20241017

mad mix

2 Kings 17:24-41 (JDV).

2 Kings 17:24 Then the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and settled them in place of the Israelites in the cities of Samaria. The settlers took possession of Samaria and lived in its cities.
2 Kings 17:25 When they first lived there, they did not fear Yahveh. So, Yahveh sent lions among them, which killed some of them.
2 Kings 17:26 The settlers said to the king of Assyria, “The nations that you have deported and placed in the cities of Samaria do not know the requirements of the god of the land. Therefore, he has sent lions among them that are killing them because the people don’t know the requirements of the god of the land.”
2 Kings 17:27 Then the king of Assyria issued a command: “Send back one of the priests you deported. Have him go and live there so he can teach them the requirements of the god of the land.”
2 Kings 17:28 So one of the priests they had deported came and lived in Bethel, and he began to teach them how they should fear Yahveh.
2 Kings 17:29 But the people of each nation were still making their own gods in the cities where they lived and putting them in the shrines of the high places that the people of Samaria had made.
2 Kings 17:30 The men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth, the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima,
2 Kings 17:31 the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim.
2 Kings 17:32 They feared Yahveh, but they also made from their ranks priests for the high places, who were working for them at the shrines of the high places.
2 Kings 17:33 They feared Yahveh, but they also worshiped their own gods according to the practice of the nations from which they had been deported.
2 Kings 17:34 They are still observing the former practices to this day. None of them fear Yahveh or observe the statutes and ordinances, the law, and commandments that Yahveh had commanded the descendants of Jacob, whom he had given the name Israel.
2 Kings 17:35 Yahveh made a covenant with Jacob’s descendants and commanded them, “Do not fear other gods; do not bow in worship to them; do not serve them; do not sacrifice to them.
2 Kings 17:36 Instead fear Yahveh, who brought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and an outstretched arm. You are to bow down to him, and you are to sacrifice to him.
2 Kings 17:37 You are to be careful always to observe the statutes, the ordinances, the law, and the commandments he wrote for you; do not fear other gods.
2 Kings 17:38 Do not forget the covenant that I have made with you. Do not fear other gods,
2 Kings 17:39 but fear Yahveh your God, and he will rescue you from all your enemies.”
2 Kings 17:40 However, these nations would not listen but continued observing their former practices.
2 Kings 17:41 They feared Yahveh but also served their idols. Still today, their children and grandchildren continue doing as their fathers did.

mad mix

The story of how the northern kingdom became the land of Samaria is told here. A syncretistic Israel was taken away and replaced by another syncretistic people. The LORD sent lions because the people did not fear him at all. When they added the LORD to their pantheon, not much else changed. Much like many countries today, it is a mixture of religious allegiances. Many today even applaud that arrangement. Religious plurality to them is the ideal. But some day, Jesus will return. There will only be room for one God and one king.

LORD, restore our loyalty to you – the only God.