5 Then 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 and by the Habor, Gozan's river, and in the cities
of the Medes.
7 [This disaster]happened because the people of Israel had 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 had worshiped other gods.
8 They had lived according to the customs of the nations that the Lord
had dispossessed before the Israelites and the customs the kings of Israel
had introduced. 9 The Israelites secretly did what was not right against
the Lord their God. 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
on all the high places just like those nations that the Lord had driven
out before them. They did evil things, provoking the Lord. 12 They served
idols, although the Lord had told them, "You must not do this." 16 They
abandoned all the commandments of the Lord their God. They made for themselves
molded images--even two calves--and an Asherah pole. They worshiped the
whole heavenly host and served Baal. 17 They made their sons and daughters
pass through the fire and practiced divination and interpreted omens. They
devoted themselves to do what was evil in the Lord's sight and provoked
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 commandments of the Lord their God but lived according
to the customs Israel had introduced. 20 So the Lord rejected all the descendants
of Israel, afflicted them, and handed them over to plunderers until He
had banished them from His presence.
Introduction
The lesson calls attention to a period of Israel's
history when they paid the consequences of being
trapped by sin. It is very sad to see the results of being trapped
by sin in an individuals life, and perhaps even more to see the effects
sin on an entire nation. Why will we vote on August 3rd on a
marriage amendment? I say it is the result of this nations permissive lifestyle,
and Christians failure to live a life that stands up for righteousness.
History may evaluate us as being trapped by sin. Please vote for righteous
people, platforms, and policies as you go to the poles.
1. The . . Results from Being Trapped By Sin. Vs 5-6
A. Being Trapped By Sin Resulted In The . . Ravaging
of the Populace. v 5
5 Then the king of Assyria
invaded the whole land, marched up to Samaria, and besieged it for
three years.
B. Being Trapped By Sin Resulted In The . . Removing
of The People. v 6
6 In the ninth year
of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria. He deported the Israelites
to
Assyria and settled them
in Halah and by the Habor, Gozan's river, and in the cities of the Medes.
2. The . . Reason for Being Trapped By Sin. Vs 7-12
A. The Reason of . . Forbidden Worship. Vs 7-10
7 [This disaster]
happened because the people of Israel had 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 had worshiped other
gods. 8 They had lived according to the customs of the nations that the
Lord had dispossessed before
the Israelites and the customs the kings of Israel had introduced.
9 The Israelites secretly
did what was not right against the Lord their God. 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.
B. The Reason Of . . Faddish Worship. Vs 11-12
11 They burned incense
on all the high places just like those nations that the Lord had driven
out
before them. They did evil
things, provoking the Lord. 12 They served idols, although the Lord had
told them, "You must not
do this."
3. The . . Residue from Being Trapped By Sin. Vs
16-20
A. The Residue of . . Abandoning the Commandments.
v 16a
16 They abandoned
all the commandments of the Lord their God.
B. The Residue Of . . Apostate Worship. v 16b -
17
They made for themselves
molded images--even two calves--and an Asherah pole. They worshiped
the whole heavenly host
and served Baal. 17 They made their sons and daughters pass through the
fire and practiced divination
and interpreted omens. They devoted themselves to do what was evil
in the Lord's sight
and provoked Him.
C. The Residue Of . . Anger From the Lord. Vs 18-19
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 commandments of the Lord their God
but lived according to the
customs Israel had introduced.
D. The Residue Of . . Afflictions From the Lord.
v 20
20 So the Lord rejected
all the descendants of Israel, afflicted them, and handed them over to
plunderers until He had
banished them from His presence.