom, they evidently had more grace, more common grace than these folk in Judah. And they're saying, no, no, no, no. Take them back. We deserve God's wrath. Let's not multiply our own desert of wrath. Let's send those people back to Judah. And so they did. But it wasn't simply the people were carried away, at least for a while. But Ahaz himself felt the bite of this. Verse 7. A son of his was killed, and then two of his close officers. You wondered if he was all that troubled about his son being killed, but nonetheless, yet another son died, and then two of his close officers. So you see this going on here. You've got these two kings have come against you. They've hauled your people away, and you've got your two trusted officers dead. Your own son now is dead. See what has happened because of your wickedness? It's time to repent. Isn't it, Ahaz? Isn't it time to repent? No. Verse 16. Notice what he says. At the same time, when that's going on, King Ahaz sent to the kings of Assyria to help him. Rather than saying, what a fool I've been. I've sinned against God and I brought this. Oh God, forgive me. Turning to God, turning the people back to God. Instead, I'll tell you what, these kings of Assyria, they're bigger. They're stronger. Now in addition to this, as if being attacked by Syria and Israel wasn't enough, it goes on to speak of how also the Edomites and the Philistines came against them. These are not major players at this point in history. The Edomites and the Philistines are not. They're actually weaker. And yet even these guys are attacking Israel. And as to the king of Assyria, well, we've seen that, okay, I was sent to get help from them, but we're told in verse 20 that the king of Assyria came to him and distressed him and did not assist him. And that, even though, verse 21, he had taken not only his own personal treasure, but whatever treasures there were in the temple of God, that too, and sent them to Assyria, come and help me. He came all right, but no help. He just further distressed him. So he repented, right? It's time to repent. Look what a fool what I've done. It's time to stop this wickedness and rebellion against God. It's time to repent, right? All this come upon me and it gets worse and it gets worse. No, look at verse 22. Now in the time of his distress, King Ahaz became increasingly unfaithful to the Lord. This is that King Ahaz. The very language is that guy. Infamous in history for his evil and his terrible reign and how he kept going on in the way of wickedness. And he's not done yet. He was increasingly unfaithful. Well, it goes on in the next verses to speak of how he defiled Jehovah worship by his idolatry. More, he attacked Jehovah worship. Notice verse 24. So Ahaz gathered the articles of the house of God. in pieces the articles of the house of God, shut up the doors of the house of the Lord, and made for himself altars in every corner of Jerusalem and in every single city of Judah. He made high places to burn incense to other gods and provoke to anger the Lord God of his fathers." He did worse and worse, no matter how bad things got. did worse. Instead of remembering how things were in dad's reign, or how about granddad, Uzziah's reign? What was done by them and the good that was enjoyed, but now look what a mess. No, no. how blinded this man was by his own lust, his own pride, indeed by Satan himself, and how he was hardened more and more over time. Here is a lesson for us all. Please listen. Young people, please listen. Here is a lesson for us all. You open the door to evil, it won't stop at a hi, how are you at the door. You begin pursuing your loss, and who knows where it may lead? Who knows how bad it may get? Who knows how bad you may get? Even to the point that painful times don't get the attention. What a mess, I need to repent, I need to turn to God. No, no, even painful times only harden in sin. It happens. It happened in Ahaz. It happens. Beware. You open the door. You pursue your loss. Where will it lead you? Beware. Okay, but now the question, how did this happen? How did this son of a good dad go so astray? I mean, he's got a godly line. before Uzziah. They were good kings and then Jotham. You got three kings in a row that are good kings and the people are enjoying prosperity and Was it that Jotham was a bad father? It's all his fault, you know. It's just the way Jotham did. Alright, so busy, he neglected parenting. Well, there's absolutely no indication of that in either the record in Chronicles or in Kings. In fact, when it speaks repeatedly of Jotham doing what's right in God's sight, that is, living before the Lord his God, it would include all of life, including family life. Now, doubtless, Jotham was not a perfect dad. We're not told anything about his parenting, but who is a perfect dad? Who among us as parents cannot look back and wish we'd done things differently? And it is true that the failures of fathers can cause real problems in and for their kids. I think of King David, and we're told with regard to his son Adonijah, he never rebuked him, never said no. And here he then tries to usurp and does much evil. Or you got the good priest, Eli, back in 1 Samuel 3, and his sons, well, they were priests and they were wicked, wicked indeed, and he didn't restrain them. He gave a mild rebuke, but that's it. So you got dads that dropped the ball in both of those cases, others. And therefore, here's reason for dads and moms to take great care. to carefully do as told in Ephesians 6, 4 about raising our children in the training and admonition of the Lord, or to train up a child in the way he should go, Proverbs 22. And how right to ask God for grace, to ask God for wisdom, to ask God for his mercy on our own offspring, even as we considered last Sunday evening. And wherein parents do fail, in their parenting, wherein they sin. How right for parents, moms, and dads to confess and forsake that sin, to see it and to treat it as sin before God so that we confess our sins and He's faithful and just to forgive us our sins, but also that we see it and treat it as sin before our offspring, our children, our grandchildren. With a humble apology, I did wrong. Maybe even use it as a teaching opportunity, I did wrong. Do you see what wrong is? I did that. Where do we go with our wrong? Well, we should be driven to Christ. But whatever failures may have happened in Joseph's parenting, we're not told of any. That's certainly not what we see here. However, there are lessons from things that we can see here. things that we should take to heart. For instance, firstly, I said it last Lord's Day evening. Here we are reminded in this history of Jotham and his son Ahaz that God has no grandchildren. The fact that Uzziah was a good king overall and that Jotham was a more godly king, well, that didn't mean then that Ahaz was going to be, quote, to use modern vernacular, saved. No, he automatically then, he's going to be right with God, isn't he? No. Any more than good King Uzziah would not automatically have Jotham converted as his son, he's my son, he's going to, and God said no. Because everyone is born fallen in Adam and dead in sin, right? When Adam sinned, we all died. That is, he sinned as our representative, we came under condemnation, and we inherited his corrupt nature. Therefore, All are described as Ephesians chapter 2, dead in trespasses and sins and walking according to the course of this world, according to the working of Satan himself, the prince of the power there who works in the sons of disobedience. And all of us by nature are children of wrath, that is to say under the wrath of God and deserving the wrath of God, natively. Even Eliphaz there in the book of Job, he says, how can man born of woman be pure? How can he be righteous? He can't. No, he can't. None righteous. No, not one. Psalm 58.3. The wicked go astray from the womb. From the womb. Speaking lies. And I've illustrated this, I know, oft times in the past. By asking children. I'll do it again. Okay? Young people. Let me ask you. Did you automatically know how to tie your shoes? Or did somebody have to teach you, huh? Or even to dress yourself. I mean, you're here, you're dressed reasonably well now. You did that yourself, I bet, huh? Did somebody have to teach you that, or did you automatically know? Or, well, let's do another one. How about the count? Sure, you can all count, right? You can count. Did somebody have to teach you to count, or you just automatically? You can 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and you knew multiplication, you got it all. Somebody had to teach, right? All these things. How to read, et cetera. We can go on down the list. You had to be taught these. Even how to hold a fork or a spoon or whatever, right? You had to be taught these things. But who had to teach you how to lie? You've lied, right? You've told a lie. The mom and daddy sit you down and say, now look, here's how you lie. Here you know what's true, but you say something, but you got to keep a straight face. Did they do that for you? They didn't do that, did they? Who taught you to be selfish? A child doesn't have to know how to speak very many words before they learn to say, mine, right? Or who taught you to disobey? Because that same child doesn't take long to learn how to say no to mom and dad. Who taught you to disobey them? Somebody give you instruction? Who taught you to be cruel to your siblings or other children? very cruel. Who taught you that? Nobody. Nobody. But why is that? Why don't you have to learn these things? It's a testament to the fact that we're fallen in Adam. That we were born with his corrupt nature, dead in trespasses and sins. walking the course of this world, even according to the prince of the power of the air, working in the sons of disobedience by nature, children, wrath, the wicked go astray from the womb. And this means then that every rising generation must be evangelized. No matter what the Lord has done in the lives of grandparents, great grandparents, great great grandparents, or certainly mom and dad, Every child coming to this world must be told about Jesus Christ and his salvation. And isn't that included when it says, fathers, raise your children in the training and admonition of the Lord. Isn't that included? Now, that's not all that's included. It's not just the gospel, but it certainly is included. It's not just a matter