2nd Kings 17 CAPTIVITY! Even though Hoshea, the last king of Israel, did not do all the evil of those before him, he had been born and brought up in an evil time, and evil practices were normal to him. The sins of those who follow us have been learned from us or those of our generation. To us it was abhorrent at the beginning. But soon with the adapting of the laws of the land to the will of the people rather than the other way around, it becomes hard for the succeeding generation to even know the difference between right and wrong.
Who would have thought the day would come when the children of Israel would seek an alliance with Egypt to preserve them from being attacked by the Assyrians. History does repeat itself and we see similar practices today among the nations of the Middle East as they war and maneuver among themselves. Their forefathers forsook the Lord and ignored the righteousness of life and the laws He gave. Now we as a nation do the same. "God is not in all their thoughts." Plans, treaties, peace talks and failing alliances are all failures because God is left out and the idols of materialism, man-made religion and personal opinions are what is directing the affairs of those nations. Sadly, it has come here as well and our nation is following the same path of failure.
The practice of spreading captives throughout the Assyrian empire was probably to keep people of the same background from uniting and rebelling. Moving Assyrians into captured lands seemed like a good thing, but historically it didn't do well past the first generation. People quickly adapt to a new environment and form a loyalty to a geographical area that supersedes that which their forbearers had. A nation of immigrants from many foreign countries soon unites as an new entity that is established and maintained by local interests and local concerns. The plague of lions from the Lord led to the establishing of a mixed religion that contained some good things from the worship of God, and then was mixed with the evil practices of pagan idolatry. It ended up as a terrible perverse religious form without power or morals.
High places for idol worship were erected in every town, on hills and under every big tree. Sinful practices, perhaps even religious prostitution, witchcraft, spiritism and the worship of the sun, moon and stars were all added to the name of God. This great insult against the holiness of God continues in various religious forms and practices today even under the name of Christianity. God is longsuffering and allowed Israel a long time to repent and turn to Him before He finally shut them down - national identity and all. We need to beware because that same pattern of departure and depravity is happening here in our day. Israel was led away in captivity and dispersed among the nations. What will happen to us remains to be seen. We do know that it is a principle - whatever we sow, we reap.
The resulting mixture of people became known as "Samaritans" who were despised by the tribe of Judah which included some of Benjamin, Simeon and Levi. Most Jews today trace their linage to one of these. The other tribes are known as the "ten lost tribes." However, it is likely that the poorer people who labored on the land were left to till the land. Those who were leaders of one kind or another - business, political, military or government would have been taken away to other parts of the Assyrian empire. In grace God has shown kindness to the mixture called "the Samaritans" and saved the woman at the well, many during the preaching of Philip and likely many more. Our "God of all grace" looks upon the hearts of individuals and is willing that they come to Him and He will receive them in spite of who they are or what they have done.
Israel lost sight of God in whom we trust by faith, and turned to those man-made things that are seen - even though they are not real. The imagination of man can create all kinds of false impressions which, if they are followed, soon become real in the depraved minds of those who are "dead in trespasses and sins." People claim to believe in God but they refuse to reject sinful practices both personally and religiously. They do what God denounces, and do not do what God commands. They add to that which God has done, and ignore what God has completed. Our words and actions must correspond to what God says and does in order to be right.
Israel lost sight of who God is, what He had done for them and the importance of following Him. Consequently, they lost their identity, they lost their testimony, they lost what they had personally had and, in many cases, lost their lives. They said they worshipped the Lord but mixed in with the service of their own gods and ended up with nothing but captivity. We are not immune to such consequences when we allow other things and opinions to cloud our judgment and spiritual life.
God must come first in everything we do. His word shows us where we are and where He intends us to go. To add or take away from divine revelation is a form of idolatry in that it promotes self-worship and an "Up with man" attitude. "I know best what is good for me." "If i think it is right, I will do it." That attitude is the attitude of idolatry that leads to captivity and final destruction.
2Kings 17:40-41. “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 unto this day.”
STRANGE TIMES. God chose a people to bear His name. For many generations, onlookers came To observe and wonder at God’s amazing grace, And the order of worship in His chosen place.
But as time went by, they did secretly things not right. At first, they thought it was okay if it was not in plain sight. Instead of those around turning to God in faith – God’s people hardened their necks and went down in disgrace.
They made themselves idols like the sinful world around. They sold themselves to do evil that increased by leaps and bounds. Their children went down in flames following that terrible course – The nation was rejected by God who had made them His original choice.
Others came in from afar to take over their privileged place. They did what they wanted in God’s sanctified space. Lions and false priests – God can use what He chooses To bring judgment down on those who the fear of God loses.
When God’s chosen people fail to walk in His ways – He may take up others who don’t know Him but see through a haze Of spiritual gloom evidence of the true God they don’t know – And because of a glimmer of faith is there, God’s grace He will show.
We who know so much have so much to lose. Those who know little are still able to choose
Based on creation and conscience to turn towards God, And the very little light they have grasped pleases the Lord.
How strange that those who know, and were favored so much – Turn away from faith in God to those things they can touch. They and their children and all those who followed – Fall under God’s judgment, because Satan’s lies they swallowed.
“Father, as I hear of all the disasters caused by acts of nature, and then hear of children of believers taking their own lives, I am wondering if I have failed in my calling. O Lord, have mercy on me and others around me, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.”