2 Kings 17

Hoshea became the king of Israel by leading a conspiracy against his predecessor. This had become the pattern in the north in the generations after the end of the line of Jehu. By the time that Hoshea was king, Israel was already under the control of the Assyrian Empire. Hoshea was not a very loyal servant to the Assyrians. He was looking for another foreign powerhouse, the Egyptians, to provide protection for Israel.

The events that transpired among these foreign powers are less important for us to remember than the fact that the Lord's purpose was being fulfilled in the fall of Israel. The loss of national sovereignty in the north “... occurred because the people of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God.” (2 Kings 17:7) Specifically, Israel worshiped other gods and walked in the lifestyles of idol-worshiping nations.

The leaders of Israel had led the way in false worship and immorality. The people thought that their secret evil practices would escape God's notice. God had plainly warned them through the ministry of many prophets that they needed to turn from their wicked ways or face exile from the land. During the reign of Hoshea, in 722 BC, exile finally came to Israel in the north. Judah in the south, and particularly her capital city, Jerusalem, would finally fall to the Babylonians in 586 BC. These sad days came by the Lord's hand of discipline and correction.

Israel would not obey the law of Moses. The examples that came to them from other cultures were more formative for them than the Word of God. Their failure was a symptom of unbelief. They would not obey the voice of God because they did not trust Him. We cannot accuse Israel of atheism or agnosticism. They eagerly received religious direction from every god but their own. Thus the Lord was “very angry” with them, and He “removed them out of His sight.”

The religious story of the northern part of the promised land was soon heavily influenced by the captives that the Assyrians forced to settle in that territory. The newcomers brought their gods with them and added what they knew to the religious mix that was already there. The Lord, the God of Israel, demanded wholehearted devotion from His people. They chose to give Him something different. They offered up a mixed message that came from a variety of spiritual traditions. God was not pleased with that confusing worship. They thought that they could worship Yahweh and their own carved images. Yahweh wanted none of that religious blend.

Over 700 years after the days of Hoshea, Jesus of Nazareth came preaching and teaching the kingdom of God. His kingdom did not come by the force of military might, nor would it grow through the weapons of this world. Jesus heard the Word of the Father and obeyed. This was His strength.

His obedience to the will of the Father extended to His atoning sacrifice of Himself on the cross for us. Through His life and death, Jesus secured the approval of the Father for us, winning a glorious kingdom of resurrection life for all who belong to Him. The kingdom of Israel under the Law fell because of the disobedience of God's people. The kingdom of heaven has been established for us through the obedience of one Redeemer. Other kings faced the end of their reigns when their enemies killed them. Jesus began to reign over us when He died for our sins.