II Kings 17
Hoshea rules over Israel verse 1- 2
In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah began Hoshea the son of Elah
to reign in Samaria over Israel nine years
and he did EVIL in the sight of the LORD
but not as the kings of Israel that were before him
Hoshea asked Egypt to help against Assyria verse 3- 4
Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria
and Hoshea became his servant – and gave him presents
And the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea
for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt
and brought no present to the king of Assyria
as he had done year by year
therefore the king of Assyria shut him up
and bound him in prison
Israel was taken captive by Assyria verse 5- 6
Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land
and went up to Samaria – and besieged it three years
In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria
and carried Israel away in Assyria
and placed them in Halah and in Habor
by the river of Gozan
and in the cities of the Medes
Reason for captivity of Israel given verse 7- 12
For so it was – that the children of Israel had sinned
against the LORD their God
which brought them up out of the land of Egypt
from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt
and had feared other gods
and WALKED in the statutes of the heathen
whom the LORD cast out from before the
children of Israel
and of the kings of Israel which they had made
And the children of Israel did secretly those things
that were NOT RIGHT against the LORD their God
and they built them high places in all their cities
from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city
and they set them up images and groves in every high hill
and under every green tree
and there they burnt incense in all the high places
as did the heathen whom the LORD carried
away before them
and wrought wicked things to provoke the LORD to anger
for they served idols
whereof the LORD had
said to them
You shall not do this thing
Prophets were sent with message of warning verse 13
Yet the LORD testified against Israel – and against Judah
by all the prophets and by all the seers
saying
TURN you from your EVIL ways
and keep MY commandments and MY statutes
according to the law which I commanded
your fathers
and which I sent to you by MY servants the prophets
Israelites refused to listen to prophets verse 14- 17
Notwithstanding – they would not hear – but hardened their necks
like the necks of their fathers
that did not believe in the LORD their God
And they rejected HIS statutes
and HIS covenant that HE made with their fathers
and HIS testimonies which HE
testified against them
And they followed vanity – and became vain
and went after the heathen that were round about them
concerning whom the LORD had charged them
that they should not do like them
And they left all the commandments of the LORD their God
and made molten images – even two calves – and made groves
and worshiped all the host of heaven – and served Baal
And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire
and used divination and enchantments
and sold themselves to do EVIL in the sight of the LORD
to provoke HIM to anger
Judah even followed the heathen practices verse 18- 20
THEREFORE the LORD was very angry with Israel
and removed them out of HIS sight
there was none left but the tribe of Judah only
Also Judah kept not the commandments of the LORD their God
but WALKED in the statutes of Israel which they made
and the LORD rejected all the seed of Israel
and afflicted them
and delivered them into the hand of spoilers
until HE had cast them out of HIS sight
History of Israel since divided kingdom verse 21- 23
For HE rent Israel from the house of David
and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king
and Jeroboam drove Israel from following the LORD
and made them sin a great sin
For the children of Israel WALKED in all the sins of Jeroboam
which he did they departed not from them
until the LORD removed Israel out of HIS sight
as HE had said by all HIS servants the prophets
So was Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria to this day
Land of Israel had foreign settlers verse 24- 25
And the king of Assyria brought men from
Babylon – Cuthah – Ava – Hamath – Sepharvaim
and placed them in the cities of Samaria
instead of the children of Israel
and they possessed Samaria
and dwelt in the cities thereof
And so it was at the beginning of their dwelling there
that they feared not the LORD
THEREFORE the LORD sent lions among them
which slew some of them
Lions were killing the foreign settlers verse 26
Wherefore they spoke to the king of Assyria
saying
The nations which you have removed
and placed in the cities of Samaria
know not the manner of the God of the land
therefore HE has sent lions among them – and – behold
they slay them – BECAUSE they know not
the manner of the God of the land
Priest sent to teach foreign settlers verse 27- 28
Then the king of Assyria commanded
saying
Carry thither one of the priests whom ye brought from thence
and let them go and dwell there
and let him teach them the manner of the
God of the land
Then one of the priests whom they had carried away
from Samaria came and dwelt in Beth-el
and taught them how they should fear the LORD
Foreign gods brought to the land of Israel verse 29- 31
Howbeit every nation made gods of their own
and put them in the houses of the high places
which the Samaritans had made
every nation in their cities wherein they dwelt
and the men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth
and the men of Cuth made Nergal
and the men of Hamath made Ashima
and the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak
and the Sepharvites burnt their children in
fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech
the gods of Sepharvaim
Worship both LORD and their gods practiced verse 32- 34
So they feared the LORD
and made to themselves of the lowest of them
priests of the high places
which sacrificed for them in the
houses of the high places
they feared the LORD – and served their own gods
after the manner of the nations whom they carried
away from thence
To this day they do after the former manners
they fear not the LORD – neither do they after their
statutes – ordinances – law and commandment
which the LORD commanded
the children of Jacob
whom HE named Israel
Covenant of the LORD with Israelites verse 35- 39
With whom the LORD had made a covenant – and charged him
saying
You shall not fear other gods – nor bow yourselves to them
nor serve them – nor sacrifice to them – but the LORD
WHO brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power
stretched out arm HIM shall you fear – HIM shall you worship
to HIM shall ye do sacrifice – and the statutes
ordinances – law – commandment
which HE wrote for you
you shall observe to do for evermore
you shall not fear other gods
And the covenant that I have made with you ye shall not forget
and you shall not fear other gods
BUT the LORD your God you shall fear
and HE shall deliver you out of the hand of
all your enemies
Foreign settlers would not listen to warning verse 40- 41
Howbeit they did not hearken – but they did after their former manner
so these nations feared the LORD
and served their graven images
both their children – and their children’s children
as did their fathers
so do they to this day
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 9 And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right against the LORD their God, and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city. (2644 “secretly” [chapha’] means impute, cover, attribute, to do something in a covert manner, possibly speak false invocations, or cover)
DEVOTION: Are there any secrets from God? The answer to that question is always NO! God is omniscience. HE knows everything in real time. HE is not fooled by what we try to do. HE is not confused. HE knows all and sees all.
The children of Israel thought that they could do something that God wouldn’t find out about. They thought that if they did things in the dark God would not see. It is foolish but that is the way we think sometimes.
We are sinners just like the Israelites. We might not commit the same sins but we still think that we can hide things from God. It is so foolish but our minds think that we are smarter than God.
We need to realize that God knows all and sees all. HE is not fooled by anything we do. HE is not surprised by anything we might do. HE knows that we are a fallen people who need a Savior. HE knows that HE is the only one that can provide a way to escape from Hell for eternity.
HE has done it through Christ dying on the cross for our sins. We have to realize this FACT. The children of Israel thought they could hide from God and we try to hide from God and we are wrong.
We need to confess our sins and turn from them and follow the LORD with HIS help each day. Our only hope is in Jesus Christ. Our family’s only hope is in Jesus Christ. We need to share this fact with all of our children and grandchildren and all those who will listen to us.
CHALLENGE: Are we trying to keep secrets from God? It will not work. Confess your sins and turn to HIM for help daily.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 14 Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the LORD their God. (539 “believe” [‘aman] means to prove to be firm reliable, faithful, to have faith, put one’s trust in something or someone, supported, reliable, stay faithful to, or be established)
DEVOTION: Listening is an art. Most of us like to talk rather than to listen. We think that what we have to say is important and others should listen to us. Sometimes it is true that we have important information to give to people.
Our testimony for Jesus Christ is something that is very important to share with others. However, most of the time people will watch our life to see if our actions match our words. If the two don’t match than our testimony will not affect those we are trying to reach with our message.
Here we find that the children of Israel would not listen to the prophets the LORD sent to tell them of HIS love and of his judgment. HE loved them enough to care about their actions.
HE loved a stubborn people who thought they had their act together without HIM. They felt they didn’t need HIM to interfere in their life because they wanted to live it in a way that pleased them more than HIM.
They refused to believe what HE had to say through HIS prophets until it came true and they were in captivity in a strange land. HE had given them everything and they thought they had done it on their own.
We have the same tendency with the LORD even when we claim to be a follower of HIM. We want to mix our beliefs with HIS teachings. It doesn’t work. It is either one or the other. There is no middle ground with the LORD. HE wants those who claim to be followers of HIM to be totally committed to HIM.
One sign that we are totally committed is that we are willing to read HIS WORD the Bible and do what it says without question. It will cause us to stop sinning so much and give us a place to go in confession.
The promise HE gives is that if we confess our sins, which means, to admit that we have broken one of HIS standards, HE will forgive and bless us. It has to be genuine with HIM. HE knows our heart and how stubborn we each are in our personal relationship with HIM. HE is willing to work with us.
HE was willing to work with the children of Israel but they were not willing to work with HIM. HE is a holy God and therefore needed to deal with their disobedience in a way that they would understand. They got the message the hard way. How about us? Do we need his chastening to understand that HE really does love us enough to care to discipline us?
HE is their Father and they were HIS children.
CHALLENGE: Discipline is one of the characteristics of love.
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: 18 Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of HIS sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only. (3249 “removed” [yacuwr] means to turn aside, to change direction, to go off, retreat, desert, or abolish)
DEVOTION: It is hard to imagine that something or someone can be removed from the sight of the LORD. HE is omniscient. HE is omnipresent. There is no place that we can hide from the LORD. HE isn’t sitting in a rocking chair somewhere in the heavens looking the other way. HE is not blind.
How can this statement be true? It is in the fact that HE removes HIS blessing from HIS people because of their sin. HE waits for their confession before HE will look their way again.
Here we find that out of sight of the LORD meant that they were out of the Promised Land HE had promised them. HE promised HIS presence in their lives in the Promised Land. HE entered the Tabernacle in the wilderness and the Temple of Jerusalem with HIS presence.
HE wanted them to honor HIM in the land but they chose to not honor HIM and HE removed the ten tribes from the land by using the Assyria’s as their judges. They took the children of Israel out of the land and put them in different countries to show that HE was in control of their outcome. HE wanted them in HIS presence while they were obedient but in disobedience they were out of the land where HE promised to be with them.
Judah was still in the presence of the LORD in the Promised Land for a few more years. It took about 250 years for the ten tribes with evil kings to receive this judgment of the LORD.
Judah would follow in the future. God never stops seeing what is going on in Israel and in every nation of the world today. HE is working HIS plan for Israel. HE is working HIS plan for America. HE is working HIS plan for every nation of the world.
Do we want to be in the presence of the LORD? Do we want the LORD to see what we are doing right now? We are never out of HIS presence but we can be out of HIS place of fellowship. Sin prevents the LORD from having fellowship even with HIS children.
CHALLENGE: HE has to chasten HIS children to establish a proper relationship with HIM. Once it is reestablished there is fellowship in the presence of the LORD.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 36 But the LORD, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and an outstretched arm, him shall ye fear, and him shall ye worship, and to him shall ye do sacrifice. (3581 “power” [kowach] means to be firm, vigor, force, ability, able, might, strength, or wealth)
DEVOTION: We sing a song “What a Mighty God we serve” in some of our worship services. The problem is that we say the words but don’t understand just how mighty a God we serve.
The children of Israel had the same problem. The ten tribes which was called Israel had a capital called Samaria. All of their kings did evil in the sight of the LORD. Hoshea was not as bad as some of the other kings but he still did evil in the sight of the LORD. He looked to Egypt for help instead of to the LORD. Remember that Egypt represented the world in the community of Israel. Too often it looked to human sources for help instead of the LORD.
There are ten plagues the LORD used to get the attention of Pharaoh. Each was to challenge a false god of Egypt. The LORD showed that HE had the ability to defeat any false god. The children of Israel saw this happen. However, they didn’t learn the lesson well. The LORD demonstrated HIS strength in the wilderness. They didn’t remember that either. The LORD demonstrated HIS might in the Promised Land and they still didn’t learn. Now the kingdoms are divided and the ten tribes worshiped false gods. They wanted to worship their own way.
This chapter is describing what happens to the people of God in the Old Testament that decided to do things their way. The LORD had to judge them or chasten them. HE sent them into captivity in Assyria. The ten tribes were gone.
Judah still had a king that served the LORD. They also wanted to worship the same way as the Israelites in Samaria. They wanted to have both the LORD and the gods of the land. The LORD would not accept that type of worship.
Once the ten tribes were cast out of HIS sight, foreigners moved in. The LORD sent lions to kill them to show that HE was still in the Promised Land. They learned how to fear the LORD but it didn’t stop them from bringing their false gods in to worship.
Can we ever really get out of the presence of the LORD? NO!!! What does this phrase mean? It means that the LORD wanted the children of Israel in the Promised Land that HE had promised to bless with HIS presence. They didn’t care. So, HE sent them to a land where HIS name was not honored.
Today we want to worship the LORD and worship the gods of our world. When we do things our own way, the LORD has to chasten us. Do we see this in the churches we are attending? Or do we see the strength of the LORD in our services? Are we going to church to worship the LORD alone? Are we hungry for the Word of God and are we being fed the Word of God each time we enter our church?
