It's not a very pretty picture. It's a commentary on the penalty for disobedience and unfaithfulness.
"In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and carried Israel away into exile to Assyria, and settled them in Halah and Habor, on the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes. Now this came about because the sons of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them up from the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and they had feared other gods and walked in the customs of the nations whom the LORD had driven out before the sons of Israel, and in the customs of the kings of Israel which they had introduced." (2 Kings 17.6-8)
What we read is a historical narrative with "the story behind the story". And, this rather depressing narrative is recorded for a specific purpose: "For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope." (Romans 15.4). In essence, learn the lessons of history. As the saying goes, "those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it".
The "terms of the contract" with God are fairly basic: live and walk by faith through His Son, Jesus. Surrender to the renewing work of His Spirit in your life. Cultivate spiritual fruit. Diligently study His word. Develop a passion for His truth, and His mission. Love Him wholeheartedly and, by extension, the people He has created. By contrast, avoid what displeases Him. Don't learn and practice the abhorrent ways of godless peoples and cultures. Keep yourself "unstained by the world" (James 1.27).
Our God is not unreasonable. He extends an unceasing appeal: " 'Come now, and let us reason together,' Says the LORD, 'Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool.' " (Isaiah 1.18) So long as there is life, there is opportunity to have our ways mended, and begin anew with our Father.
None of us stand before Him today with perfectly clean hands and a pure heart. There are skeletons in the closet. There are things which we have done "secretly which were not right against the LORD" (2 Kings 17.9). But, we are not hopelessly doomed to share the fate of these ancient disobedient people.
Today offers us the perfect opportunity to "come clean" before our LORD. Grace and mercy are freely extended amidst humility and repentance. But, like any other problem, sin won't go away just because we ignore it.
We all belong to the universal club of sinners. But, we all also have the opportunity to know His grace and mercy through His Son. May we take advantage of His gracious opportunity to "reason together" today, enjoy the liberation of forgiveness, and the reinvigorating energy of a new start with Him.
Steve
©Steve Taylor, 2012
"In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and carried Israel away into exile to Assyria, and settled them in Halah and Habor, on the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes. Now this came about because the sons of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them up from the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and they had feared other gods and walked in the customs of the nations whom the LORD had driven out before the sons of Israel, and in the customs of the kings of Israel which they had introduced." (2 Kings 17.6-8)
What we read is a historical narrative with "the story behind the story". And, this rather depressing narrative is recorded for a specific purpose: "For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope." (Romans 15.4). In essence, learn the lessons of history. As the saying goes, "those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it".
The "terms of the contract" with God are fairly basic: live and walk by faith through His Son, Jesus. Surrender to the renewing work of His Spirit in your life. Cultivate spiritual fruit. Diligently study His word. Develop a passion for His truth, and His mission. Love Him wholeheartedly and, by extension, the people He has created. By contrast, avoid what displeases Him. Don't learn and practice the abhorrent ways of godless peoples and cultures. Keep yourself "unstained by the world" (James 1.27).
Our God is not unreasonable. He extends an unceasing appeal: " 'Come now, and let us reason together,' Says the LORD, 'Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool.' " (Isaiah 1.18) So long as there is life, there is opportunity to have our ways mended, and begin anew with our Father.
None of us stand before Him today with perfectly clean hands and a pure heart. There are skeletons in the closet. There are things which we have done "secretly which were not right against the LORD" (2 Kings 17.9). But, we are not hopelessly doomed to share the fate of these ancient disobedient people.
Today offers us the perfect opportunity to "come clean" before our LORD. Grace and mercy are freely extended amidst humility and repentance. But, like any other problem, sin won't go away just because we ignore it.
We all belong to the universal club of sinners. But, we all also have the opportunity to know His grace and mercy through His Son. May we take advantage of His gracious opportunity to "reason together" today, enjoy the liberation of forgiveness, and the reinvigorating energy of a new start with Him.
Steve
©Steve Taylor, 2012
posted by steve @ 9:13 AM
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