Read

Isaiah 28:1-29
2 Kings 17:5-41
2 Kings 18:10-12
Isaiah 1:1-20

2 Kings 17:24-25, “The king of Assyria transported groups of people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and resettled them in the towns of Samaria, replacing the people of Israel. They took possession of Samaria and lived in its towns. But since these foreign settlers did not worship the Lord when they first arrived, the Lord sent lions among them, which killed some of them.”

Think

What happens when we don’t heed repeated warnings? We face the consequences. God had sent prophets repeatedly to warn the Israelites of what would happen if they continued on the path of sin and idolatry, and time was up. They were conquered by the Assyrians and sent to live in exile — removed from the very land they’d been promised through God’s covenant with Abraham. And as they were taken away, others were sent from Assyria to populate their land.

The Promised Land’s new tenants did not know God. They had no fear of His power and ultimate authority — yet God protected His Holy Land by sending lions among the new settlers to do it! God demands honor — He will be glorified. The Assyrians recognized that the lions were from the God of Israel and even commissioned an Israelite priest to teach their people about the Lord! But they did it only out of fear; their people didn’t find communion with God.

What can we glean from this? Turning to God out of fear of judgment isn’t enough. It’s a good start, but God wants to have a relationship with us; He wants us to know and love Him. We must enter into a relationship with Him based on trust in His sacrificial love through Christ, repent of our sin, and learn to walk in His ways.

Pray

Heavenly Father, I love You and stand in awe of Your Almighty power. I heed the lessons so carefully laid out in Your Word because I want nothing to disrupt my walk with You. Amen.