We need churches that have the strength of God manifested each Sunday. We need to enter the church prepared to meet the LORD. Prayer is part of the answer. Please pray for the LORD to do a great work in our churches. We need to prepare our hearts before we enter our church.
The prophets challenged the people to “turn” from their present direction to a new direction. They were to repent and turn toward the LORD. As we turn toward the LORD, we can renew our strength.
CHALLENGE: Once our strength is renewed, we can enter the local church with renewed strength which can manifest itself in a revival among the people of God.
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: 39 But the LORD your God you shall fear; and HE shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies. (3372 “fear” [yare] means reverence, to stand in awe of, honor, respect, or tremble)
DEVOTION: We are introduced to a new group of people in the Promised Land. The children are Israel had been moved out of Samaria because of their continual practice of worshiping false gods. This new group were individuals taken from other nations and moved into the area by the king of Assyria.
However, when they first moved in they were attacked by lions and they wanted to know more about the God that was in the land before they arrived. There was a priest sent to instruct them regarding the proper way to worship Jehovah. This lasted for just a short time and then they brought their false gods back and tried to worship Jehovah and their false gods.
This was unacceptable to the LORD but it gave us a background for Jesus meeting the Samaritan woman at the well. They discussed how to worship the one TRUE God that Jesus Christ represented.
The woman thought that they were worshiping the LORD when in reality they were not. Jesus wanted her and all those in the land to realize that the LORD wants to be worshiped in spirit and in truth. They had neither.
Today the LORD expects the same from us. HE wants us to worship HIM both internally and externally according to HIS standard.
The starting point for any worship is our reverence for the LORD. If we are not going to honor HIM it is not worship. If we are not going to please HIM and bring glory to HIS name it is not worship. It is not all about us but it is all about HIM!!!
There is a promise associated with proper Biblical worship. The promise is that we can have victory over our enemies. Nothing can defeat those who are genuinely worshiping the LORD in spirit and in truth.
CHALLENGE: What type of worship are you honoring the LORD with throughout the week and on Sunday? Is it genuine or something that is a combination of what we feel and what the Bible teaches?
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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Priest taught people sent to Samaria to teach
about the LORD verse 28
Israel to worship and serve the LORD verse 38
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Commandments verse 13, 16, 19, 34, 37
Statutes verse 13, 15, 34, 37
Law verse 13, 34, 37
Covenant verse 15, 35
Testimonies verse 15
Ordinances verse 34, 37
Jacob = Israel verse 34
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal) verse 2, 7- 9, 11- 21, 23, 25, 28, 32- 36, 39
Sight of the LORD verse 2, 17
God – Elohim (Creator) verse 7, 9, 14, 16, 26, 27, 39
LORD their God verse 7, 9, 14, 16
Brought Israel out of the land of Egypt verse 7
LORD testified against Israel verse 13
LORD charged Israel verse 15
LORD very angry with Israel verse 18
Removed Israel out of HIS sight verse 18
Brought Israel out of land of Egypt verse 36
Great power verse 36
Stretched out arm verse 36
LORD your God verse 39
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Shalmaneser – king of Assyria verse 3- 6, 23- 27
Found conspiracy in Hoshea
Besieged Samaria three years
Took Samaria in ninth year
Carried Israel to Assyria
Repopulated Israel with
People from many nations
Didn’t fear the LORD
LORD sent lions
Sent priests of Israel back to land to
Teach people about God
Priest sent to Bethel and taught them
about the LORD
King of Egypt = So verse 4, 7, 36
Messengers sent to by Hoshea
LORD brought Israel out of land
Heathen verse 11, 15
Foreigners feared not the LORD verse 24- 28, 41
Foreigners taught how to fear the LORD verse 28
Samaritans = foreigners in Samaria verse 29
False gods worshiped by Samaritans verse 29- 31
Succoth-be-noth
Nergal
Ashima
Nibhaz
Tartak
Adrammelech
Anammelech
Lowest of people made priests verse 32- 34
Feared the LORD and served their own
gods
Foreign individuals feared not the LORD verse 34
Enemies verse 39
Nations feared the LORD verse 41
Foreign individuals served graven images verse 41
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Evil verse 2
Conspiracy verse 4
Sinned verse 7, 21
Feared other gods verse 7, 29, 30, 31, 33, 35, 37, 38
Walked in the statutes of the heathen verse 8, 15, 19, 22
Secretly not doing right verse 9
High places verse 9, 11, 29
Images verse 10, 16, 41
Groves verse 10, 16
Burnt incense to false gods verse 11
Heathen verse 11, 15
Wicked things verse 11
Provoke LORD to anger verse 11, 17, 18
Idols verse 12
Broke commands of the LORD verse 12
Evil ways verse 13, 17
Not hearing the LORD verse 14
Hardened their necks verse 14
Not believe verse 14
Rejected HIS statutes verse 15
Follow vanity verse 15
Vain verse 15
Left HIS commandments verse 16, 19
Two calves verse 16
Worshiped host of heaven verse 16
Worshiped Baal verse 16
Pass through fire for false god verse 17
Divination verse 17
Enchantments verse 17
Sold themselves to do evil verse 17
Walked in different statutes verse 19
Sin a great sin verse 21
Walked in sins of Jeroboam verse 22
Feared not the LORD verse 25, 34
Fear other gods verse 35
Bow down to false gods verse 35
Serve false gods verse 35
Sacrifice to false gods verse 35
Not hearkening to the LORD verse 40
Doing after former manner verse 40
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Prophets verse 13, 23
Seers verse 13
Turn from evil ways verse 13
Keep commandments – statutes verse 13
Servants verse 13, 23
Believe verse 14
Covenant verse 15, 35, 38
Afflicted verse 20
Fear the LORD verse 28, 32, 33, 36, 39, 41
Worship the LORD verse 36
Sacrifice to the LORD verse 36
Observe to do commands of LORD verse 37
Not fear other gods verse 37, 38
Not forget covenant verse 38
Deliverance from enemies verse 39
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Ahaz – king of Judah verse 1, 18
12th year of his reign
Only tribe of Judah left in land
Kept not the commandments of the
LORD
Walked in statures of Israel
Hoshea – son of Elah – king of Samaria verse 1- 18,
Reign over Samaria 9 years
Did evil in the sight of the LORD
He became servant of Shalmaneser
Give presents to Shalmaneser
Brought no present to the
King of Assyria
People carried to Assyria and placed
in cities of Medes
Captivity of ten tribes of Israel verse 6
Prophets testified against Israel and Judah verse 13, 23
Seers testified against Israel and Judah verse 13
LORD rejected Israel verse 20
Delivered Israel into hands of spoilers verse 20
Israel (ten tribes) out of sight of LORD verse 20, 23
House of David verse 21, 22
Jeroboam – son of Nebat king
Drove Israel from following the LORD
Made Israel sin a great sin
Israel walked in his sins
Children of Jacob = Israel verse 34
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
17:29–41 Despite this promising beginning, the new inhabitants of Samaria and the surrounding area soon revert to their national cultic rites. Now they imitate the Israelites’ worst religious activities by initiating a truly syncretistic religious system. Deities from many lands are worshiped, and human sacrifice is practiced, yet the Lord is “served” as well. Individuals chosen from the new people groups act as priests for Yahweh worship.
Readers are warned that such worship is not worship at all. They must adhere to their Lord and to the covenant, for only the covenant God freed them from Egypt and offered them guidance. Only the Lord can deliver them from their current enemies. Polytheism, syncretism, or simple neglecting of the Lord will ruin the current group of Israelites’ present and future just as surely as these actions destroyed their nation’s past. They must choose to break with the traditions of their ancestors and serve the Lord. Nothing can be done about the past, but the present and the future can be salvaged. The readers have the chance to learn from history. (House, P. R. (1995). 1, 2 Kings (Vol. 8, p. 343). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
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34–40. This is a purely syncretistic worship by non-Yahweh-fearers (vv. 34, 36, 39) without governing ordinances (vv. 34, 37), so leading to different customs and practices (vv. 34, 38). Such unfaithfulness to the great covenant between God and his own people contrasts with the law and order which should characterize them. The language and style is thoroughly ‘Deuteronomistic’ in condemning the Samaritan form of mixed worship. Worship of the Lord must be faithful and exclusive, never part of paganized worship (vv. 37–40). Those who do not do this do not in fact worship God, whatever they profess. (Wiseman, D. J. (1993). 1 and 2 Kings: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 9, p. 287). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)
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17:34–41 Having shown how the Samaritan people and their religion came into being (vv. 24–33), the writer of Kings shows how the syncretistic worship of the Samaritans continued for generations, even to his own day (cf. v. 41; during the Babylonian exile). The religion of the Samaritans was, at its foundation, no different from Jeroboam I’s deviant religion. (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (2 Ki 17:34–41). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
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After deporting the best of the people, the king of Assyria imported citizens from other nations under his rule, thereby preventing Israel from organizing and rebelling. These verses describe the origin of “the Samaritans,” that mixed people we read about in John 4 and Acts 8. Later on a “remnant” of believing Jews did return to Samaria, but orthodox Jews would have no dealings with this “half-breed” nation. Jesus told a Samaritan woman plainly that the Samaritans did not know what they were worshiping (John 4:22) and that salvation would come from the Jews.
At first, there was no religious faith in Samaria, so God had to send lions to bring fear into the hearts of the people (see v. 25). However, the leaders solved the problem in a most peculiar way: they imported a Jewish priest, learned the way of the Lord, and then had the people worship both Jehovah and their own national gods. “Every nation made gods of their own,” says v. 29. This was an OT ecumenical movement. Note the repetition of the phrase “they feared the Lord” (vv. 25, 28, 32–34, 41). They feared the Lord (as the “god of the land,” v. 27), but they worshiped and served their own gods (v. 33). Their worship of Jehovah was an empty formality, a mere outward show of allegiance; their true worship was of their own heathen gods. Jehovah was but another “god” in their collection of deities.
In other words, even after seeing the heavy hand of judgment on their land, the people that remained still persisted in disobeying the Lord. Ultimately this cancer of idolatry spread to Judah, and in 586 B.C. the Babylonians captured and destroyed Jerusalem. A remnant returned under Ezra and Nehemiah, and the nation began to blossom again. But when God sent His Son to His people, they rejected Him, and once again divine judgment had to fall. In A.D. 70 Jerusalem was destroyed, and the nation scattered across the world.
“Blessed is that nation whose God is the Lord.” These tragic events in the history of Israel ought to cause Christian citizens to fear for their country and pray for their leaders. Godless leaders produce godless generations of citizens (v. 41). Compromising priests lead worshipers farther away from the Lord. When the Word of the Lord is rejected (vv. 34–38), there is no hope for a nation’s future. There may be an extension of mercy (God bore with Israel for 250 years), but ultimately judgment must fall.
There is no cure for apostasy. Once God’s people have finally turned away from the Lord, God must judge. He will save for Himself a “remnant” of faithful believers and start His witness again, but He will not bless that part that has rejected His Word and refused His calls. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1993). Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines on the Old Testament (2 Ki 17:24–2 Ki 20). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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The Lord became very angry. He had claimed Israel as his people for centuries; he had been gracious, compassionate, and patient. The time has now come for the Lord to reject Israel and deliver his people into the hands of invaders and plunderers. It is the Lord who has exiled Israel. The prophecies of the Lord, spoken to warn Israel, are fulfilled. (Elwell, W. A. (1995). Evangelical Commentary on the Bible (Vol. 3, 2 Ki 17:9). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.)
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They became slaves of sin. Jeroboam established the golden calves, but even this was not enough for Israel’s lustful heart. Not only did they worship the gods of the Canaanites, but they imported gods from the other nations. God divided the kingdom (v. 18), leaving David’s family to rule Judah, but then even Judah went into sin. God turned the nation over to “spoilers” (v. 20), both from within their own land and from outside the land. Their kings robbed them and their enemies attacked them. God warned them through the prophets that judgment would come, but the people blindly went on from sin to sin.
The OT lists twenty kings for the nation of Israel, all of them wicked. It took about 250 years for the kingdom of Israel to fall into ruin. They heard preachers like Elijah, Elisha, Amos, Hosea, and Isaiah, yet refused to bow the knee to the Lord. There is no cure for apostasy. All God can do is judge, and then take a “believing remnant” and start over again. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1993). Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines on the Old Testament (2 Ki 17:7–23). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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The miserable result on the sinners’ own natures is described with pregnant brevity in verse 15. ‘They followed vanity, and became vain.’ The worshipper became like the thing worshipped, as is always the case. The idol is vanity, utter emptiness and nonentity; and whoever worships nothingness will become in his own inmost life as empty and vain as it is. That is the retribution attendant on all trust in, and longing after, the trifles of earth, that we come down to the level of what we set our hearts upon. We see the effects of that principle in the moral degradation of idolaters. Gods lustful, cruel, capricious, make men like themselves. We see it working upwards in Christianity, in which God becomes man that men may become like God, and of which the whole law is put into one precept, which is sure to be kept, in the measure of the reality of a man’s religion. ‘Be ye therefore imitators of God, as beloved children.’ (MacLaren, A. (2009). Expositions of Holy Scripture: 2 Kings 8–Nehemiah (pp. 38–39). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.)
