20140621 Saturday, June 21 2014
2 Kings 16: Why Did Ahaz Build A Syrian Altar In God's Temple?

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"Urijah the priest built an altar according to all that King Ahaz had sent from Damascus"

Ahaz began his reign of the Kingdom of Judah (see The First Kings Of Israel and Judah) at age twenty (see also Old Boys Versus Greenhorns). His regime (see Solomon's Regime to understand the actual meaning of "regime") was that of a corrupt idol-worshiper who followed the heathenism of the neighboring kingdoms of Israel and Syria.

"16:1 In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah Ahaz the son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign. 16:2 Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem, and did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD his God, like David his father. 16:3 But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel. 16:4 And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree." (2 Kings 16;1-4 KJV)

When Ahaz began to reign, he was attacked by Israel and Syria (ironically, the Israelite patriarchs originated in Syria; see A Biography Of Jacob: The Jacobites Of Syria and The Syrian Tongue Of Jesus). Although the invaders put Jerusalem under siege, they were unable to capture Judah's capital city (see How Long Was Jerusalem The Capital Of Israel? and A History Of Jerusalem: The Capital Of Judah).

"16:5 Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to war: and they besieged Ahaz, but could not overcome him. 16:6 At that time Rezin king of Syria recovered Elath to Syria, and drave the Jews from Elath: and the Syrians came to Elath, and dwelt there unto this day." (2 Kings 16:5-6 KJV)

While under siege, Ahaz "sent messengers to Tiglathpileser king of Assyria (not to be confused with Syria; Assyria was what is today northern Iraq), saying, I am thy servant and thy son: come up, and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, which rise up against me." Assyria was no friend of Judah, but accepted the alliance because Ahaz bought it with "the silver and gold that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house, and sent it for a present to the king of Assyria." The result was a war between Israel and Syria, on one side, and Judah and Assyria on the other - during which the Assyrians captured the Syrian city of Damascus (see also Damascus In History And Prophecy).

"16:7 So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, saying, I am thy servant and thy son: come up, and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, which rise up against me. 16:8 And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house, and sent it for a present to the king of Assyria. 16:9 And the king of Assyria hearkened unto him: for the king of Assyria went up against Damascus, and took it, and carried the people of it captive to Kir, and slew Rezin." (2 Kings 16:7-9 KJV)

Ahaz then journeyed to Damascus where he became impressed with "an altar that was at Damascus." Ahaz was an idol worshiper, so he ordered the Levite High Priest (who should have absolutely refused; see The Prophecy Of The Blood Upon The Anointed One) to make such an altar for the Temple in Jerusalem. To make room for it, Ahaz had the LORD's Temple vessels displaced. The heathen altar then became the altar that was used in the Temple of the LORD (Who was and is Jesus Christ - see Genesis 1: In The Beginning Was The Word and The Kingdom Of The LORD God) in Jerusalem.

That Syrian-design altar that was built by Ahaz was a foreshadow of an even greater desecration that was committed many years later. The infamous "abomination of desolation" (see the Fact Finder question below) was committed by a Syrian king, on a Syrian altar, in the very same place in the Temple of the LORD.

"16:10 And king Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, and saw an altar that was at Damascus: and king Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the fashion of the altar, and the pattern of it, according to all the workmanship thereof. 16:11 And Urijah the priest built an altar according to all that king Ahaz had sent from Damascus: so Urijah the priest made it against king Ahaz came from Damascus. 16:12 And when the king was come from Damascus, the king saw the altar: and the king approached to the altar, and offered thereon. 16:13 And he burnt his burnt offering and his meat offering, and poured his drink offering, and sprinkled the blood of his peace offerings, upon the altar. 16:14 And he brought also the brasen altar, which was before the LORD, from the forefront of the house, from between the altar and the house of the LORD, and put it on the north side of the altar.

16:15 And king Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying, Upon the great altar burn the morning burnt offering, and the evening meat offering, and the king's burnt sacrifice, and his meat offering, with the burnt offering of all the people of the land, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings; and sprinkle upon it all the blood of the burnt offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice: and the brasen altar shall be for me to enquire by. 16:16 Thus did Urijah the priest, according to all that king Ahaz commanded.

16:17 And king Ahaz cut off the borders of the bases, and removed the laver from off them; and took down the sea from off the brasen oxen that were under it, and put it upon a pavement of stones. 16:18 And the covert for the sabbath that they had built in the house, and the king's entry without, turned he from the house of the LORD for the king of Assyria." (2 Kings 16:10-18 KJV)

Ahaz died at about age 36 ("twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem"). He was buried in the city of David (see A History Of Jerusalem: The City Of David) where he awaits the Judgment Day.

"16:19 Now the rest of the acts of Ahaz which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 16:20 And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead." (2 Kings 16:19-20 KJV)

Fact Finder: What did Jesus Christ say about the "abomination of desolation"? How is it going to happen again - just a few days before the return of Jesus Christ?
See A History Of Jerusalem: Abomination Of Desolation