There is none like him!

Larry Johnson

Sugar don’t go on grits • Sermon • Submitted 9 months ago • Presented 9 months ago

2 Kings 17

Compromise

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Series: Sermon don’t go on grits.

KFC now has a entree called chicken pizza. A fried chicken breast with sauce, mozzarella cheese and pepperoni

Sonic has a hamburger called the peanut butter bacon cheeseburger

Yesterday at Sam’s Club I noticed someone had Mustard on Pizza.

More and More we are starting to see these strange combination meant to draw folks in

These are funny examples used to describe the process of “Syncretism”

What is Syncretism?

The amalgamation or attempted amalgamation of different religions, cultures, or schools of thought.

"interfaith dialogue can easily slip into syncretism"

Prosperity Gospel is an amalgamation of the Bible & New Age Power of Positive of Thinking

Haitian Catholicism is a combination of Catholicism and Voodoo

Mexican Catholicism is a mixture of Catholicism and Indian Mysticism.

Hebrew Israelites are a mixture of Black Identity Cults and the Law’s of Moses

American Christianity is a Amalgamation of Christianity and Country. It is a very political Christianity. American Christianity was used not used to convert but control.

You have seen shirts “GOD & COUNTRY” this is an obvious form of Religous & National Syncretism. Where you meld the founding of a nation with Christian underpinnings.

This is when you take the things you like in the bible and combine them with the things you like from other belief systems, political systems or worldviews.

In the year before the Council of Constantinople in 381, the Trinitarian version of Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire when Emperor Theodosius I issued the Edict of Thessalonica in 380,[1] which recognized the catholic orthodoxy[a] of Nicene Christians as the Roman Empire's state religion.

Before that Constantine started the process in 313ad this was not a win, because Rome essentially made it a requirement. The Pagans forced to give up their idols simply gave them up publicly but keep the privately and fused them with Christianity.

Remeber what happens when you syncretized two contradictory things. In the end you get something totally different than both beliefs by themselves.

When you put Sugar on grits you no longer have grits you have porridge!

Saints this has a History Let’s look into it first.

Let’s take a look first into what the God of Israel feels about being mix with other things!

Exodus 8:10 (CSB)

10 “Tomorrow,” he answered.

Moses replied, “As you have said, so that you may know there is no one like the Lord our God,

Exodus 9:14 CSB

14 For this time I am about to send all my plagues against you, your officials, and your people. Then you will know there is no one like me on the whole earth.

Deuteronomy 3:24 CSB

24 Lord God, you have begun to show your greatness and your strong hand to your servant, for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can perform deeds and mighty acts like yours?

Deuteronomy 32:31 (CSB)

31 But their “rock” is not like our Rock,

as even our enemies concede.

Deuteronomy 33:26 (CSB)

26 There is none like the God of Jeshurun,

who rides the heavens to your aid,

the clouds in his majesty.

1 Samuel 2:2 (CSB)

2 There is no one holy like the Lord.

There is no one besides you!

And there is no rock like our God.

2 Samuel 7:22 CSB

22 This is why you are great, Lord God. There is no one like you, and there is no God besides you, as all we have heard confirms.

1 Kings 8:23 (CSB)

23 He said:

Lord God of Israel,

there is no God like you

in heaven above or on earth below,

who keeps the gracious covenant

with your servants who walk before you

with all their heart.

Psalm 86:8 (CSB)

8 Lord, there is no one like you among the gods,

and there are no works like yours.

Isaiah 46:9 (CSB)

9 Remember what happened long ago,

for I am God, and there is no other;

I am God, and no one is like me.

Isaiah 42:8–10 (CSB)

8 I am the Lord. That is my name,

and I will not give my glory to another

or my praise to idols.

9 The past events have indeed happened.

Now I declare new events;

I announce them to you before they occur.”

10 Sing a new song to the Lord;

sing his praise from the ends of the earth,

you who go down to the sea with all that fills it,

you coasts and islands with your inhabitants.

Always: When someone or something has proven to be better than anything else there is no need to go backwards or outside of that thing to satisfy, it can stand on it’s own.

Intro:

The History:

2 Kings 17:1–7 (CSB)

1 In the twelfth year of Judah’s King Ahaz, Hoshea son of Elah became king over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned nine years. 2 He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, but not like the kings of Israel who preceded him.

3 King Shalmaneser of Assyria attacked him, and Hoshea became his vassal and paid him tribute. 4 But the king of Assyria caught Hoshea in a conspiracy: He had sent envoys to So king of Egypt and had not paid tribute to the king of Assyria as in previous years. Therefore the king of Assyria arrested him and put him in prison. 5 The king of Assyria invaded the whole land, marched up to Samaria, and besieged it for three years.

6 In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria. He deported the Israelites to Assyria and settled them in Halah, along the Habor (Gozan’s river), and in the cities of the Medes.

7 This disaster happened because the people of Israel sinned against the Lord their God who had brought them out of the land of Egypt from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt and because they worshiped other gods.

(EXP)(1) The Historian tells during the reign of King Ahaz a man named Hoshea son of Elah became the King over Israel in Samaria. Saints the children of Israel are no longer a united nation. There were 12 tribes total. When it split 10 tribes went north all the way up to what is now Lebanon, and very close to modern-day Syria. To the South and within the territory of the Holy City down to Egypt was the other two tribes Judah and Benjamin.

By the time they split when the text refers to Israel it is not talking about all of the children of Israel only the 10 northern tribes, and when it refers to Judah it is talking about the 2 southern tribes. So each separated nation had their own Kings.

(EXP)(2) The text tells us this King Hoshea did evil in the sight of God but not the same extent as other Kings of Israel.

(2-3) Hoshea became the Vassal of the King of Assyria King Shalmaneser. When a nation or king became a vassal they were allowed to live and function in their own land but they had to pay taxes and pledge their loyalty to the conquering King.

(4-5) Hoshea got cute and basically went to another nation SO the king of Eygpt and began to pay him for protection instead of the King of Assyria, the King of Assyria notice Hoshea had gotten behind on his payment and realize he was sleeping with another country. This caused him to arrest the King of Israel and go full out war against Israel. This is first Deportation of the children of Israel around 722BC. The were brought to Assyria.

(6) Although they were paying taxes to Syria they were able to stay in the homeland and keep the traditions of their fathers, but now they were carried off to Syria and forced to reside in Syrian refugee camps.

Why did this happened? I am glad you asked

(7) This deportation did not happen by accident it was orchestrated by God due to the disobedience of the Israelites. God told them long ago what would happen if they fell into syncretism.

Deuteronomy 28:45–52 CSB

45 “All these curses will come, pursue, and overtake you until you are destroyed, since you did not obey the Lord your God and keep the commands and statutes he gave you. 46 These curses will be a sign and a wonder against you and your descendants forever. 47 Because you didn’t serve the Lord your God with joy and a cheerful heart, even though you had an abundance of everything, 48 you will serve your enemies that the Lord will send against you, in famine, thirst, nakedness, and a lack of everything. He will place an iron yoke on your neck until he has destroyed you. 49 The Lord will bring a nation from far away, from the ends of the earth, to swoop down on you like an eagle, a nation whose language you won’t understand, 50 a ruthless nation, showing no respect for the old and not sparing the young. 51 They will eat the offspring of your livestock and your land’s produce until you are destroyed. They will leave you no grain, new wine, fresh oil, young of your herds, or newborn of your flocks until they cause you to perish. 52 They will besiege you within all your city gates until your high and fortified walls, that you trust in, come down throughout your land. They will besiege you within all your city gates throughout the land the Lord your God has given you.

(45-52) The Lord tells them if they fail to keep the covenant a foreign nation will come and do all these things to them.

This is exactly what happened to them starting in 722BC. Saints it’s important you realize this Deportation can be studied in secular ancient history. It happened just as the Lord said. He gave them centuries to get it together then he finally said “enough”

2 Kings 17:8 CSB

8 They lived according to the customs of the nations that the Lord had dispossessed before the Israelites and according to what the kings of Israel did.

(EXP)(8) The historian tells us more specifically why Israel is being carted off to be slaves in a foreign land.

Two Reason for the Deportation

They lived according to customs of the nations that God had dispossessed them from. He is talking about all the Gods of the Canaanites.

The Canaanites were polytheistic-meaning they served many gods’

The Children of Israel were Monotheistic-meaning they served one God(Yahweh)

They followed the ways of the Kings of Israel.

Sidenote: this passage tells you there will be no excuse for those who follow after their Rulers, Preachers, Spiritual Advisor. You are responsible for your own spiritual diet.

What some of things they did?

