Make a New Legacy

Make a New Legacy

Written by Julie Tsoukalas

Things were not going well in Jerusalem. Several kings in a row chose not to serve the Lord like king David had, or chose to serve Him half-heartedly so that the next generation didn’t serve Him at all.

Their current king Ahaz was worse than his father. He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, plus he made molten images to Baalim, and burnt his children in the fire, and “He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.” 2 Chronicles 28:4

The Lord punished him by letting Syria overtake the people, and they lost 120,000 men in one day! Then the Edomites came and also smote them and took captives. And the Philistines invaded and took over several areas of Judah.

Even though Ahaz sent money and things from the house of the Lord, and his own house, and that of the princes of Judah to the king of Assyria to convince him to help them, when he finally showed up he didn’t help Ahaz but distressed him. Ahaz responds by sinning worse.

2 Chronicles 28:22-25
(22) And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the LORD: this is that king Ahaz.
(23) For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him: and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me. But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel.
(24) And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shut up the doors of the house of the LORD, and he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem.
(25) And in every several city of Judah he made high places to burn incense unto other gods, and provoked to anger the LORD God of his fathers.

Even though Ahaz left such a godless legacy, God was not finished with the people of Israel. Hezekiah is Ahaz’s son and will reign next. And he not only chooses to serve the Lord, He does so “…according to all that David his father had done.” (2 Chronicles 29:2)

Maybe you don’t have a great family history. Perhaps no one lived out faith in front of you. Maybe you’ve been handed a legacy of ruin and bondage. God can still change things! He can work in your heart and life to leave a godly legacy for your descendants. Serve Him with all your heart. Don’t let your past (or how you were raised, or the spiritual legacy left to you) deter you from following hard after God.

2 Chronicles 30:7-9
[7] And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, which trespassed against the LORD God of their fathers, who therefore gave them up to desolation, as ye see.
[8] Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the LORD, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the LORD your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you.
[9] For if ye turn again unto the LORD, your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him.

Add Your Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *