seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
2 Kings 17:7 All this took place because the Israelites had sinned against the Lord their God, who had brought them up out of Egypt from under the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They worshiped other gods 8 and followed the practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before them, as well as the practices that the kings of Israel had introduced. 9 The Israelites secretly did things against the Lord their God that were not right. From watchtower to fortified city they built themselves high places in all their towns. 10 They set up sacred stones and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every spreading tree. 11 At every high place they burned incense, as the nations whom the Lord had driven out before them had done. They did wicked things that aroused the Lord’s anger. 12 They worshiped idols, though the Lord had said, “You shall not do this.”(b) 13 The Lord warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and seers: “Turn from your evil ways. Observe my commands and decrees, in accordance with the entire Law that I commanded your ancestors to obey and that I delivered to you through my servants the prophets.”
a. 2 Kings 17:4 So is probably an abbreviation for Osorkon.
b. 2 Kings 17:12 Exodus 20:4,5
The commentary this morning is from the easy English site.
The writer tells us why the northern kingdom (called Israel) ended. He gives us all the details about it. God had done great things for the Israelites. He had rescued them from Egypt. He had forced other people out from the Israelites’ country so that the Israelites could live there. But he warned the Israelites not to worship other gods. However, the people did not obey God’s laws. They made images of other gods and they gave honour to those gods. It did not matter whether a place was only a village without walls. People said that it must have an altar. They worshipped the false gods called Baal and Asherah. And they worshipped many other gods also. They did not listen to the people that God sent with messages. They followed the customs and religions of the people that had lived there before them.
Oh they're in trouble now. God's been upset with them for a while.... but they just didn't wise up. He warned them. He warned them. AND He warned them over and over.
