Read: 2
Kings 17:1-23
This is one of the saddest passages in Scripture.
Hoshea has become king of Israel. At some point, Hoshea sets up a vassal
relationship with Assyria. In order to maintain a degree of national
sovereignty and not be subsumed, Israel will pay yearly tributes to Assyria.
However, Hoshea defaulted on his promise. He secretly approached Egypt for help
and stopped paying tribute to Assyria. This angered the Assyrian king, who
attacked Israel. Samaria lay under Assyrian siege for three years and was
eventually captured. With the capitol captured, Israel ceases to exist. Its
people are deported to Assyria. The exile is complete. There will be no more kings of Israel as the
northern kingdom never recovers from this exile.
It can be easy to think God judged Israel based
solely on the actions of its kings. After all, this entire book is centered on
the sin and repentance of leadership. However, if judgment were based solely on
the actions of leadership, Israel likely would have been exiled under Ahab, not
Hoshea, who was less evil than some of his predecessors (v 2). Further, the
Holy Spirit takes care to note that the entire nation was mired in sinful
rebellion (v 7-23). This passage reminds us of how good God is to His people
and how unfaithful we are in return. We forget about the deliverance He
provides for us. We dedicate ourselves to other gods. We complain about His
laws, forgetting the fact that they were created to bring us freedom from
bondage. God faithfully gave Israel the opportunity to repent. It was only once
the nation proved themselves hard-hearted that He sent punishment. Even in the
exile, God did not wipe His people from the nation. He allowed them to survive;
He merely removed them from the Promised Land. He also retained Judah, giving
them more time to repent. God is a good, patient Father. He disciplines His
children, giving them opportunities to learn and mature. His heart is broken
when they constantly rebel and curse His name. Eventually, like any good father
would, God draws a line. He must say, “Enough is enough,” and not stand by
letting Israel rebel. Israel must be left to choose their own path and face the
consequences of their actions. And, like any good father, God is waiting,
eagerly longing for His children to return home.
Prayer and
Journaling
1. Re-read verses 7-23, asking God to reveal His
heart to you. Record any observations, areas where you need to confess or steps
of obedience that God shows you in your journal.
2. Ask God to speak to you about how He is your
Father. Record what He reveals to you in your journal.
3. Pray for the Jews. God is still their Father and
He still eagerly longs for their return to Him. Pray that they would grow in
understanding of His heart and His character. Pray that Jesus would meet many
Jews personally, revealing that He is the Messiah – the answer to their
prayers.
