2 Kings 17:1-13 (CLICK HERE FOR BIBLE VERSES)
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is 2 Kings 17:1-13. As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first. See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below. Let’s go!
2 Kings 17:1-13 (NIV)
1 In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, Hoshea son of Elah became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned nine years.
2 He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, but not like the kings of Israel who preceded him.
3 Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up to attack Hoshea, who had been Shalmaneser’s vassal and had paid him tribute.
4 But the king of Assyria discovered that Hoshea was a traitor, for he had sent envoys to So king of Egypt, and he no longer paid tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year. Therefore Shalmaneser seized him and put him in prison.
5 The king of Assyria invaded the entire land, marched against Samaria and laid siege to it for three years.
6 In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and deported the Israelites to Assyria. He settled them in Halah, in Gozan on the Habor River and in the towns of the Medes.
7 All this took place because the Israelites had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them up out of Egypt from under the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They worshiped other gods
8 and followed the practices of the nations the LORD had driven out before them, as well as the practices that the kings of Israel had introduced.
9 The Israelites secretly did things against the LORD their God that were not right. From watchtower to fortified city they built themselves high places in all their towns.
10 They set up sacred stones and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every spreading tree.
11 At every high place they burned incense, as the nations whom the LORD had driven out before them had done. They did wicked things that provoked the LORD to anger.
12 They worshiped idols, though the LORD had said, “You shall not do this.”
13 The LORD warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and seers: “Turn from your evil ways. Observe my commands and decrees, in accordance with the entire Law that I commanded your fathers to obey and that I delivered to you through my servants the prophets.”
On verses 1-13: One thing that strikes me as I read this passage is how much more merciful and gracious the Lord is compared to Shalmaneser king of Assyria. King Hoshea of Israel had been Shalmaneser’s vassal. In other words, King Hoshea had a relationship with Shalmaneser such that King Hoshea would pay tribute to Shalmaneser each year in exchange for Shalmaneser’s agreement to protect and not hurt Israel. But secretly King Hoshea began to side with Egypt and stopped paying tribute to Shalmaneser. In response to Hoshea’s rebellion and disloyalty, Shalmaneser seizes Hoshea, puts him in prison, lays siege to Israel for 3 years and deports the Israelites to Assyria.
Just as King Hoshea was unfaithful to King Shalmaneser of Assyria, the Israelites were unfaithful to the Lord. Verses 7-12 describe how the Israelites worshiped other gods, imitated the religious practices of foreign nations, and secretly did things against the Lord that were not right. Rather than putting them in prison or taking away their land immediately the way Shalmaneser did, the Lord was patient with the Israelites from generation to generation, warning them not to worship idols. It was only after persistent rebellion that the Lord finally disciplines the Israelites by allowing Assyria to invade Israel and deport the Israelites to Assyria.
I’m so thankful that God’s first response to our rebellion against Him was not to seize us, put us in prison, invade our land and deport us the way Shalmaneser did to Hoshea and the Israelites. Rather God’s first response was to warn us.
This shows me that the Lord is a lot more merciful than people can be. Our society tends be very quick to judge people. In Vancouver and in North America generally it seems people tend to talk about others in extremes: either that person is this great and amazing human being who should be worshiped and glorified, or that person is a bad, despicable human being who should be shunned and vilified. Compare this to God, who is fully aware of our sinful tendencies and yet who nonetheless loves us, even sending His Son Jesus to die on the cross in our place to pay for our sins. God is far more merciful than people.
It’s no wonder why David, when given a choice, said, “Let me fall into the hands of the Lord, for His mercy is great, but do not let me fall into the hands of men.” (2 Samuel 24:14)
We are always better off placing our hope in the Lord than placing it in people.
Father, thank You that no one can compare to You in mercy. You are so merciful, patient, gracious and compassionate, despite all of our rebellious and immature ways. You are a fair and just Father who doesn’t make rash decisions or mete out unnecessarily harsh punishment. You aren’t just greater than us in terms of justice and holiness, but You far exceed us in terms of mercy and compassion. Thank You for all the mercy, grace and compassion You show me. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
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