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 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.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. They set up sacred stones and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every spreading tree. 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. They worshiped idols, though the LORD had said, “You shall not do this.” 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.” 2 Kings 17: 7-13, NIV.
Merciful Father, as we come before You today, we ask that Your Holy Spirit will guide us in this study, in the blessed name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and our Lord we humbly pray. Amen.
You will notice that I have highlighted several portions of our Scripture for today. I would like us to pay close attention to these particular phrases and sentences. “All this took place because . . .” Cause and effect.” Life does not happen in a vacuum. I believe I said that once before. All of our actions create ripples. Some ripples are positive, and some are negative. But rest assured, that whatever we do, will give origin to some other action – good or bad. Some are widespread in their effects, while others are short-lived, and limited in their sphere.
Because of what? Because of the sins of Israel. King Hoshea had followed in the footsteps of the other sinful kings before him, and had led Israel deeper into sin. The ripple that began with Jeroboam continued to get wider as all the kings after him, followed in his footsteps, some with some horrible results. Of Hoshea it is said: “He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, but not like the kings of Israel who preceded him” (2). What was the result? They were driven away as exiles. Notice the justice of God: The LORD had driven the Canaanites out of their land, because they were evil. Israel had sinned, and because of their evil deeds God allowed them to be carried away, out of the land.
Israel “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.” They did “as the nations whom the LORD had driven out before them had done.” Even though we live in the very womb of sin (planet Earth), and we are surrounded by the pull of sin on our lives, and we observe the havoc it has had on humanity, we really do not realize how deadlyit is! The Bible refers to it as a “mystery” (2 Thessalonians 2: 7). We observed its unquenchable thirst for blood during the sanctuary services, and we blamed God for the shedding of so much blood, without realizing that it was the sin of human beings that made such a service necessary in order for humanity not to be blotted out completely! It became so intolerable that God said their sacrifices had become unbearable to Him (Isaiah 1: 11-15). You see my friends, God does not sweep the unsightly things and the unpleasant things under the rug, to get them out of His sight. He deals with them! And the way to deal with sin and put an end to it was by the shedding of blood – the blood of the Creator God, and Life-giver, Jesus Christ, in order that we might be given the gift of eternal life (Romans 6: 23)!
Had Israel, and these other nations not been dealt with firmly and decisively, no telling what would have become of all of us. I am sure, that in consideration to His creatures, all of their sins have not been recorded! And just to consider those that have been recorded makes you shiver! I humbly submit for your consideration, that God, as the Parent par excellence did what was expedient for the common good! I am almost certain that “the half has never yet been told” – because we would not be able to bear it. We “cannot handle the whole truth!” Thank God for Jesus!
“The LORD warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and seers” “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3: 17). That is what God does. God saves! “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1: 21). God did everything to save Israel, and I am convinced, the rest of the nations, through her, “Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn” (Isaiah 60: 3).
May God help us, when we cannot understand His actions, to trust His motive: Pure, unadulterated love, too great for our minds to handle!