Daily Devotional | Asking for Help

We often have a hard time asking for help. The spirit of independence begins early. When we are 8 years old, we want to do everything on our own. As we turn 16, we prize the independence of a car and a driver’s license. And when we reach our late 80s, we resent the prospect of losing that license.

Ahaz took the throne at 22 years of age and immediately turned from the Lord to following false worship practices (vv. 3–4). In time, his kingdom was besieged by the king of Syria and the king of Israel. While they didn’t win immediately, they succeeded in taking some of Judah’s territory. This war is chronicled in Isaiah 7 where we find that Ahaz and his people were terrified, “shaken by the wind” (Isa. 7:2).

God sent the prophet Isaiah with a message: “Ask the LORD your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights” (Isa. 7:11). It was an offer for Ahaz to demonstrate faith by trusting God for deliverance. Yet Ahaz would not take the gift. His reply revealed a deep unwillingness to depend on the God of Israel. “But Ahaz said, ‘I will not ask; I will not put the Lord to the test’” (Isa. 7:12). He chose instead to turn to the Assyrian king, Tiglath-Pileser III, for help (2 Kings 16:7). He submitted to him and took money from the Temple and sent it as tribute to him. In essence, Ahaz became his indebted servant! After the Assyrian saved him, Ahaz adopted worship practices that replaced the true worship of God in the Temple. Ahaz’s actions revealed that he would not, could not trust God. Even when God extended His arm to deliver Judah, Ahaz would not accept help.