of telling them to do right. Yeah, it is that, but not just that. pointing them to Christ, even using, mind you, their sins, their bad attitude, to say, boy, doesn't this show why Christ came into this world? It was to save sinners. To show them their need of Christ. I think even an Old Testament statement, Psalm 3411, come you children, listen to me, I will teach you the fear of the Lord. That's not just, come on, I'll teach you how to be good. I'm going to tell you what to do. I'm going to teach you how to be good. Well, that's not what he says. I'll teach you the fear of the Lord, which is basically synonymous with true religion, about knowing God, about really being right with God. Again, New Testament perspective, I'll teach you about Christ. I'll teach you. He was crucified for sinners and here's our only hope, the one who died for sinners who now lives to save and saves to the uttermost because God so loved the world, he gave his only begotten son. Whoever believes in Him, not perish, everlasting life. And here's what it means to believe in Him. It means to trust in Him. Not only to believe what's true, but rather to recognize this One who died and who lives, if I will go to Him. And trust in Him. And you keep pointing them to Christ. You're encouraging them to go to Christ. Not beating over the head with it, but encouraging. You need Christ, but He's ready. Go to Him. Again, I know, Ephesians 6.4, raise up your children in the training and admonition of the Lord. It doesn't only mean telling about Jesus, it does tell them how to live and what God's word says. But the point is, it does include telling about Christ. And every child needs to hear this again and again, because all we like sheep have gone astray, all we. Each has turned to his own way. None righteous, no not one. And they need to understand that Christ is sufficient. They need to understand he's sufficient not only to pardon all sin, but he gives grace. Those who abide in him in a real relationship with him, well, he gives them much grace and they bear fruit. And then to pray for them, but also to show them that salvation by living it before them. Even when we deal with our sin, where do we go? We go to Christ. So there's the first lesson. Ahaz couldn't guarantee that Ahaz was going to be converted because his daddy was a good and godly man. But now another lesson from Jotham and Ahaz. We learn here that parents are not ultimately responsible for a straying child. A kid that goes in a bad way is not the parent who's ultimately responsible. Because even a good parent can see a child go in a very wicked way. Isn't that what we see with Ahaz? And it's not the parent's fault. Ahaz did what he did. because of the evil in his own heart. It was his own personal depravity. It was a carnal mind that was hostile against God. Don't tell me what to do. I'll do what I want to do, even if he didn't verbalize it. Perhaps Jotham kept him in check in his younger years. The wickedness that we see here displayed in chapter 28, it was after Jotham was dead. Did Ahab's give sin free reign when there were no more restraints? I can do what I want now. Dad's not here to tell me what to do. I'll do whatever I want. You know, sometimes when young people are limited and restrained by their parents, I'll be glad when I grow up. I'll do whatever I want then. Well, no, you probably won't. You're always going to have somebody telling you what to do. But be that as it may. The idea of young people, they can't wait. They're chomping at the bit. They can't wait to get on their own. Seen in their attitude, will is crossed. In their deceit, they're sneaking about, doing what they can now. I wonder, was that so with Ahaz? Even when Jothep was still alive, before he became king? In any event, all his wickedness shows what was in his evil heart all along. his own spiritual state of dead in sins, it was there all along, even though it might have been kept in check by Dad Jotham or other providential circumstances, but boy, as time went on. You see a young child, looks so innocent, And yet after years, such evil done. I actually this week typed into Google, everything Google, right? Typed into Google, Hitler's baby pictures. I encourage you to do that. You got time to waste? Type in Hitler's baby pictures. Sweet little German boy, right? Innocent looking little child. Who would have thought? Who would have thought? Well, the evil was there all along, even when he had that sweet little face. And what Hitler did is like what Ahas did. It's like what so many do. It's the outworking of a wicked heart. Yes, OK, maybe checked in youth. They can't give free reign to it then. Maybe even nice at times, but there's still that wicked heart. waiting to go its own way. And we see in Ahaz that he only grew worse and worse over time. When he got what he wanted, he did evil and it only got worse. In fact, I think it's fair to say the man couldn't get enough of his folly and his wickedness. No matter what happens now, he's going to take it a step further and take it a step further. Why? Why? Come on, man. Look, you're bringing ruin upon your nation. Look at your reign as a king. Look at the chaos. Look at what used to be. But