For Kids · 3 min with a grown-up
Some kings loved God. This one decided to copy everybody else instead. Let's see what happens when you follow the crowd instead of God.
Today's Story
Ahaz was the new king. The kings before him who loved God did what was right. But Ahaz looked around at the other lands and decided he wanted to be just like them.
The people in those lands bowed down to pretend gods made of wood and stone. So Ahaz did too. He stopped trusting the one true God who had cared for his family for years and years.
One day two enemy kings came up to fight against Ahaz. He was scared. But instead of asking God for help, Ahaz sent a giant pile of silver and gold to a far-off king and begged, “Please come and rescue me!” He leaned on a person instead of leaning on God.
Then Ahaz traveled to that king's city and saw a fancy altar there. He liked the look of it so much that he sent home a drawing and said, “Build me one exactly like it.” And he pushed God's own altar off to the side to make room for his copy.
Bit by bit, Ahaz kept choosing what everyone else was doing instead of what God said. It made his heart drift further and further from the God who loved him.
A Big Word
Talk About It
- Has anyone ever done something just because their friends were doing it? How do you decide what is the right thing to do?
- When Ahaz got scared, he asked another king for help instead of God. Who is the very best one to go to when we feel afraid?
- What are some good ways we can follow God, even when other people choose not to?