2 Kings 17

Read 2 Kings 17

Verses chosen for meditation: 2 Kings 17: 38, 39 ESV

38 Do not forget the covenant I have made with you, and do not worship other gods. 39 Rather, worship the Lord your God; it is he who will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.”

Reflect

The sins of the people are not new. 

However, what echoes do you hear as you read the passage? Do they irk you, or bother you? Is there perhaps, even a part that pricks or gives you the creeps? 

By any chance, above the din of the echoes and all, do you hear a love song in the background? Or does it sound more like an old broken record?

Relate

The fall of Israel, her capture by the Assyrians and the subsequent exile of her people to Assyria were all foretold in I Kings 14: 14 - 16, a few centuries before the actual events. The people had obviously not mended their ways since the days of Jeroboam, the first king of Israel who was largely responsible for bringing discredit on the sovereignty of Israel by causing the people to sin against the Lord.

Different sources have tried to elucidate by giving slightly different explanations for his actions, though the majority claimed that it was because the temple of God was no longer in the kingdom of Israel. Therefore, fearing that the people would one day turn against him if they continued to offer sacrifices at the temple in Jerusalem, which was then in the kingdom of Judah, Jeroboam, being too wily for his own good, brought back a familiar kind of worship, that of the golden calf. He even went on to make not one, but two of such golden calves.

But, if we were to trace back, it was actually Solomon who first brought the worship of other gods to Israel through his countless marriages with foreign women, which eventually brought about the division of Israel into 2 kingdoms. Jeroboam would have won the favour of God as David did (1 Kings 11: 38) had he not led the people astray, and observed the commandments of God; but he didn't.

As a result, he was often portrayed as an antithesis of David. While the kings of Judah would be compared to David, the gold standard of loyalty to God, the kings of Israel would be said to perpetuate the sins of Jeroboam, the archetypal king of disobedience (pun intended).

Reading on, it bothered me to some extent that Israel, of all nations, would degenerate to such a state. In fact, I felt sorry, though not for Israel. I’m well aware that we may not be too far-off from the Israel in the passage. The echoes that I hear are certainly the reverberations of mankind's folly and rebelliousness through history and through time. We have never learned.

There were recorded in the text at least three shades of idolatry. Those who did it openly as long as it served their needs regardless of the gods they worshipped, and those who did it blatantly in defiance of the one true God whom they knew should be worshipped. Then, there were still those who did it secretly so as to keep up appearances, not comfortable with the idea of them being exposed as an idol worshipper. 

The last group is probably the one that hits home the most. Doing things in secret and hoping that no one will find out. Although the assumption that God will never know is a complete oxymoron.

On the whole, if you ask me, the practice that really gives the creeps is the human sacrifice of children. A few kings had been associated with this abominable practice where their sons and children were sacrificed in pagan fashion. How much more deviated can we get than this? 

Now, coming back to the passage, anyone reading it could either come away feeling that all the rantings sounded like a broken record, which keeps repeating itself, or feeling the disappointment and heartbreak behind those rantings, viewing from God's perspective that is.

On this note, I wonder if the love song in the background can be heard - of a forlorn lover pining for his lost love. It was for that reason that he kept reminding the other party of the covenant, the solemn pledge that they made with each other. To all appearances, he is still waiting for their return despite all that had taken place.

Thus, drawing observations and lessons from this passage could cut both ways depending on how we see it and the way we are affected by it. 

But no matter what, do we not see the love of God?

Rest

Lord, we see history repeating itself. Though the times may be different, but the sins that befall us are still very much the same. Knowing that humans like us cannot be trusted to save humanity, you sent your Son. Show us then your way. Lead us to the Cross. Lead us back to You. May the covenant - first love - be restored.

Naville Chia