2 Kings 17:9–20 CSB

9 The Israelites secretly did things against the Lord their God that were not right. They built high places in all their towns from watchtower to fortified city. 10 They set up for themselves sacred pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree. 11 They burned incense there on all the high places just like the nations that the Lord had driven out before them had done. They did evil things, angering the Lord. 12 They served idols, although the Lord had told them, “You must not do this.” 13 Still, the Lord warned Israel and Judah through every prophet and every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways and keep my commands and statutes according to the whole law I commanded your ancestors and sent to you through my servants the prophets.” 14 But they would not listen. Instead they became obstinate like their ancestors who did not believe the Lord their God. 15 They rejected his statutes and his covenant he had made with their ancestors and the warnings he had given them. They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves, following the surrounding nations the Lord had commanded them not to imitate. 16 They abandoned all the commands of the Lord their God. They made cast images for themselves, two calves, and an Asherah pole. They bowed in worship to all the stars in the sky and served Baal. 17 They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire and practiced divination and interpreted omens. They devoted themselves to do what was evil in the Lord’s sight and angered him. 18 Therefore, the Lord was very angry with Israel, and he removed them from his presence. Only the tribe of Judah remained. 19 Even Judah did not keep the commands of the Lord their God but lived according to the customs Israel had practiced. 20 So the Lord rejected all the descendants of Israel, punished them, and handed them over to plunderers until he had banished them from his presence.

Part II “There is none like him!”

Video from Youtube.

Christian nationalism is the belief that the American nation is defined by Christianity, and that the government should take active steps to keep it that way. Popularly, Christian nationalists assert that America is and must remain a “Christian nation”—not merely as an observation about American history, but as a prescriptive program for what America must continue to be in the future. Scholars like Samuel Huntington have made a similar argument: that America is defined by its “Anglo-Protestant” past and that we will lose our identity and our freedom if we do not preserve our cultural inheritance…..In an Article from Christian Today.

This philosophy leads to the blending of Christianity and Government.

Jesus is expressly against this type of evangelistic methods because he knows that the message of the gospel will get convoluted with government policy.

John 18:36 CSB

36 “My kingdom is not of this world,” said Jesus. “If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight, so that I wouldn’t be handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.”

Review from last sermon

During the Reign of Hoshea the Assyrians deported Israel to Syria

Israel was deported because of their refusal to worship the Lord only. They continuously tried to blend worship of God with the custom of nations around them

they lived according to the customs of the nations that the Lord had dispossessed before the Israelites.

What does it mean to live according to the customs of the world?

I. Israel going down

2 Kings 17:9–20 CSB

(9-12) The Israelites “secretly” did things against the Lord. One of the first things that happens when you turn your back on God you get stupider! Notice what it says. The Israelites “secretly” Who were they hiding from? The folks thought they could hide their idolatry from God, the text says they secretly went out.

They built high places in all their towns and watchtowers to fortified city. This tells us everyplace you look were altars and figurines of worship. They made it convenient for people to sin.

The set up sacred pillars to Fertility God’s (Asherah’s Poles)

The burned incense or sacrificed to other God’s. Israel like the nation around them began to placate or seek to please the God’s just like the nations around them.

(11-12) This angered the Lord. Instead of Yahweh being the one and only he has to share space with idols. This act of treason “Angered the Lord” the Lord told them “You must not do this!” God is like the Husband of an Adulterous wife telling her before she walks out the door, don’t do this. Don’t turn your back on me.

2 Kings 17:13–14 CSB

13 Still, the Lord warned Israel and Judah through every prophet and every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways and keep my commands and statutes according to the whole law I commanded your ancestors and sent to you through my servants the prophets.” 14 But they would not listen. Instead they became obstinate like their ancestors who did not believe the Lord their God.

(14) The Lord warned, but look at the response. “They would not listen. This not listening part naturally lead to “a harden heart” Saints every step you move away from the Lord serves to harden your heart.

Saints notice what else they did. They went pass just burning incense to this:

2 Kings 17:16–17 CSB

16 They abandoned all the commands of the Lord their God. They made cast images for themselves, two calves, and an Asherah pole. They bowed in worship to all the stars in the sky and served Baal. 17 They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire and practiced divination and interpreted omens. They devoted themselves to do what was evil in the Lord’s sight and angered him.

