Click to read 2 Kings 17
Synopsis
Israel continued in sin and the last king, Hoshea did all the evil things against God. Despite many warnings that God gave to them and two invasions from Assyria (2 Kings 15:19, 29), the people did not repent. As such, God allowed Assyria to completely destroy Israel with the third conquest. The Assyrians then brought in foreigners to re-settle in the Promised Land while Israel was sent into exile.
God did what He had warned that He would do to Israel (Dt:28) if they disobeyed Him. Yet God carried out His punishment only after repeated warnings and attempts to allow Israel to repent. The nation was in a state no better than the pagan nations that Joshua had destroyed. Israel had turned away from God and rejected the original intention of being the light to the world.
Major Verses
V7-17 - All of Israel's sins and disobedience are recorded here. God judged Israel because they copied the evil customs of the surrounding countries. They worshiped false gods, made their own gods, practiced sexual religion and disregarded God completely.
What I learn
Be careful of the things that influence our daily life. We must not allow such to pull us away from our central belief in God. Sometimes it is painful and difficult to follow God, but let us remind ourselves that it would be more painful if we did not.
God's mercy and patience are beyond our comprehension. Because of His love, He will pursue us relentlessly until we respond to Him and repent, or by our own choice, make ourselves unreachable. God's judgment on those who forsake Him is swift and sure.
Let's ask the Holy Spirit to help us to be determined to be the person God has created us to be and for His glory. Let's remember that it is more important what God thinks of us than what those around us think.
V25 - 29, 34-40 - The foreigners had settled in the Promised Land. As they did not revere God, they were punished. Lions mauled them. They were quick to realize the power of God and thus asked the exiled priests to teach them how to worship God. However, they did that to appease Him and not to please Him. They took God as another of their idols that they were worshiping. They were not true believers.
What I learn
Be careful that we do not have the attitude of appeasing Him rather than truly pleasing Him. To truly please God, we need to totally surrender ourselves to Him and give up attitudes and actions that God denounces. His values must come first in our life and those attitudes that we had wrongly built up must be given up. He demands our complete obedience.
Summary
God gave Israel many warnings through the prophets and also the Assyrian's first and second conquests. Yet Israel refused to repent. They paid for their choice and Hoshea became the last king of Israel. The nation was completely destroyed because they chose not to obey and follow God.
Next week....... we learn from king Hezekiah of Judah.
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