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Out of his sight, i.e. out of Canaan, the only place of God’s solemn worship and gracious presence; or, out of his church. The tribe of Judah only; and the greatest part of the tribe of Benjamin, and those of the tribes of Simeon and Levi, who adhered to them, and were incorporated with them; and therefore, very fitly denominated from them: see of this phrase on 1 Kings 11:13. (Poole, M. (1853). Annotations upon the Holy Bible (Vol. 1, p. 753). New York: Robert Carter and Brothers.)
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FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
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Forget Not His Commandments
“My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments.” (Proverbs 3:1)
It is vitally important that even though we are saved by grace and not by the works of the law, we never forget that God’s law is essentially a statement of God’s holiness. We should desire to know and follow God’s commandments simply because they are “holy, and just, and good” (Romans 7:12), not because we seek salvation through them.
It is noteworthy that the anonymous writer of the longest chapter in the Bible (Psalm 119), in which practically every verse refers to the Scriptures, stressed seven times that he would never forget the laws and commandments of his Lord. May the Lord teach us to share the same determination. Note:
“I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word” (v. 16).
“For I am become like a bottle in the smoke; yet do I not forget thy statutes” (v. 83).
“I will never forget thy precepts: for with them thou hast quickened me” (v. 93).
“My soul is continually in my hand: yet do I not forget thy law” (v. 109).
“I am small and despised: yet do not I forget thy precepts” (v. 141).
“Consider mine affliction, and deliver me: for I do not forget thy law” (v. 153).
“I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments” (v. 176).
This seventh reference is actually the closing verse of this remarkable 119th Psalm. It beautifully points up the urgency of not forgetting the commandments of God. He will seek us when we stray and bring us back home to Him, for we remember and love His law. (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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James does not condemn wealth; rather he condemns the uncompassionate use of wealth. It is not wrong to have money, but it is very wrong to have money and not use it to further the Gospel and the welfare of the needy of the world. Those in need are often utterly dependent on those with wealth. In support of James’ teaching, Paul writes in 1 Timothy 6:17-18: “Command those who are rich . . . that they be rich in good works.” Neither Paul nor James tells the rich to give up their riches; rather both encourage the rich to use their wealth compassionately and generously. (Quiet Walk)
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OVERCOMING THE WORLD
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
1 John 5:4
John means by this that the Christian is one who conquers the world, who masters it. He actually says a most extraordinary thing here, and for once I have to grant that the Revised Version is superior to the Authorized! The Authorized reads like this: “And this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” But the Revised has, “This is the victory that has overcome”; it has already happened.
Now John is saying two things here that at first sight, as so often with John, appear to be contradictory. He says that the Christian is one who has overcome the world and also that the Christian is one who overcomes the world. Christian people, John tells us, are men and women who are in an entirely new position with regard to this matter. They are not like the non-Christian. Christians are in this new position because of their faith. They have come to see the real meaning of the world; they have come to see what it is, and they hate it. They know that the world has already been conquered by the Lord Jesus Christ, and they know that they themselves are in Christ; therefore, there is a sense in which the Christian has overcome the world. Christ has overcome it, and I am in Christ, and therefore I have overcome it.
And yet there is a sense in which I am still overcoming it. I am already victorious, but I still have to fight. The New Testament is fond of saying that. “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus,” says Paul, “who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:30-31). He is already that to us; so there is a sense in which I am already sanctified, already glorified. Read the eighth chapter of Romans, and you will find that Paul tells us that explicitly (verses 29-30); in Christ Jesus we are already complete, it has all happened. And yet I am also still being sanctified, and I am still on the way to glorification.
A Thought to Ponder: Christ has overcome the world, and I am in Christ, and therefore I have overcome it. (From Life in God, pp. 41-42 by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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The Israelites begin worshipping Baal, a god of Canaan.
INSIGHT
There is a distinct pattern of events that begins to unfold in Judges. The children of Israel fall into sin and begin worshiping other gods. Sin is followed by servitude. The Lord causes other nations to rise up in judgment and enslave Israel.