(EXP)(16) This seems progressive. When they started making high places, and Asherah Poles then burning incense to them their hearts hardened then they abandoned all the commands of the Lord their God. They lost all restraint. They bowed in worship to the Canaanite God’s. Then noticed what they did. Their view of God is now distorted. It is important that we dig a little on this.

This tells us when you start to dilute, pollute, or poison God’s word by adding or subtraction the level of perversion to his word won’t stop.

In Idolatrous Nations man decided how the god’s needed to be worshipped, and served.

In Israel God revealed how he wanted to be worshipped & served.

In Idolatrous Nations man sought to soothe, placate, and barter with their gods’ that is why they would sacrifice people on the altar, believing the gods would be more satisfied by human sacrifice. In other nations man made steps towards their gods first, then if the god was pleased he would act. Setting up a transactional relationship between the people and God.

In Israel God took the first step, which leads to a grace based relationship with man. Our obedience and worship flows from what God has already done for us rather than what he is going to do in the future. Our obedience is our loving response to a love already bestowed to us.

Look at Islam. There is not God of Love or Compassion all of these qualities are beneath God, only a God of justice. One must perform the five pillars (you see who is taking the first step) then maybe Allah will be satisfied with the sacrifice and allow you to be in heaven only after you have placated, or satisfied his demands.

At the root; idol worship comes with a built in belief system that is antithetical to the worship of God. God tells us that himself

Exodus 34:14 CSB

14 Because the Lord is jealous for his reputation, you are never to bow down to another god. He is a jealous God.

(14) God tells us he is Jealous for his reputation. God will defend his integrity. When you bow down or give space for other god’s you are impugning and degrading the reputation of God.

Syncretism is highest form of disrespect to God because you are essentially drawing your understanding of the world through sources that are against God.

I am not saying truth cannot be found in secular venues. All truth is God truth and he has put that into the world. That is called natural revelation. But we are to reject any teaching the rivals & contradicts what God has said explicitly in his word.

2 Kings 17:17 CSB

17 They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire and practiced divination and interpreted omens. They devoted themselves to do what was evil in the Lord’s sight and angered him.

(17) What started off as burning incense and setting up poles has not progressed to murder, and divination. No longer consulting God through prayer and patience, but consulting witches, diviner’s. Idolatry always leads down.

What was our Lord’s response?

2 Kings 17:18–20 CSB

18 Therefore, the Lord was very angry with Israel, and he removed them from his presence. Only the tribe of Judah remained. 19 Even Judah did not keep the commands of the Lord their God but lived according to the customs Israel had practiced. 20 So the Lord rejected all the descendants of Israel, punished them, and handed them over to plunderers until he had banished them from his presence.

(18-20) The Lord removed Israel instantly from his presence. This is the 10 Northern Tribes. In (19) you will notice the 2 Southern Tribes followed suit and lived a fully assimilated lifestyle blending both their Judiasm with the customs of the lands around them. Eventually in 586bc God sent Nebbie from Babylon to deport the 2 Southern Tribes Judah and Benjamin.

God has great patience, but he has a breaking point.

Lord says to Israel I have be patient with yall. I have extended so much grace to yall

2 Kings 17:21–23 CSB

21 When the Lord tore Israel from the house of David, Israel made Jeroboam son of Nebat king. Then Jeroboam led Israel away from following the Lord and caused them to commit grave sin. 22 The Israelites persisted in all the sins that Jeroboam committed and did not turn away from them. 23 Finally, the Lord removed Israel from his presence just as he had declared through all his servants the prophets. So Israel has been exiled to Assyria from their homeland to this very day.

Who is Jeroboam?

Jeroboam was the head to the laborers underneath Solomon. These were the men who helped build the First permanent Temple. During this time God tells Solomon the kingdom is going to split because of Solomon’s refusal to heed God’s warning about Foreign Women.

The kingdom eventually split underneath Solomon’s son Rehoboam. The 10 Northern Tribes broke off from the 2 Southern Tribes and then anointed Jeroboam as their first king.

What is the Sin of Jeroboam?

