Lions—Oh My!!!

8. October 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello: 

Today, we want to talk about the Samaritans.  In our text on yesterday, we learned that Jesus told his disciples to not go the way of the Gentiles or to the Samaritans.  According to the New Testament, the Jews have no dealing with the Samaritans.    

Let’s talk about this conflict today. Yesterday, when we did our Old Testament timeline, we saw that during the divided Kingdom period, the Assyrians came in and invaded the nation of Israel.   The nation is divided into Israel and Judah with Israel holding 10 tribes and

Judah holding two.    During this Assyrian invasion, they took over the capitol city which was Samaria and they shipped all the leaders out and they brought in the Assyrians.   The Samaritan city now becomes a mixed population.  Something interesting happened in the text.  The bible says that Lions started coming in and eating up the people.  

The Assyrians were nervous and wondered why this had not been a problem when the land was occupied by Israelites only.  The Assyrians came to the conclusion that it must be because they did not respect the God of the land nor understand how to worship HIM.   They sent back to Assyria and brought back an Israeli priest to teach them how to worship the God of Israel. 

This is some Fascinating stuff.  Here’s the biblical account.

II Kings 17:24 The king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath and Sepharvaim and settled them in the towns of Samaria to replace the Israelites. They took over Samaria and lived in its towns. 25 When they first lived there, they did not worship the Lord; so he sent lions among them and they killed some of the people. 26 It was reported to the king of Assyria: “The people you deported and resettled in the towns of

Samaria do not know what the god of that country requires. He has sent lions among them, which are killing them off, because the people do not know what he requires.”

27 Then the king of Assyria gave this order: “Have one of the priests you took captive from

Samaria go back to live there and teach the people what the god of the land requires.” 28 So one of the priests who had been exiled from Samaria came to live in

Bethel and taught them how to worship the Lord. 29 Nevertheless, each national group made its own gods in the several towns where they settled, and set them up in the shrines the people of

Samaria had made at the high places.

30 The men from Babylon made Succoth Benoth, the men from Cuthah made Nergal, and the men from Hamath made Ashima; 31 the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire as sacrifices to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim.

32 They worshiped the Lord, but they also appointed all sorts of their own people to officiate for them as priests in the shrines at the high places. 33 They worshiped the Lord, but they also served their own gods in accordance with the customs of the nations from which they had been brought.

34 To this day they persist in their former practices. They neither worship the Lord nor adhere to the decrees and ordinances, the laws and commands that the Lord gave the descendants of Jacob, whom he named

Israel. 35 When the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites, he commanded them: “Do not worship any other gods or bow down to them, serve them or sacrifice to them.36 But the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt with mighty power and outstretched arm, is the one you must worship. To him you shall bow down and to him offer sacrifices. 37 You must always be careful to keep the decrees and ordinances, the laws and commands he wrote for you. Do not worship other gods.

38 Do not forget the covenant I have made with you, and do not worship other gods. 39 Rather, worship the Lord your God; it is he who will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.” 40 They would not listen, however, but persisted in their former practices. 41 Even while these people were worshiping the Lord, they were serving their idols. To this day their children and grandchildren continue to do as their fathers did. 

 Okay, enough for today.  Tomorrow we will continue with our Samaritan issue. 

Stay encouraged!!!!!!!!

God Bless!!!!!!!!!!

Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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