2 Kings 17:1-41
Q.1. Why was King Hoshea and the people of Israel taken captive to Assyria? – (2 Kgs.17:1-18)
Hoshea was not as evil as some of the kings of Israel (2 Kgs.17:2). He sought help from Egypt against Shalmaneser, king of Assyria and stopped paying the agreed tribute (2 Kgs.17:3-4). As a consequence, the Assyrians invaded Samaria and took Israel into exile (2 Kgs.17:5). The underlying reason for Israel’s demise was – 7 … because the sons of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, who had brought them up from the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and they had feared other gods 8 and walked in the customs of the nations whom the Lord had driven out before the sons of Israel, and in the customs of the kings of Israel which they had introduced (2 Kgs.17:7-8). God had pleaded with Israel through His prophets to return to His commandments, but they ignored the warnings (2 Kgs.17:13-16). They even sacrificed their children to these gods, thus provoking God to act against them (2 Kgs.17:17-18). God therefore used the Assyrians to judge His people and remove them from the Land of Promise.
Q.2. Why was Judah spared from exile? What lesson was God sending Judah and its king? – (2 Kgs.17:19-23)
Judah spiralled downward away from a meaningful relationship with God, as did captive Israel. However, the influence of David, and the Temple worship at Jerusalem protected Judah – So the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them from His sight; none was left except the tribe of Judah (2 Kgs.17:21). This sent a clear message, that God would not spare even His own people if they introduced foreign gods and practices into their land (2 Kgs.17:19-23).
Q.3. How did the Assyrians show more regard for God than did the people of Israel? – (2 Kgs.17:24-28)
In an ironical twist, when God sent lions in amongst the Assyrian invaders, they responded by resurrecting the worship of the Lord – So one of the priests whom they had carried away into exile from Samaria came and lived at Bethel and taught them how they should fear the Lord (2 Kgs.17:28 c.f. 2 Kgs.17:24-27). These heathen people showed that they had more sensitivity to God, than did His own people.
Q.4. In what way did Israel fail in its witness to the surrounding nations? – (2 Kgs.17:29-41)
The writer documented all the idols of the surrounding nations (2 Kgs.17:29-33). However, instead of resisting their evil practices and influencing the heathen for God, the people of Israel broke their Covenant to be true to their God, Who had redeemed them from slavery in Egypt (2 Kgs.17:34-36). He had made His way plain – 37 The statutes and the ordinances and the law and the commandment which He wrote for you, you shall observe to do forever; and you shall not fear other gods. 38 The covenant that I have made with you, you shall not forget, nor shall you fear other gods. 39 But the Lord your God you shall fear; and He will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies (2 Kgs.17:37-39). Instead of being different from the nations, they became evil like those around them.