what a mess you... Why? It made no sense. Because it's folly and wickedness. That's why. Young person, will that be you? Okay, you're not going to be reigning as a king and burning children in the fire. Will that be you in due course though? Unrestrained wickedness? Or let me put it another way. What would you do right now if you were allowed to do it? Your desire, your heart. If mom and dad would just leave you alone. If you just had more money and leisure and Opportunities. What kind of foolishness and wickedness would you now be pursuing? What about you? Let me put it another way. Are you now seeing growth in evil, little by little perhaps? That you are now doing things that you would not have done a year ago. the way you talk to your mom, the things you think about, what you look at, what you desire to do. You would not have done those things a year ago, and yet here you're already increasing in evil more and more. Disrespect, scheming, sneaking about perhaps, all that you're now able to do in the pursuit of your lusts, and you hate those things that restrain you. You're just biding your time until you can give them free reign. Is that you? That seems to be something of the case with Ahab's. And the question is, where will it lead? And dear young person, please understand, you are despising the great privilege God has given you. You have parents that love you. They love you enough to care as to what happens in your life and what happens with your future. They're fighting for you while you're fighting against them. They're fighting for you because they know where sin, where lusts lead. They're desperately trying to keep you from ruining your life with foolish choices, foolish decisions you now make and evil deeds that you would now engage in. In fact, I could argue with this. Just look around, look around the world. See the sin causes ruined. See young people that weren't kept in check. I'm not a Facebook person, but my wife does have a Facebook account that I occasionally look at. And I remember seeing a bunch of young protesters kind of laid out in the streets. And the caption on there was, those kids that used to throw themselves down in grocery store aisles when they didn't get their candy, they've grown up. Here they are. Well, OK. But that's mild compared to other things. Or maybe you've seen mug shots. Maybe in recent days, some of the people who've been arrested for rioting and looting, and you look at those mug shots, you've got some real winners there. The current unrest. You don't have to look that far, though. Let's talk about Portland. No, no. Young person, I bet you know people. I bet you know people whose lives are already a mess, even in their young years. And certainly you know of older people. Maybe it's substance abuse. Maybe it's just laziness. But one thing or another has led to ruin, sin that they pursued. We're twice told in the book of Proverbs that a prudent man foresees evil, sees evil coming down the pike, and he hides himself. But the simple pass on and are punished. Was that prudent foreseeing of what comes from lust and sin that causes your parents to do what they do by way of restraining you? They know where it can lead. Those sinful desires now, lusts, whatever kind they are, not just sexual, but other kinds, they know where it can lead and they don't want you to ruin your life. Will you despise them for it? The simple pass on and are punished. Often it's the case that young people, they think they know better. Can I say, often, it's a case of Proverbs 26, 12. You see a man who trusts in his own heart, there's more hope for a fool than for him. That comes at the heels of, here's the problem with the fool, the problem with the fool, the problem with the fool, for the fool, oh, poor, hopeless case, this fool! But here's a guy who's smart in his own eyes. I know, I can run my life, I can make my own, I don't have to have somebody tell me, I don't have to have God tell me what to do. See a man wise in his own eyes, more hope for a fool than for him. That's so often the case. Young people will not be told. Who really knows what's best? Young person, who really loves you most? And why will you break mom and dad's heart? Why will you do that? Now, I understand that not all young people have gone quite the way A has. Maybe you've been spared. You're a good kid. Well, thank your parents that you've not gone that way, and thank God that he's given you such parents. But don't take your privilege for granted. But also know that the greater concern isn't simply for your happiness in this world. I cannot put into words how intensely your parents long for your happiness in this life. But it goes beyond that. It's forever. See, that's the concern. That's why your mom and dad bring you to church and talk about God, tell you the gospel. Don't despise that. Listen to the words of Romans chapter 2. Let me just read it for you. Romans chapter 2, you well may be familiar with them. Do you despise the riches of God's goodness, forbearance, and long-suffering, knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance, but in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart, you're treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God." The