Doing Evil in God's Sight

INTRO

Today, we’re going to continue to see more of the evil practices we’ve been studying all week. King Hezekiah is coming, but not yet. In chapter 17, we’re getting to the last of the kings. The Surviving Seed will come from the line of Judah, not Israel.

TEACHING

2 Kings 17:1–6: King Ahaz of Judah was an evil king. During the twelfth year of his reign, Hoshea became king over Israel (v. 1). Hoshea did evil in God’s sight but was not as bad as the other kings of Israel (v. 2). Shalmaneser, the king of Assyria, attacked Israel. In return, Hoshea became Shalmaneser’s vassal and paid him tribute for protection (v. 3). Hoshea had sent envoys to King So of Egypt, looking for help against Assyria. When Shalmaneser found out, he arrested Hoshea and put him in prison (v. 4). The king of Assyria besieged the entire land for three years (v. 5). Israel had lost its last king. Then the land of Samaria was taken from Israel and the Israelites were deported to Assyria and resettled there (v. 6).

2 Kings 17:7–20: Israel was beginning to be punished because of their disobedience against the Lord (v. 7). God had redeemed His people, yet they chose to worship other gods. Dale Ralph Davis states that the sin of the Israelites was actually ingratitude.¹

Half the battle in life is overcoming situations by giving God thanks. Because the Israelites had stopped giving thanks, they wanted more. They lived according to the customs of other nations that the kings of Israel had brought them (v. 8). Davis suggests that the Israelites were constantly looking for the next great thing they could embrace that had nothing to do with the Lord.²They not only embraced the cultures, but they expanded the worship of the pagan gods on every hill and under every green tree (vv. 9–11). They were doing exactly what the people they had driven out of the Promised Land had done (v. 12). The Lord sent prophets and seers to warn His people of their evil ways (v. 13) (Hebrews 12:25).

The people refused to listen to God’s warning (v. 14). They became obstinate and ended up in exile in Assyria. The Israelites were guilty of ten actions of disobedience —what Davis calls “200 years of infidelity”:³

1. They rejected His statutes and covenants (v. 15).
2. They pursued worthless idols (v. 15).
3. They abandoned God’s commands (v. 16).
4. The made cast images for themselves (v. 16).
5. They made an Asherah pole (which had to do with sexual immorality) (v. 16).
6. They worshipped the heavenly host an (v. 16).
7. They served Baal (v. 16).
8. They made their sons and daughters pass through the fire (v. 17).
9. They practiced divination and interpreted omens (v. 17).
10. They devoted themselves to doing evil in the Lord’s sight (they provoked Him) (v. 17).

The Lord was “very angry with Israel” because of their complete disobedience, so “He removed them from His presence. Only the tribe of Judah remained” (v. 18). The Surviving Seed was only in Judah, even though Judah had also disobeyed and lived like the Israelites (v. 19). The Lord rejected ALL Israel, removed them, and banished them from His presence (v. 20).

2 Kings 17:21–23: Verses 21–23 provide a summary of Israel’s history, of their disobedience which led them into exile. The beginning of this path of disobedience goes back to the dividing of the kingdom of Israel into two nations and Jeroboam, the king of Israel, who intentionally led the northern kingdom away from following the Lord (v. 21). Even after Jeroboam was dead, the Israelites persisted in these sins (v. 22). Finally, because of their complete disobedience, God had them exiled to Assyria (v. 23).

CLOSING

Many of us are in bondage right now, and we must look to Judah for hope. If not, we will remain in bondage. My prayer is simple, “Lord, what are the areas where we are in bondage? Show us where we are rejecting you and pursuing worthless idols. Holy Spirit speak to us.”

Jesus came to set the captives free. We can experience this freedom if we will release the things that are holding us back.