In Today's Email:
II Kings 16 Notes
In this chapter we have the wicked rule of Ahaz over Judah.
vs. 1-4 – Ahaz breaks from his father and grandfather in becoming a wicked king over Judah that turned from the Lord.
vs. 5-9 – Ahaz faced a combined threat of Israel and Syria. The Syrians took the port of Elath (“a grove”) on the northern tip of the gulf of Aqaba. Ahaz makes an alliance with Assyria to come to his aid by sending them tribute of the treasures of the Temple and palace. The Assyrians conquer the Syrians and Damascus and kill their king.
vs. 10-18 – We saw in vs. 3-4 that Ahaz was himself a pagan. He uses his royal power to remodel the Temple and its services according to pagan practices. He constructs a new altar on the design of one in Damascus. He removes the base of the brazen laver (possibly to use the metal in this remodeling project). He corrupts the practices of the Temple by adding pagan practices from the kingdoms he admired.
vs. 19-20 - Ahaz passes and his son Hezekiah (“the might of Jehovah”) takes the throne of Judah.
II Kings 17 Notes
In this chapter Assyria conquers the Northern Kingdom of Israe.
vs. 1-4 – Hoshea took the throne after another interregnum period of 8 or 9 years. Shalmaneser V of Assyria made demanded tribute from Hoshea and Israel, But Hoshea stopped the tribute payments and sought an alliance with Egypt.
vs. 5-23 – The sad end of the Kingdom of Israel. In response to Hoshea’s rebellious acts, Shalmaneser V conquers the land and besieges Samara. Samaria falls in 721 B.C. after a three-year siege. Hoshea appears to have been killed (see Hosea 10:7). God makes it clear the reason for the fall of the Northern Kingdom is because of their rebellion against Him.
vs. 24-41 – This section explains the origins of the Samaritans we read about in the New Testament. That Assyrians famously resettled their conquered foes in new areas to control them. The new settlers they brought into Israel. These would intermarry with the remaining Jews, creating a hybrid culture mixing paganism with truth.
Closing Thoughts
God’s judgement against Israel was severe but it was not without warning. There are multiple warnings about the nation being defeated and dispersed in the Law (e.g., Leviticus 26:32-33, Deuteronomy 4:25-28). There are multiple prophets that warned that judgment was coming (e.g., Hosea 13:16, Amos 5:27). God gave His people plenty of chances to repent, yet they refused and faced judgment to purge them from their sins. I believe God still works that way with us. We cannot point to God and accuse Him of not warning us about the consequences of our actions. Sadly, often we are like ancient Israel in closing our eyes to the warning sings God sends until He lays us flat on our backs to make us look up to Him.
Hymn for Today
Our hymn today is “O Worship the King”, written by Robert Grant in 1833. I have chosen this hymn because it echoes the lesson Israel failed in the closing verses of Chapter 17 – to worship and obey the mighty God that had so wonderfully treated His people.
O worship the King all-glorious above,
O gratefully sing his power and his love:
our shield and defender, the Ancient of Days,
pavilioned in splendor and girded with praise.
O tell of his might and sing of his grace,
whose robe is the light, whose canopy space.
His chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form,
and dark is his path on the wings of the storm.
Your bountiful care, what tongue can recite?
It breathes in the air, it shines in the light;
it streams from the hills, it descends to the plain,
and sweetly distills in the dew and the rain.
Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail,
in you do we trust, nor find you to fail.
Your mercies, how tender, how firm to the end,
our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend!
O measureless Might, unchangeable Love,
whom angels delight to worship above!
Your ransomed creation, with glory ablaze,
in true adoration shall sing to your praise!