These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them: “Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” - Matthew 10:5-6
Good morning. A week ago we discussed Ahaz in Judah, but today we are shifting our focus to Israel and talking about Hoshea. I hope that you enjoy this sermon on the northern kingdom, because it will be the last...
I. HOSHEA’S CONSPIRACY AND ISRAEL’S COLLAPSE (2 KINGS 17:1-6)
In the 12th year of Ahaz’s reign in Judah, Hoshea, the son of Elah, became the final king of Israel. As you may recall, he had conspired against and assassinated his predecessor Pekah (2 Kings 15:30). Hoshea ruled for 9 years from Samaria. He was an evil, godless king, though not as bad as the Israelite kings that came before him.
During his reign, Shalmaneser, the new king of Assyria who had taken Tiglath-pileser’s place, came up against Israel and subjected it to tribute. After a few years, however, Hoshea stopped paying the tribute and sent messengers to So, the king of Egypt, in hopes of securing military assistance against Assyria. When Shalmaneser learned of Hoshea’s conspiracy, he captured him and threw him into prison.
The Assyrians invaded Israel and laid siege upon Samaria for 3 years. When Samaria finally fell, the Assyrians carried its people and those scattered throughout Israel away into exile. The captives were resettled in Halah and Habor, on the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes. The northern kingdom of Israel had been defeated and ceased to exist.
II. THE REASONS ISRAEL FELL (2 KINGS 17:7-23)
Israel was conquered by the Assyrians in approximately 720 BC (with the Assyrian siege of Samaria beginning in 722 BC). From its beginning under Jeroboam until its demise under Hoshea, the northern kingdom of Israel had existed for approximately 234 years. Finally, after all this time, God’s judgment fell upon the northern kingdom. There were several reasons for it.
From its outset, the leaders and people of Israel sinned against the LORD. They feared other gods, walked in the customs of pagan nations dating back to the days of the Canaanites, and followed the wicked statutes of their kings. They practiced some of their sin secretly, but much of it was very visible such as the building of shrines and high places in the towns, watchtowers, and cities. They set up sacred pillars and Asherim on every high hill and under every green tree where they would burn incense and offer false worship. They made idols for themselves and served them, ignoring the LORD’s command not to do so.
Although God had sent several prophets to rebuke them for their egregious sin, the Israelites stubbornly continued to walk in it just as their fathers had done. They rejected God’s covenant and adopted the customs of the heathen nations that surrounded them. They set up molten images, including the 2 golden calves in Bethel and Dan. They worshiped Baal, Asherah, and even the sun, moon, and stars. They made their children pass through the fire and practiced witchcraft and sorcery. Israel’s actions provoked the LORD to anger, and He sent judgment upon them through the hands of the Assyrians.
It should be noted that, although it still remained intact, the southern kingdom of Judah was also guilty of violating God’s commands. It was not innocent either, by any means, but its wickedness was not as blatant as Israel’s had been. Therefore, Judah would continue to survive for several more years.
III. ISRAEL IS REPOPULATED WITH STRANGERS (2 KINGS 17:24-41)
The king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and resettled them in Samaria and throughout the cities of Israel. These various foreigners did not know or fear the LORD, so He sent lions among them and several were killed. Upon hearing this troubling news, the Assyrian king sent 1 of Israel’s priests who had been taken into exile back to Bethel in order to teach the new citizens how to properly worship “the god of the land”. Thus, the LORD relented and the lions withdrew.
However, these new occupants of the land simply incorporated the worship of God into their existing religions. They continued to worship their own gods, making idols and setting them up throughout Israel according to the customs of their home countries. The Babylonians made Succoth-benoth, the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima, the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech. Thus, these people practiced a convoluted mixture of religious practices.
The people of Samaria were not wholly allegiant to the LORD, nor did they adhere to His commandments and law. They did not know or recognize God’s deliverance of the Hebrew children during the days of the exodus from Egypt. They were not God’s covenant people and didn’t remember it or abide in it. They were a mixed breed of blended cultures and faiths which continued melding for generations, even to the days of Christ over 700 years later. Over time, they came to be hated by the orthodox Jews.
CONCLUSION
The remaining sermons in this series will focus exclusively on the southern kingdom, as the northern kingdom has collapsed. Due to its sinful ways, God finally sent judgment upon Israel. He had patiently waited on them, sending messengers to warn them of His impending justice and call them to repentance, but they refused to listen. Perhaps we in the United States today should pay attention, lest we suffer the same fate.
Sadly, many professing Christians today are a lot like the Samaritans of the Bible. They worship God on Sunday mornings, and maybe even Wednesday nights, but throughout the rest of the week they worship the various idols of our culture. These “idols” are not necessarily made of gold, wood, or other materials. Rather, they are the gods of self, money, power, fame, sex, entertainment, phones, comfort, and so on. I have heard it said that an idol can be anything that we love and revere as much or more than God.
Jesus taught that a religion of divided allegiance is no religion at all. He said that you cannot love both God and money. You must choose 1 or the other, lest you become lukewarm and unpalatable to the Lord. So as we close this morning, may we commit ourselves to devoted and exclusive reverence to God alone, and turn away from the many false gods of this world that dilute and poison our faith.
Good morning. A week ago we discussed Ahaz in Judah, but today we are shifting our focus to Israel and talking about Hoshea. I hope that you enjoy this sermon on the northern kingdom, because it will be the last...
I. HOSHEA’S CONSPIRACY AND ISRAEL’S COLLAPSE (2 KINGS 17:1-6)
In the 12th year of Ahaz’s reign in Judah, Hoshea, the son of Elah, became the final king of Israel. As you may recall, he had conspired against and assassinated his predecessor Pekah (2 Kings 15:30). Hoshea ruled for 9 years from Samaria. He was an evil, godless king, though not as bad as the Israelite kings that came before him.
During his reign, Shalmaneser, the new king of Assyria who had taken Tiglath-pileser’s place, came up against Israel and subjected it to tribute. After a few years, however, Hoshea stopped paying the tribute and sent messengers to So, the king of Egypt, in hopes of securing military assistance against Assyria. When Shalmaneser learned of Hoshea’s conspiracy, he captured him and threw him into prison.
The Assyrians invaded Israel and laid siege upon Samaria for 3 years. When Samaria finally fell, the Assyrians carried its people and those scattered throughout Israel away into exile. The captives were resettled in Halah and Habor, on the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes. The northern kingdom of Israel had been defeated and ceased to exist.
II. THE REASONS ISRAEL FELL (2 KINGS 17:7-23)
Israel was conquered by the Assyrians in approximately 720 BC (with the Assyrian siege of Samaria beginning in 722 BC). From its beginning under Jeroboam until its demise under Hoshea, the northern kingdom of Israel had existed for approximately 234 years. Finally, after all this time, God’s judgment fell upon the northern kingdom. There were several reasons for it.
From its outset, the leaders and people of Israel sinned against the LORD. They feared other gods, walked in the customs of pagan nations dating back to the days of the Canaanites, and followed the wicked statutes of their kings. They practiced some of their sin secretly, but much of it was very visible such as the building of shrines and high places in the towns, watchtowers, and cities. They set up sacred pillars and Asherim on every high hill and under every green tree where they would burn incense and offer false worship. They made idols for themselves and served them, ignoring the LORD’s command not to do so.
Although God had sent several prophets to rebuke them for their egregious sin, the Israelites stubbornly continued to walk in it just as their fathers had done. They rejected God’s covenant and adopted the customs of the heathen nations that surrounded them. They set up molten images, including the 2 golden calves in Bethel and Dan. They worshiped Baal, Asherah, and even the sun, moon, and stars. They made their children pass through the fire and practiced witchcraft and sorcery. Israel’s actions provoked the LORD to anger, and He sent judgment upon them through the hands of the Assyrians.
It should be noted that, although it still remained intact, the southern kingdom of Judah was also guilty of violating God’s commands. It was not innocent either, by any means, but its wickedness was not as blatant as Israel’s had been. Therefore, Judah would continue to survive for several more years.
III. ISRAEL IS REPOPULATED WITH STRANGERS (2 KINGS 17:24-41)
The king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and resettled them in Samaria and throughout the cities of Israel. These various foreigners did not know or fear the LORD, so He sent lions among them and several were killed. Upon hearing this troubling news, the Assyrian king sent 1 of Israel’s priests who had been taken into exile back to Bethel in order to teach the new citizens how to properly worship “the god of the land”. Thus, the LORD relented and the lions withdrew.
However, these new occupants of the land simply incorporated the worship of God into their existing religions. They continued to worship their own gods, making idols and setting them up throughout Israel according to the customs of their home countries. The Babylonians made Succoth-benoth, the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima, the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech. Thus, these people practiced a convoluted mixture of religious practices.
The people of Samaria were not wholly allegiant to the LORD, nor did they adhere to His commandments and law. They did not know or recognize God’s deliverance of the Hebrew children during the days of the exodus from Egypt. They were not God’s covenant people and didn’t remember it or abide in it. They were a mixed breed of blended cultures and faiths which continued melding for generations, even to the days of Christ over 700 years later. Over time, they came to be hated by the orthodox Jews.
CONCLUSION
The remaining sermons in this series will focus exclusively on the southern kingdom, as the northern kingdom has collapsed. Due to its sinful ways, God finally sent judgment upon Israel. He had patiently waited on them, sending messengers to warn them of His impending justice and call them to repentance, but they refused to listen. Perhaps we in the United States today should pay attention, lest we suffer the same fate.
Sadly, many professing Christians today are a lot like the Samaritans of the Bible. They worship God on Sunday mornings, and maybe even Wednesday nights, but throughout the rest of the week they worship the various idols of our culture. These “idols” are not necessarily made of gold, wood, or other materials. Rather, they are the gods of self, money, power, fame, sex, entertainment, phones, comfort, and so on. I have heard it said that an idol can be anything that we love and revere as much or more than God.
Jesus taught that a religion of divided allegiance is no religion at all. He said that you cannot love both God and money. You must choose 1 or the other, lest you become lukewarm and unpalatable to the Lord. So as we close this morning, may we commit ourselves to devoted and exclusive reverence to God alone, and turn away from the many false gods of this world that dilute and poison our faith.