idea of putting, as it were, Sin in the bank account so that the day comes when you will be judged in full in God's righteous judgment. But in the meantime, despising God's goodness, not recognizing the parents that are teaching you, that love you, other opportunities you have to learn what's right, to learn about Christ. It's God's goodness. Don't despise that. Be led to repentance. Be led to Christ by God's present goodness to you. Jotham was off the scene before Ahaz gave himself over to his wickedness. But even if Jotham was still alive, it's not Jotham's fault. There would have been no need for Jotham to beat himself up. Look what I've done. Why didn't I do things differently? Well, I've already dealt with that. If there are sins, then we go to the fountain that's hoping for sin and uncleanness. But the fact is, Ahaz chose and then did as he wanted. Yeah, parents are responsible to train their children, to raise up their children in the training and admonition of the Lord, train up a child in the way he should go. But if kids then go astray, please understand, it's on them. It's on them. That young person has his own, her own culpability. And how much more when there's been the rejection of life. They know better. They know better. They has knew better. But if, as Ahaz, they refuse to be stopped, the parent can only weep, buy up what opportunities are there, and pray. But they can pray. Even as God himself, I referred to it last Sunday evening, when you're commanded, 1 Peter 5, 7, casting all your cares upon him, for he cares for you. The word care is a strong word. Anxieties, worries, intense concerns. Well, what could be more intense than our concern for our offspring? Cast your cares upon him. He cares, not simply that he takes care of you, but rather his heart of love towards you. He's not indifferent to that which grieves you. Cast your cares, go to him, pray to him. All your cares, certainly your children. And then, as Paul says with regard to the unsaved generally, to walk wisely towards those who are outside, buying up the opportunities, your speech always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how to answer. And who knows what God may do? We know what the Savior can do to your brother or your sister. He saved you. He saved you. Well, I come now to a third heading. To be more brief, we see in the history of Ahaz a clear reminder that God is not indifferent towards sin, towards any sin, towards any sin, and certainly When there's that sitting against light, you knew better. Ahaz, you knew better. And you look at the hard times experienced. On that nation as a whole, we'll probably come back to this in a future study, they went from prosperity to turmoil, to enemies attacking them, to being many carried captive. I'm reminded of that Ecclesiastes 9, 18 statement. One sinner destroys much good. One sinner, King Ahaz, a prosperous nation, and man you've run it into the ground and you brought all this wickedness and moral decline that you yourself encouraged. One sinner destroyed much good. So it is still. One sinner. The impact that one sinner can have on friends, the impact that sinner can have on a family. One sinner destroys much good. And Ahaz himself didn't escape the problems that were caused by his going his own way and pursuing his lust. Here's a man who experienced surely much pain and heartache. He sees his kingdom collapse. He sees nations attacking him. He seemed to be very weak. All these losses they're incurring. I mean, he's lost two of his chief officers. He's lost his own son being killed by these people. And at the end of the day, even wicked people despised him, right? We read that at the last verse there, or near the last anyway, I think it is the last verse of chapter 28, how he's not given the honor of being buried with the other kings. No, the people, even wicked people despise him. God is not indifferent. God will not be mocked. And sin, even in this world, has its own built-in judgments. Have you ever seen pictures of, let's just use one for instance here, of a person on meth? And maybe you've seen a picture of that person with a smiling face and they're healthy and they're looking good. And after a relatively short time on meth, their teeth are rotten out and they're wrinkled and look like, oh, and sores on their face. right? And they won't quit it. They're still going that way. Well, sin has its own built-in judgments. That's just one illustration of the sexually transmitted diseases. Or what about this? The man is a respectable man. He's loved by his wife and his kids. But then he commits adultery. He goes in that way. And then he's got child support to pay. And he's got the disrespect with which he's regarded, his own children seeing him in a completely different light. Well, we could go on to illustrate many more ways. The thief gets caught stealing, can't find a job maybe after that or has to go to jail or whatever else. Sin has its own built-in judgments even in this life. Proverbs 13, 15, the way of the transgressor is hard. Prodigal son. Remember the prodigal son? He starts off well equipped. He's got his share of the inheritance. How long did it take