1 Kings 12:25–33 CSB

25 Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. From there he went out and built Penuel. 26 Jeroboam said to himself, “The kingdom might now return to the house of David. 27 If these people regularly go to offer sacrifices in the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem, the heart of these people will return to their lord, King Rehoboam of Judah. They will kill me and go back to the king of Judah.” 28 So the king sought advice. Then he made two golden calves, and he said to the people, “Going to Jerusalem is too difficult for you. Israel, here are your gods who brought you up from the land of Egypt.” 29 He set up one in Bethel, and put the other in Dan. 30 This led to sin; the people walked in procession before one of the calves all the way to Dan. 31 Jeroboam also made shrines on the high places and made priests from the ranks of the people who were not Levites. 32 Jeroboam made a festival in the eighth month on the fifteenth day of the month, like the festival in Judah. He offered sacrifices on the altar; he made this offering in Bethel to sacrifice to the calves he had made. He also stationed the priests in Bethel for the high places he had made. 33 He offered sacrifices on the altar he had set up in Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth month. He chose this month on his own. He made a festival for the Israelites, offered sacrifices on the altar, and burned incense.

(25-27) Jeroboam settled in Shechem where he was from. Then he began to think about how to solidify his leadership. He began to think about how to make sure the people of his kingdom would not be tempted to return to worship in Jerusalem where it was supposed to be.

Now did he anything to really worry about?

1 Kings 11:37–39 CSB

37 I will appoint you, and you will reign as king over all you want, and you will be king over Israel. 38 “ ‘After that, if you obey all I command you, walk in my ways, and do what is right in my sight in order to keep my statutes and my commands as my servant David did, I will be with you. I will build you a lasting dynasty just as I built for David, and I will give you Israel. 39 I will humble David’s descendants, because of their unfaithfulness, but not forever.’ ”

(37-38) God promised Jeroboam that if he remained obedient and obey his command his kingdom would rival David’s in scope and length.

Jeroboam focus should have been obedience not power retention. Jeroboam concerned should have been the spiritual health of his people and making sure they kept the law of God, but his concern was instead his nation losing significants and control.

Now look how he handled it.

1 Kings 12:27–30 CSB

27 If these people regularly go to offer sacrifices in the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem, the heart of these people will return to their lord, King Rehoboam of Judah. They will kill me and go back to the king of Judah.” 28 So the king sought advice. Then he made two golden calves, and he said to the people, “Going to Jerusalem is too difficult for you. Israel, here are your gods who brought you up from the land of Egypt.” 29 He set up one in Bethel, and put the other in Dan. 30 This led to sin; the people walked in procession before one of the calves all the way to Dan.

(27) The driving force behind Jeroboam’s idolatry is found right in this verse. I have a kingdom which I want to preserve. Rather than trust the promises of God. I need to do something to make sure my Kingdom would last. Jeroboam at this point is being led by fear not faith.

(27) He reasoned with himself. If we have to travel to Jerusalem for the festivals my people might be tempted to unify with the other 2 tribes of Judah thereby ripping the kingdom from me. So I need to do something about this.

(28) “So the king sought advice” Jeroboam’s advisor tell him to make 2 golden calves and put them in the northernmost and southernmost part of Israel. Notice what he said about them.

(29) “Israel, here are your gods who brought you up from the Land of Egypt” Now this is interesting. They have long departed from Egypt. At this point when the Israelites fell into idolatry they worshiped Canaanite gods. But in this case Jeroboam brought out the gods of Egypt.

I wonder why he did this?

1 Kings 12:1–2 CSB

1 Then Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone to Shechem to make him king. 2 When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard about it, he stayed in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon’s presence. Jeroboam stayed in Egypt.

(1-2) Notice these texts about Jeroboam. Jeroboam had been hiding out in Egypt. The king of Egypt changed during Solomon’s reign. The Earlier kings had a favorable relationship with Solomon but the later kings had beef with Solomon so when Jeroboam was prophesied as the future king of the Northern Tribe Solomon got mad so Jeroboam found solace among the enemies of Solomon in Egypt. They took care of him until it was time for him to installed as king.

(28-29) So when it came time to set up Idols it was Jeroboam’s way of communicating to Egypt we are on the same team. We worship the same gods’ This did two things it was:

A thank you note to Egypt

And it proved to a formidable adversary against Judah.

The Tribe of Judah were pinned in between Israel in the North and Egypt in the South.

(30) This may look like Jeroboam did this for religious reason. This move by Jeroboam had nothing to do with Religion it was all done for political power. Religion was the cover while power the was the root reason.

The words in (30) should terrify us. This led to sin; the people walked in procession before one of the golden calves all the way to Dan.

