Joe: Alright, so let's talk about 2 Kings 16!

Bible Expert: Right! So 2 Kings 16 starts with King Ahaz of Judah making an alliance with Assyria. He even goes so far as to sacrifice his son in a pagan ritual.

Joe: Oh wow, that's wild! What else happens?

Bible Expert: Well, it goes on to say that Ahaz steals items from the temple of the Lord, including a bronze altar and other items, and replaces them with items from the Assyrian temple. He even has the temple remodeled to look like a temple from Assyria.

Joe: Wow, this Ahaz guy sounds like a real piece of work.

Bible Expert: Yeah, he definitely wasn't a fan favorite. After this, the Lord sends a prophet to rebuke Ahaz for his actions but Ahaz doesn't listen.

Joe: Hmm..so what happens next?

Bible Expert: Well, Ahaz dies and is succeeded by his son Hezekiah, who does the opposite of everything Ahaz did and turns back to God and starts to obey His commands. Hezekiah even tears down the pagan altars and restores the temple of the Lord.

Joe: Wow, that's quite the turnaround! Anything else?

Bible Expert: Yeah, Hezekiah also defeats the Philistines and brings back the boundaries of Judah to their original borders.

Joe: Wow, impressive! And then what happens?

Bible Expert: Well, the chapter ends with Hezekiah's death and his son Manasseh succeeding him. Manasseh is even worse than his father Ahaz and brings back all the pagan practices that Hezekiah had gotten rid of.

Joe: Wow, that's quite the story! Anything else we should know?

Bible Expert: Well, it's a good reminder that God is always in control and that even when things seem to be going in the wrong direction, His plan will always prevail in the end.