before he lost it all? And even those supposed friends, where are they now? What about food? He could eat pig food. It doesn't matter. Right? That's what sin does. It looks so good when he's launched out on his trip. I've got all this money. Now I've got all these friends. It's important to recognize that even these judgments, present judgments on sin are God's mercy to lead to repentance. Isaiah 26 talks about people won't learn when mercy has been shown them, but when your judgments are on the earth, then they'll learn. And it does happen. Maybe it's a ruined life that finally gets somebody's attention. Painful consequences. Well, bless God that he does restore that which sin has destroyed. But so determined was this wicked Ahaz, that he wouldn't repent even in the face of all of those difficulties. He still went on. And young people, your parents would spare you this. They would keep you from ruining your life before you're at least mature enough to realize what's going on. Your pastors would spare you this. Don't go the way of your lusts. Don't throw your life away. Let me ask you, let me plead with you. Do me a favor. Will you please recall Ahaz, okay? If you get nothing else out of the message, recall the name Ahaz. Think of Ahaz. What did he do? Went his own way and where did it lead? Good family, he knew the truth, stubbornly. pursued his own way to his own hurt. Maybe they'd had such bright hopes for him to begin with. Oh, here's another king to carry on. You've got great granddad and granddad and dad and now here. No, right away. He goes in a bad way. And remember, he was a real person. This is not, you know, Chronicles of Narnia. This is not Lord of the Rings here. This is history, right? And even as I'm speaking right now, where's Ahaz? Where's Ahaz? 2 Peter 2.9, he's kept under punishment for the day of judgment. And then at last, he will give an account and body and soul will be cast into that everlasting punishment. Depart from me, you cursed. into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels." I could wish to end on a happy note. I wish I could say, but the prodigal son has come home and Ahaz then repented and all was well. I wish I could end on that happy note. But there's no happy note here. He died in infamy. Even wicked people despised him. He's now experiencing punishment in the disembodied state awaiting eternal punishment in body and soul. No happy ending in the history of Ahaz. Only a sober warning. Don't go that way. What would he say if you could now ask him, was it worth it man? Was it worth it? But Ecclesiastes 7.2 talks about how the living will take it to heart. I've referred to it, I think, last Lord's Day. Ecclesiastes 9.4, a living dog is better than a dead lion. Ah, that lion, he's a noble creature. That dog, well, no, but at least that living dog is alive. And so it is. There can be a happy ending for you. There is a happy ending for the chief of sinners. Paul said so when he said, Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners of whom I am chief. Here's a happy ending. And he said, he saved me as a pattern. Christ saves all kinds of sinners. So for old, for young, any who are as sheep going astray, your own way. I've got good news. Here's hope for you. Jesus came into this world to seek and to save that which is lost. He said, I've come that you might have life and that more, but real life more abundantly, even here and certainly hereafter. The one who suffered and died on that cross in place of the unjust, the one who's raised from the dead and now lives to save to the uttermost, all who will come to God by him, the one of whom we're told, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, you will be saved. Go to him, trust in him, call upon the name of the Lord. He saves whoever will call upon him and he's rich to all who repent, turn from sin to God through Christ. Believe this good news, he saves sinners, go to him. Might God grant mercy. The one quick lesson for us all as the Lord's people. Same one from last Sunday evening. Pray for our young people. Pray for their conversion. Pray for their parents. Pray for their grandparents. Pray that God will be pleased to grant much mercy and do everlasting good. Let's pray. Father in heaven, we thank you for the good news that Christ came to save all kinds of sinners, old, hardened sinners, young, rebellious sinners, nice, sweet-looking, very young sinners. Lord, we thank you that there's such a salvation from such a Savior. Lord Jesus, we ask that you would send forth your word not in word only, but in power, and by the Holy Spirit that you would do good. Please protect our young people, even protect them from themselves, protect them from the evil one, protect them from evil friends and evil influences. But Lord, more, rescue them, make them your own. We thank you for those in our own congregation who have grown up and have believed on Christ in their youth. Well, we ask that that would be so with these who are present, for those who have grown up and gone their own way, Lord, that they would be arrested. Lord, show mercy. Give wisdom to parents and grandparents. Show mercy. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.