1 Kings 12:31–33 CSB

31 Jeroboam also made shrines on the high places and made priests from the ranks of the people who were not Levites. 32 Jeroboam made a festival in the eighth month on the fifteenth day of the month, like the festival in Judah. He offered sacrifices on the altar; he made this offering in Bethel to sacrifice to the calves he had made. He also stationed the priests in Bethel for the high places he had made. 33 He offered sacrifices on the altar he had set up in Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth month. He chose this month on his own. He made a festival for the Israelites, offered sacrifices on the altar, and burned incense.

Jeroboam deconstructs Judaism

(31)

Jeroboam made shrines of worship to the gods of Egypt

Jeroboam anointed priest from outside of the Levitical Priestly family. If the Priest were godly they would not have allowed themselves to be installed.

(32-33)

Jeroboam made substitutes for the Official Days of the Jewish Calendar.

He made Bethel the Substitute place of Worship and Sacrifice instead Jerusalem at the Temple.

So what was the Sin of Jeroboam?

The Religious and Political blending of two contradictory systems of beliefs, thereby making one system for the purpose of leveraging both to retain power.

Our Lord went through the same thing.

A very large crowd of people had just gotten a fish combo for free from Jesus and look what they try to do

John 6:14–15 CSB

14 When the people saw the sign he had done, they said, “This truly is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” 15 Therefore, when Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

(15) Notice this verse. After the people realized the power Jesus displayed they got excited because of what he could do politically for them and they tried to “take him by force to make him king” look what he did

He withdrew again to the mountain by himself. Jesus ghosted them.

Jesus was saying my purpose and mission is not be a political messiah by mission is to be Spiritual Savior.

Saints I wasn’t aware the mission had change. So while on earth Jesus feverishly refused to be propped up as a political messiah but all the sudden now he has changed and wants the church to fight to make him the center of government through protest, riots and gerrymandering.

When did the great commission change? Because I missed that memo

Our job is not the conversion of government but the evangelism of the nations.

A few years ago I took a survey of our congregation.

By a response of applause, I asked how much they agreed with the following statements:

Our children should learn and live by the Ten Commandments (loud applause).The Ten Commandments should be taught by churches (loud applause).The Ten Commandments should be hung on the walls of public places including public schools (applause by everyone in the room but me).I can personally name the Ten Commandments in order (I was the only one applauding).

The contrast was stunning. The point was clear.

It’s hypocritical to say the Ten Commandments are so vitally important that they should hang on the wall of every public building when they aren’t important enough for us to memorize them in our hearts.

Christianity is not an “outward first” religion. Signs and icons are not central to our faith.

The Ten Commandments written on a wall serve little purpose compared to the Commandments being lived through people whose hearts have been changed by God’s grace.

Open the Doors of the Church

Series: Sugar Don’t go on Grits

Part III

The God Israel becomes One of many!

2 Kings 17:34–41 CSB

34 They are still observing the former practices to this day. None of them fear the Lord or observe the statutes and ordinances, the law and commandments that the Lord had commanded the descendants of Jacob, whom he had given the name Israel. 35 The Lord made a covenant with Jacob’s descendants and commanded them, “Do not fear other gods; do not bow in worship to them; do not serve them; do not sacrifice to them. 36 Instead fear the Lord, who brought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and an outstretched arm. You are to bow down to him, and you are to sacrifice to him. 37 You are to be careful always to observe the statutes, the ordinances, the law, and the commandments he wrote for you; do not fear other gods. 38 Do not forget the covenant that I have made with you. Do not fear other gods, 39 but fear the Lord your God, and he will rescue you from all your enemies.” 40 However, these nations would not listen but continued observing their former practices. 41 They feared the Lord but also served their idols. Still today, their children and grandchildren continue doing as their ancestors did.

Intro:

Review:

Israel fell into Idolatry after years of being warned by God

Under the reign of Rehoboam Solomon’s son the Kingdom was split.

10 tribes to the north(Israel)

2 Tribes to the South(Judah)

In 722BC the 10 Northern Tribes were seized by Assyria. And the Norther Tribes were deported to Syria and essentially put into Refugee camps.

What is Israel Sin Specifically?

2 Kings 17:21–23 CSB

Jeroboam the first King of Israel got into an incestous political relationship with Egypt for protection against Judah.

As apart of this Alliance Jeroboam added their gods to the Israelite system of belief, which was fundamentally different than all the systems of the world.

