"Now in the time of his distress King Ahaz became increasingly unfaithful to the LORD."
I have known people like this. They encounter hardships in their lives, and their response is to become angry at God--to the extent that they forsake Him utterly (by abandoning Christ's church). Instead of *going* to the only One who can actually *help* them in their distress--they flee from Him (God), and hate Him.
In the case of the wicked King Ahaz of Judah (above), his problems were of his own making. He was a gross idolater. His worship of fake gods brought on him (and his nation) great judgment. Then, when given an excellent opportunity to repent, and embrace the True God--he "became increasingly unfaithful" to Him. May we learn from Ahaz' bad example; and may we always go to Jesus and His church when we are in trouble.
[Puritan quote of the day: "It is a harder thing to believe than to keep the Ten Commandments." --William Bridge, in, "A Lifting Up for the Downcast"]
