1 Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And he did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as his father David had done, 2 but he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel. He even made metal images for the Baals, 3 and he made offerings in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom and burned his sons as an offering, according to the abominations of the nations whom the Lord drove out before the people of Israel. 4 And he sacrificed and made offerings on the high places and on the hills and under every green tree. ( II Chronicles 28)
In the Old Testament God commanded a number of sacrifices aimed at strengthening the relationship of His people with Him - those that reminded them that they were living beings indebted to their Creator, sinners who should be thankful to their Deliverer, worshippers who should reverence the Worthy One. But we also find a lot of bad sacrificing going on - to false gods, to sinful behavior, and even to the worship of death - sacrificing infants and children. It was sacrifice on every hilltop and under every "special" tree; it was everywhere. We see the same things today: worship of materialism, immorality, abortion on demand - all bad worship. It should make us sad; it should make us sick; it should move us to change, to a life of sacrifice to God and God alone, for Who He is, and for all He has done. May we worship only Him in Spirit and in Truth.
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