Eygpt was Polytheistic

Israel was Monotheistic

And how do we know this?

Because the God of Israel was already told them

Isaiah 42:8–10 CSB

8 I am the Lord. That is my name, and I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols. 9 The past events have indeed happened. Now I declare new events; I announce them to you before they occur.” 10 Sing a new song to the Lord; sing his praise from the ends of the earth, you who go down to the sea with all that fills it, you coasts and islands with your inhabitants.

Transistion: Let’s take a look at how Israel is doing now that they have been deported to Assyria.

Have they realized the error of their ways and repented or did they dig their heel’s in and continue in Idolatry?

I. The God of Israel Introduced to the God’s of the Pagans

2 Kings 17:24–27 CSB

24 Then the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and settled them in place of the Israelites in the cities of Samaria. The settlers took possession of Samaria and lived in its cities. 25 When they first lived there, they did not fear the Lord. So the Lord sent lions among them, which killed some of them. 26 The settlers said to the king of Assyria, “The nations that you have deported and placed in the cities of Samaria do not know the requirements of the god of the land. Therefore he has sent lions among them that are killing them because the people don’t know the requirements of the god of the land.” 27 Then the king of Assyria issued a command: “Send back one of the priests you deported. Have him go and live there so he can teach them the requirements of the god of the land.”

(EXP)(24) As was custom the King of Assyria had to assimilate the Israelites. Assimilation is the mechanism used to slowly eliminate the cultural and ethnic distinction between to different nations. This starts with their belief in God. The Assyrians sped this process up forcing people from other conquered nations most likely slaves to live and infiltrate the Israelites. The Israelites where known separatist. Yahweh says “Come out from among them and be clean” this was both literal and metaphorical.

(25) During their original acclimation to the area God sent Lions to the area and they began to eat some of the foreigners living among the Jewish people.

(26) The Jews then got word to the King of Assyria and essentially told them why folks were being eaten by lions. The Jews told him our God is judging them so please send priest to come and teach us and them the ways of Yahweh.

(27) The King capitulated and sent a priest to settle the area and introduce even the pagan to the God of Israel. This was not done for religous reason but more so for civic reason. Kings prefer when their slave population is not in revolt. So he sent a priest to calm things down. And to let these new residents know they are guest in this Jewish Enclave so their gods would have to take a backseat to Yahweh.

Application

When we fall under the judgment of God we also become prey to the system of the world. (when God removes a hedge we become subject to many of things unbelievers face everyday) essentially God will throw you to the wolves for you own discipline.

That’s why Jesus tells us to abide in him.

As believers there are areas for which we can assimilate but our religious distinction must never be compromised.

Transition Statement-The Israelite God becomes part of the family.

II. The God of Israel is now dating the God’s of the Pagan

2 Kings 17:29–33 CSB

29 But the people of each nation were still making their own gods in the cities where they lived and putting them in the shrines of the high places that the people of Samaria had made. 30 The men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth, the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima, 31 the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim. 32 They feared the Lord, but they also made from their ranks priests for the high places, who were working for them at the shrines of the high places. 33 They feared the Lord, but they also worshiped their own gods according to the practice of the nations from which they had been deported.

(29-31) You will see the despite the attempts by the King of Assyria to quell the unrest by sending a priest the people of the area still worship the distinctive gods from each other respective cultures. When they came they also brought their culture.

(31) Notice what they are starting to do in the area. Sacrifice kids to their gods. Child sacrifice was detestable to the Israelites.

How was child sacrifice openly practice in an area where the dominant culture was against it?

It’s really quite simple the dominant culture(Israel) was either closing their eyes to it, which is a form of agreement, or they were participating in it.

It’s clear the priest he sent were ordaining the melding together of these two different religous systems.

Notice the transition the writer of Kings does. He brings special attention to what was created when these two groups came together. The Pagans and the Israelites.

2 Kings 17:32–33 CSB

32 They feared the Lord, but they also made from their ranks priests for the high places, who were working for them at the shrines of the high places. 33 They feared the Lord, but they also worshiped their own gods according to the practice of the nations from which they had been deported.

(32) “They feared the Lord” This means at least externally both the pagans and Israelites kept the festivals, Sabbaths, and Laws of Moses. They didn’t break up with Yahweh they simply practiced a form of Spiritual polygamy.

