2 Kings chapter
17 recounts the sad and humiliating conquest of the nation of Israel.
I believe God provides the lessons about the nation for us to apply
to our own individual lives today. After 200 years of living under
the authority of earthly kings, the people abandoned God. The Lord
wanted to be their God exclusively, but they people wanted to be like
everyone else. The chapter begins, “Hoshea
son of Elah became king of Israel… he reigned nine years… He did
evil in the eyes of the Lord, but not like the kings of Israel who
preceded him“.
Isn’t
it funny how we often believe, we are “Not as bad as other people”.
We read that Hoshea, had been paying off the king of Assyria, but
then turned to Egypt for protection. In retaliation, “In
the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and
deported the Israelites to Assyria“.
We often fail to see the danger of underestimating the enemy. On
our own, w are all susceptible to temptation and sin.
The
chapter continues, “All
this took place because the Israelites had sinned against the Lord
their God, who had brought them up out of Egypt… They worshiped
other gods and followed the practices of the nations the Lord had
driven out before them… They did wicked things that provoked the
Lord to anger“.
Over time, Israel turned from God and became like the world. Jesus
told His followers, “You
are the light of the world… Let your light so shine before men,
that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven”
(Matt 5:13-16). The chapter reminds us how God had spoken through
the prophets and pleaded with His people to “Turn
from your evil ways“.
Sadly the chapter concludes, “But
they would not listen… They rejected his decrees and the covenant…
and sold themselves to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, provoking Him
to anger“.
And with a broken heart “the
Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them from His presence“.
As believers we are told, “And
do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing
of your mind, that you may prove what is
that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans
12:2). Where do you go to renew your mind?
In
capturing the Israelite cities, Assyria methodically removed the best
and brightest of Israel, stripped them of all they owned and brought
in other people to possess the captured land. “When
they first lived there, they did not worship the Lord; so he sent
lions among them and they killed some of the people.”
It is never comfortable being near the things of God, but not
honoring God. Are there “lions” attacking you today? Listen to
the description of the inhabitants of the land, “They
worshiped the Lord, but they also served their own gods“.
God desires an exclusive relationship. He will not be one of many
“gods” in our life. God made a promise to His people “Do
not forget the covenant I have made with you, and do not worship
other gods. Rather, worship the Lord your God; it is He who
will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies“.
This promise is extended to you and me today. Will you trust the
promises of God, or the promises of the world?