A Godless People
Opening Prayer
Father, You alone are God. You alone are worthy to be trusted, worshipped and obeyed.
Read 2 Kings 17:24-41
[24] The king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Kuthah, Avva, Hamath and Sepharvaim and settled them in the towns of Samaria to replace the Israelites. They took over Samaria and lived in its towns. [25] When they first lived there, they did not worship the LORD; so he sent lions among them and they killed some of the people. [26] It was reported to the king of Assyria: “The people you deported and resettled in the towns of Samaria do not know what the god of that country requires. He has sent lions among them, which are killing them off, because the people do not know what he requires.” [27] Then the king of Assyria gave this order: “Have one of the priests you took captive from Samaria go back to live there and teach the people what the god of the land requires.” [28] So one of the priests who had been exiled from Samaria came to live in Bethel and taught them how to worship the LORD. [29] Nevertheless, each national group made its own gods in the several towns where they settled, and set them up in the shrines the people of Samaria had made at the high places. [30] The people from Babylon made Sukkoth Benoth, those from Kuthah made Nergal, and those from Hamath made Ashima; [31] the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire as sacrifices to Adrammelek and Anammelek, the gods of Sepharvaim. [32] They worshiped the LORD, but they also appointed all sorts of their own people to officiate for them as priests in the shrines at the high places. [33] They worshiped the LORD, but they also served their own gods in accordance with the customs of the nations from which they had been brought. [34] To this day they persist in their former practices. They neither worship the LORD nor adhere to the decrees and regulations, the laws and commands that the LORD gave the descendants of Jacob, whom he named Israel. [35] When the LORD made a covenant with the Israelites, he commanded them: “Do not worship any other gods or bow down to them, serve them or sacrifice to them. [36] But the LORD, who brought you up out of Egypt with mighty power and outstretched arm, is the one you must worship. To him you shall bow down and to him offer sacrifices. [37] You must always be careful to keep the decrees and regulations, the laws and commands he wrote for you. Do not worship other gods. [38] Do not forget the covenant I have made with you, and do not worship other gods. [39] Rather, worship the LORD your God; it is he who will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.” [40] They would not listen, however, but persisted in their former practices. [41] Even while these people were worshiping the LORD, they were serving their idols. To this day their children and grandchildren continue to do as their ancestors did. Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
What was the king’s strategy behind these actions?The Assyrians practiced a form of ethnic cleansing by resettling other nations in Israel (24). Their practice (in this highly nationalistic time) was to so dilute the bloodlines that national identity was completely lost, and a new benign multicultural people would arise. The ultimate result was a kind of syncretism, a blending of religions that attempted to bury the God of this land under all the other gods. But Israel was no other land, and the God of the Israelites was no other god. He wouldn’t allow the continual degradation of the community (25,26). Stricken, they “imported” the practice of honoring the God of the land (27,28). They “worshiped” in ritual, but not in truth (32,33). They set up all their national gods (30,31) and even recycled the old shrines (29). How little they understood the God of this land, the Lord, who is One (34-39). Our world has many gods–some human, and all insufficient. Believers need to watch and pray that they don’t lose sight of the One who is alone sufficient, the Lord.
Apply
As you go about your daily life, consciously observe where people put their faith, and where you put yours.
Closing prayer
Holy God, convict us and turn us from compromise. Help us not use Your grace for license to sin.
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