(32) “but they also made from their ranks priests for the high places, who were working for them at the shrines of the high places”

“but” can you hear the writer trying to convey to us. Before you get encouraged that the Israelites where following the Laws of Moses you need to realize there is more to the story. The performed one act that then caused another act. Saints do you know that sometimes you can make a decision that will set off a natural chain of events that you might now expect or want.

What act did they do that caused this unholy alliance to solidify?

If you remember, in (27), the King of Assyria was one of the priests to minister to the whole area. A priest who could teach them the requirements of the god of the land. The one sent by the King was one who most likely had a reputation for being serious about the Law of Moses, and it was only one.

I don’t know how much time elapsed between (27) & (32) but either this man died and was replaced by other priests or he was replaced by the ruling majority and notice who they picked.

The chose priest from their own ranks. That is key. The writer is telling us the priest did not come from the Levitical tribe, which was a No-no.

So they picked priest from any tribe they deemed appropriate.

They priest work on behalf of the people. This made the priest function more as politicians rather than priest and prophet. Levitical Priest did not report to the people they reported to God. The people were responsible for taking care of the Priest. The Priest answered directly to God.

These Priest behaved just the opposite. The work on behalf of the people. So essentially whatever the people wanted they provided.

What did it lead to?

(33) “They feared God” the writer tells us again “They feared God” he already said this in (32) why is he repeating this. Because he is trying to make an emphatic point. They did not neglect the law of Moses, they simply added Listen to their Spiritual Father Moses in Deuteronomy 4:1-2

Deuteronomy 4:1–2 CSB

1 “Now, Israel, listen to the statutes and ordinances I am teaching you to follow, so that you may live, enter, and take possession of the land the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. 2 You must not add anything to what I command you or take anything away from it, so that you may keep the commands of the Lord your God I am giving you.

This command essentially ends to the Law of Moses in the OT, and the Law of Christ in the NT listen to the Apostle John in Revelation 22:18-19

Revelation 22:18–19 CSB

18 I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book. 19 And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share of the tree of life and the holy city, which are written about in this book.

In both of these serious warnings are given to anyone who adds or subtracts. In our narrative today the children of Israel are not guilty of subtraction they are guilty of addition. The have taken the pure, and all sufficient word of God and added the laws, festivals, and celebrations of all the nations around them.

(33) “For they worshiped their gods according to the practices of the nations they were deported from.” They worshipped according to the practices. Meaning the other nations did not compromise their beliefs to accomodate the Israelites because their system of beliefs were flexible allowing for the addition of another God without affecting the worship of the other gods. It was the Israelites who system was not flexible. Yet they made it flexible.

What did it lead too?

III. The God of Israel has been Married to the god’s of the pagan

2 Kings 17:34–41 CSB

(34) Long-Term Syncretism. By the time the writer of Kings actually wrote the book in around 561 BC Israel was still mired and married to the pagan nations around them. They had moved far and away from the commandment given to the descendants of Moses. The events described in this text took place in 722bc so 160 years later when the book was actual written, no change had happened.

What was the final word given to these people?

(40) These nations would would not listen but continued observing their former practices.

(41) “They feared the Lord but also served their idols” The Israelites were still married to the nations, and divorced from God.

This last statement should terrify you Saints.

(41) “Their children and grandchildren continue doing as their ancestors did” Saints it would be nice if our bad action could just die off with us. I wish that were the case. I wish my decision did not affect other people, but that is not the case. Our unresolved sins will be passed down to subsequent generations of those closely connected to us. That is why repentance and holiness are such an important process of the christian life because that is the way can stop Syncretism, Trauma, Abuse from continuing to reek havoc on your seed.

As Christian it is our job to make sure there is a clear line of delineation between Christianity and all other worldview. This should be very clear to our children and all those we are in relationship with. We need to be very clear about the teachings of Christ and where we have made interpretative mistakes we need to own them, and when our lifestyle has not line up to our Worldview we need to own that was well.

Christian stop trying to accomodate the social, political and religous practices of the world. Now all belief systems have some measure of truth to them and where the intersects with the word we can say amen. But that does not gives us the latitude to then integrate that belief system with Christian.

Christianity must stand all by itself.

A man preached on Hell yesterday. After the sermon, the preacher reached out to me and asked me, “ya know what’s scarier than Hell?” I didn’t have an answer. He said, Imagine falling into the bottomless pit and your child falls past you and screams “why didn’t you tell me there is only one way!!”

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