Israel cries out to God for deliverance, and the Lord delivers them by raising up a judge to lead them to victory. Then the land has rest until that judge dies and the cycle begins again: sin, servitude, supplication, salvation, and silence. Sin is always followed by bondage. Repentance frees. (Quiet Walk)
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UNBELIEF
If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4
Let us consider what our Lord has to say about the terrible condition of unbelief. The first thing He tells us is that it is a definite mentality, a definite spirit. Unbelief is not a negative but an active thing. Of course, our tendency is to think of unbelief as just a negative condition in which a man does not believe, but according to the Bible that is an utter fallacy. Unbelief is terribly positive and active, a state and condition of the soul, with a very definite mentality. The Bible, indeed, does not hesitate to put it essentially like this: “Unbelief is one of the manifestations of sin; it is one of the symptoms of that foul disease.” Or as the apostle Paul puts it in 2 Corinthians 4:3-4, “If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not.”
It is a terrible state and condition. Let me put it like this. It is not just a refusal to believe. That is how the devil foils us. He persuades modern unbelievers into thinking that they are unbelievers because of their great intelligence, their wonderful intellect and understanding. They think that people who are Christians are fools who have either not read or have not understood what they have read. The unbeliever thinks that he is in that state because of his scientific knowledge, and that it is in the light of these things that he refuses to believe. They rejoice in their great emancipation, that they have been delivered from the shackles of the Bible, and that they have been emancipated from this drug, this dope of the people that we call the gospel. Poor things! They are unconscious slaves, and they do not know that they are victims.
A Thought to Ponder: They are unconscious slaves, and they do not know that they are victims. (From The Heart of the Gospel, pp. 85-86, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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Two Mothers
“And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.” (Luke 1:46-47)
Two Jewish ladies, each carrying children recently conceived, met to discuss their circumstances. Perhaps billions of mothers, before and since, have had similar encounters, but since this meeting between Mary and Elizabeth was so special and precious, perhaps we can all profit by its study.
The first thing we notice is that their conversation turned immediately to God, to praise of Him for His goodness and grace. No doubt each one experienced all the common difficulties and discomforts of these months but chose instead to dwell on their blessings and the greatness of God.
Mary especially, in the discourse introduced by our text, burst forth in a torrent of praise, singing of the virtues of her Savior and reveling in His grace (vv. 46-55). He had chosen her despite her unworthiness. Her present misunderstood circumstances were not in view at all, just her precious communion with her Lord and His gracious dealings with mankind. In all these things, she “rejoiced.”
Note that there is no hint of doubt in her song, neither is there a shrinking back from His holiness. In these verses are no fewer than 15 quotations from the Old Testament. Mary knew God’s Word well and sang it back to Him. Furthermore, she sings in humility, not calling herself “mother of God,” as some do today, but sings of “God my Saviour.”
These two mothers provide a model for each of us, especially those blessed with childbearing. May each encounter focus on Him, not just on temporal events. May our fellowship be centered in Him and in His Word, not just with friends or family. May prayer and praise burst forth from our lips, not just idle conversation. May we know all the joy and confidence of Mary and join in her song.
(JDM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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Noticing Nature
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Matthew 6:26
A friend and I recently visited a favorite walking spot of mine. Climbing a windswept hill, we crossed a field of wildflowers into a forest of towering pines, then descended into a valley where we paused a moment. Clouds floated softly above us. A stream trickled nearby. The only sounds were birdsongs. Jason and I stood there silently for fifteen minutes, taking it all in.
As it turns out, our actions that day were deeply therapeutic. According to research from the University of Derby, people who stop to contemplate nature experience higher levels of happiness, lower levels of anxiety, and a greater desire to care for the earth. Walking through the forest isn’t enough, though. You have to watch the clouds, listen to the birds. The key isn’t being in nature, but noticing it.
Could there be a spiritual reason for nature’s benefits? Paul said that creation reveals God’s power and nature (Romans 1:20). God told Job to look at the sea, sky, and stars for evidence of His presence (Job 38–39). Jesus said that contemplating the “birds of the air” and “flowers of the field” could reveal God’s care and reduce anxiety (Matthew 6:25–30). In Scripture, noticing nature is a spiritual practice.
Scientists wonder why nature affects us so positively. Maybe one reason is that by noticing nature we catch a glimpse of the God who created it and who notices us. By Sheridan Voysey, Our Daily Bread
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