June 30- The End of A Kingdom

June 30, 2011

Scripture Readings:
2 Kings 17:1-18:12; Acts 20:1-38;
Psalm 148:1-14; Proverbs 18:6-7

Now, this is not the end.  It is not even the beginning of the end. 
But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning. 
~Winston Churchill

2 Kings 17:1-18:12

An Ancient Assyrian

We have seen throughout God's story that Israel plays a major role as the chosen people group who are set apart for a purpose.  Their history with God is a picture of an adulterous wife who cheats on her husband.  Israel is a picture of all of humanity.  Their sin and fallen nature is our sin and our fallen nature.  Their inability to be "good enough" is also ours.  Today, we see that the conditional covenant that God made with Israel regarding their possession of the Promised Land is partially fulfilled when the Northern Kingdom of Israel breaks their end of the bargain to obey God and follow Him only, and God exiles them to Assyria.  Not all Israelites have been taken out of the land as God promised, but the Jews of the Northern Kingdom see that God meant what He said. God will fulfill this promise to the Southern Kingdom, later.

In Deuteronomy 29:26-28 God warned,

"They went off and worshiped other gods and bowed down to them, gods they did not know, gods he had not given them. Therefore the Lord's anger burned against this land, so that he brought on it all the curses written in this book. In furious anger and in great wrath the Lord uprooted them from their land and thrust them into another land, as it is now."

Our reading today focuses on the capture of the Northern Kingdom of Israel by Assyria.  Because of their steadfast rebellion against the One True God, the Lord fulfills His promise to vomit them forth from the Promised Land, just as He vomited out the Canaanites when Israel took over the land. 

King Hoshea tries to form an alliance with King So of Egypt to stop tribute payments to the king of Assyria.  Furious, the King of Assyria lays seige to Samaria for three years.  The siege is successful and Samaria falls to the Assyrians.  The Israelites are moved to colonies along the Habor River and foreigners are sent to live in Samaria.  The Bible is clear as to why this  happens.  Here are some of the offenses against God of which the Israelites were guilty:

• They worshiped other gods. Vs. 7
• They imitated the practices of the pagan nations. Vs. 8
• They built pagan shrines for themselves . Vs. 9
• They set up sacred pillars and Asherah poles on every hill and under every tree. Vs. 10
• They burned incense to idols. Vs. 11
• They worshiped idols. Vs. 12
• They rejected God's laws. Vs. 15
• They made two calves of metal to worship. Vs. 16
• They worshiped Asherah, Baal, and the forces of heaven. Vs. 16
• They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire of Baal. Vs. 17
• Theyconsulted fortune-tellers and used sorcery. Vs. 17
• They sold themselves for evil. Vs. 17

These behaviors did not meet God's conditions for being able to stay in the Promised Land and as a result, He swept them from the land.  It is interesting to note that the foreigners who are brought to live in Samaria are initially attacked by lions because they are not acknowledging the God of the Promised Land.  When they are instructed about the Lord and begin to worship Him, albeit half-heartedly, the lion attacks stop.

Now, we are introduced to King Hezekiah of the Southern Kingdom of Judah.  He is a good king and the best king that Judah has had since King David.  We see that he tears down the pagan shrines, smashes the sacred pillars, and knocks down the Asherah poles.  Apparently, the people of Judah had taken Moses' bronze snake staff and started worshiping it as an idol and calling it, Nehushtan.  Hezekiah breaks it apart.  Because of his faithfulness, the Lord is with Hezekiah and he successfully revolts against the King of Assyria.

Lessons:  God is faithful to fulfill His promises.  There are consequences for sin.  Faithfulness to God results in God's blessings.

Are you faithful to obey God like King Hezekiah?

Acts 20:1-38

Yesterday, we read about the riot in Ephesus.  Today, Paul leaves Ephesus and goes to Troas.  After the Passover, he arrives in Troas and gathers with some believers to celebrate the Lord's Supper.  Because he is leaving the next day, Paul talks a long time to try to impart all of his knowledge well into the night.  It is hot and dim in the room and a young man named Eutychus falls asleep while leaning on an open window. He falls down three stories to his death.  Paul takes the man into his arms and the man's life is restored.  Paul then continues talking til dawn. Wow. That man could talk and talk and talk. 

Paul was compelled to hurry to Jerusalem.  On his way, he stops in Miletus and calls the elders of the church in Ephesus to come down to see him in Miletus.  When they arrive, he gives a heart wrenching good bye speech to them.  The Holy Spirit has revealed to Paul that he will suffer greatly in jail and in the cities to which he goes in the future. Paul does not consider his own life worth anything except when he is doing the work of the Lord.

Paul is firm that he has been faithful.  He has focused on a simple message...that both Jews and Gentiles need to turn from their sins and turn to God through faith in Jesus Christ. He warns the elders to feed the sheep and beware of false teachers.  He entrusts the church in Ephesus into God's hands and reminds the men that he never coveted any one's money or fine clothing.  He worked and paid his own way.  He was an example of giving to the poor and always followed Christ's teaching that it is better to give than to receive.

As he prepares to leave these men, they kneel and pray.  As they embrace, they weep loudly because they will never see this precious man who brought them the truth of God, again. Paul is a picture of how the Holy Spirit can transform a person's life into one of truth, obedience, faithfulness, servanthood, and humility. 

Lesson:  The Holy Spirit of God transforms our lives once we believe in Jesus.  It is through the Holy Spirit that we are sanctified and become more like Jesus.

Have you experienced change in your life through the Holy Spirit?  Maybe it is through changed habits, sins, attitudes or thinking that you have seen the power of God in your life.

Psalm 148:1-14

Praise the Lord!  I encourage you to say this psalm aloud today.  He is worthy of your praise.

Proverbs 18:6-7

If you are constantly in quarrels with people, it is possible that you are a fool.

What did you notice today?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton