2 Chronicles 28:23
For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him: and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me. But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel.
The verse belongs to the time when Judah was under divine chastisement. In that chastisement Ahaz did not repent but trespassed yet more against the Lord, rebelling against Him even more deeply. His rebellion took the form of sacrificing unto the gods of Damascus. His reasoning was that because the gods of the kings of Syria had helped them, therefore if he sacrificed to them they would help him too.
He thus turned for help to the very gods that had smitten Judah and done it harm. Those gods brought him no help or deliverance, but were the ruin of him and of all Israel.
The verse therefore teaches the principle that to turn from God to false sources of help is sin and leads to harm. Applied to life, God's people must not turn away from God to those disconnected from Him to seek counsel at strange and alien altars. Christ is the true altar and the Holy Spirit is the true fire. Only the person who is led and guided by the Holy Spirit is a safe counselor.