189. DECLINE AND CAPTIVITY OF THE NORTHERN TEN TRIBES

"Yahweh was very angry with Israel and removed them out of His sight."

 

In our last lesson we considered the life of Jonah and his message to the Ninevites. It was this nation of Assyria that would take Israel captive some 100 years after Jonah's preaching. Despite Jehu's thoroughness in destroying the worshippers of Baal, he still continued in the "sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin" as did the kings of Israel who followed him and the nation continued to decline spiritually. Finally, dur­ing the reign of Hoshea, Israel was conquered by Assyria and taken into captivity. In this lesson, we will trace this decline and its causes, so that we might learn from Israel's failure.

 

2 Kings 17.

 

THE DECLINE OF ISRAEL. 2 Kings 17:1-6.

The establishment of false worship by Jeroboam was the beginning of Israel's decline. There was a complete lack of stability in the Northern kingdom. In the reign of Hoshea, the last king of Israel it is recorded that he "did evil in the sight of Yahweh, but not as the kings of Israel that were before him" (2 Kings 17:2). Hoshea only made a half-hearted at­tempt to bring about reform in his 9 year reign.

 

Although he was not as wicked as the kings before him, by this time only outstanding faith and ability would have stopped the pattern of decline.

 

Instead of seeking the help of Yahweh, Hoshea sought alliance with So, King of Egypt. He imagined that Egypt would be his strength, and so he stopped sending tribute to the King of Assyria (v.4).

 

Israel who had come out of Egypt in the days of Moses, under the hand of Yahweh had now turned back and sought their help. Hosea the prophet described Israel as a "silly dove without heart" (Hosea 7:11).

 

When Shalmaneser, the King of Assyria, knew of Israel's refusal to pay the tribute money, his army swept down and set about destroying them. He ruthlessly destroyed the cities and the people; Hoshea was taken to Nineveh and imprisoned. Israel was finally overthrown and scat­tered.

 

THE CAUSE OF ISRAEL'S DECLINE. Vv.7-23.

In verses 7-23 of 2 Kings 17 the reason for Israel's captivity is clearly set forth. God is full of compassion and mercy, but He will not leave the wicked unpunished. Israel had ample opportunity to repent, but had hardened their necks against His prophets.

 

Look at the many sins that Israel did that caused Yahweh to forsake them . . .

 

2 Kings 17

v.7 —they sinned against Yahweh by worshipping other gods.

v.8 —they followed the evil practices of the nations around them.

v.9 —they secretly built high places in which they sacrificed to their idols.

v.10 —they set up images and groves.

v.11 —they provoked Yahweh to anger by burning incense to their gods.

v.12 —they served idols.

v.l3- 14 —they would not listen to the prophets whom Yahweh sent to warn them of their evil ways.

v.15 —they despised Yahweh's laws and the covenant that He made with their fathers; they became vain or empty through copying the nations around them.

v.16 —they made 2 molten calves and worshipped the whole array of heaven, and served Baal,

v.17 —they sacrificed their sons and daughters by passing them through the fire.

 

Yahweh was not prepared to bear with them any longer. They had defiled His land, rejected His prophets, and so He "removed Israel out of his sight, as He had said, by all his servants the prophets". So Israel was carried away out of their own land to Assyria (v.23). Again in chapter 18:12, God emphasises the reason for their captivity, "because they obeyed not the voice of Yahweh their God but transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them".

 

THE BEGINNING OF THE SAMARITANS. Vv.24-41.

Many of the Israelites were taken captive and sent to places in Assyria; and the Assyrians brought in foreigners to dwell in the land of Israel. By this means there were small groups of captives spread throughout their empire, which lessened the possibility of revolt. In v.24 we are told "and the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, Cuthah, Ava, Hamath and from Sepharvaim and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel". So a mixture of nationalities were brought to live in Israel. After a time Yahweh caused lions to come upon these foreign people, because they were ignorant of Him (v.25). These people appealed to the king of Assyria; they claimed that these troubles came upon them because they were not worshipping the God of the land aright (v.26).

 

To solve the problem the Assyrians then brought back one of the priests to instruct the foreigners "of the God of the land". Remember the type of people that were made priests (1 Kings 12:26-33)? So a false form of worship was set up, "they feared, and served their own gods" as well (v.33). It was a mixture of true worship and false worship. They set up their headquarters in Samaria and thus they became known as the Samaritans. Jesus in speaking to the woman of Samaria said "Ye wor­ship ye know not what" (John 4:22)!

 

ISRAEL YET TO BE REGATHERED.

The northern kingdom was scattered to all nations of the earth, but there is a day coming when both Israel and Judah will join together as one under their rightful king, the Lord Jesus Christ (Ezekiel 37:16-28). Hosea, who wrote so much concerning the wickedness and apostasy of Israel also prophesied of this time saying, "Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together and appoint themselves one head (the Lord Jesus Christ)", chs. 1:10-11; 3:4-5; 6:1-3. We see a partial fulfilment of these prophecies with Israel back in the land, but they will have their complete fulfilment when Jesus Christ, through Elijah, brings them back, "as in the days of old" (Micah 7:14-15).

 

LESSON FOR US:

What tragic events we have just considered! We see the scattering of ten of the tribes of Israel, which God allowed to happen, even though He had brought them up into the land and established them there with great blessings. In understanding the reasons for this scattering we can learn for ourselves the powerful lessons in this story.

 

Israel firstly failed by corrupting the worship that God had established through Moses. We must be careful to maintain a purity of doctrine and worship before God (Galatians 1:6-9; 2 Timothy 3:14-17; 2 Peter 3:15-18).

 

Israel established wicked practices, both in public and in secret, offer­ing their children to the fire and replacing the true God with heathen idols. We must keep ourselves from idols, i.e. anything that would turn our singleness of heart from serving God to serve some lesser purpose (1 John 2:15-17; 5:21).

 

Israel was stiff necked, refusing to listen to the voice of Yahweh's pro­phets, and hardening their hearts against His commandments. We are en­couraged to be always open to our God, to be prepared to receive His Word and not to rebel against His precepts (Isaiah 57:15-17; 66:1-2).

 

Like the Samaritans this age is full of confused and corrupt systems of religion, and the words of Jesus are a guide for us that "true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth" (John 4:23).

 

Let us clearly see these lessons and therefore dedicate ourselves to serv­ing God at all times. We must realise that the world with its friends, hob­bies, interests and sports will not only take us from God, but engulf us in ways not pleasing to Him!

 

REFERENCE LIBRARY:

"The Ways of Providence" (R. Roberts)—Chapters 19, 20.

"The Story of the Bible" (H.P. Mansfield)—Vol. 5, Nos. 11 and 12, pages 175-186.

"The Ministry of the Prophets" (R. Roberts and C.C. Walker)— pages 95-98.

 

PARAGRAPH QUESTIONS:

1. What was the reason for Israel being taken into captivity by Assyria?

2. How did the Samaritan religion come into existence?

3. List the events and conditions that will bring about Israel's restora­tion.

 

ESSAY QUESTIONS:

1. Who was Israel's last king and what were some of the reasons for Israel's decline and captivity?

2. What lessons can we learn from Israel's state of spiritual corruption which led to their overthrow and captivity by the Assyrians?