Why is Israel besieged and taken captive in 2 Kings chapter 17? What does captivity mean for the people within Israel? Does the captivity of Israel mean that God has turned His back on Israel? What lesson can be learned from Israel’s disobedience? These people who were led into captivity had no regard for God because generation after generation they had done what we fitting in their own eyes without care for God. They worshiped the gods of the inhabitants of the promised land, which they were consistently warned about not doing. Was it easy for the people to turn away from God because they made one sinful choice after another which led them far from God?
In 2 Kings 17:20-23 the language used is insightful in understanding the story, “The Lord rejected all the descendants of Israel and afflicted them and gave them into the hand of plunders, until He had cast them out of His sight. When He had torn Israel from the house of David, they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king. Then Jeroboam drove Israel away from following the Lord and made them commit a great sin. The sons of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they did not depart from them until the Lord removed Israel from His sight, as He spoke through all His servants the prophets. So Israel was carried away into exile from their own land to Azzyria until this day.” What does it mean that God rejected the descendants of Israel? Why are people so blinded by their sin and unwilling to walk away from it? Did God use Jeroboam to cast Israel out of his sight? The exile of the people of Israel from their homes and everything they hold dear will help them remember God and seek Him alone. It is just as Moses said when the people learned the song about how they will turn away from God and be taken into lands that they do not know.
Throughout the Old Testament it is evident that God will not abide the wickedness and depravity of men. Only Noah and his family survived as a remnant after God destroyed the earth with the flood. God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah because of the wickedness found in the city. God used the Israelites who entered the promised land to destroy the wicked people who lived in the land. God is the God of justice, purity, holiness, and truth. The people of Israel were above God’s standards and when they turned their hearts to wickedness His anger was kindled. The exile of Israel into Assyria is a direct result of the sinfulness of the people and their lack of regard for God but in this exile they will remember God. It is beautiful how God uses difficult situations to remind us how much we truly need Him.
In 2 Kings chapter 18 Hezekiah becomes king over Judah. Hezekiah’s followed God wholeheartedly, “He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel; so that after him there was none like him among al the kings of Judah, nor among those who were before him.” 2 Kings 18:5 What was different about Hezekiah? He tore down the idols that the people worshiped the high places, the sacred pillars, the Asherah, and the bronze serpent of Moses. What was life in Judah like after Hezekiah threw down all the idols? Was there renewed passion for God?
Why are the things of God foolishness to some people? Assyria sets it’s eye of conquest on Judah after Israel was taken captive. They view the idols destruction as a weakness of Hezekiah and the king of Assyria calls to the people of Judah to turn their backs on God and seek their deliverance from Assyria. It is interesting how similar the words spoken by the Assyrian are similar to what God spoke to the Israelites in Egypt and in the wilderness. Will some people want to believe the Assyrian king? How will Hezekiah answer this foe that faces Judah? Will he continue to cling to God when life becomes full of difficulty?
