Praise the Lord! Hallelujah! God is good! It’s a new day in a new week with new hope and new plans and it’s time to experience God’s goodness and mercies in our lives for today and in the days to come. This is true for everyone who looks forward to gaining a world beyond what is known and visible. We are called to live in the newness of life on all the days of our life on earth, as God is making everything new here in this world as well as there beyond this world: He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true” (Revelation 21:5; also refer to Lamentations 3:22-23; Isaiah 43:19; 65:17; 66:22; Romans 6:4). The Scripture clearly states that God made the human beings in His own image and likeness (Genesis 1:26-26; 2:7) but all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23; Psalm 14:2-3; 53:2-3; Ecclesiastes 7:20). Yet, with the coming of Christ Jesus into this world in the form of a human being (John 1:14; Galatians 4:4; Philippians 2:6-8; Hebrews 2:17; 1 John 4:2), we all have an opportunity to become new in and through Him, as the Scripture makes it clear that everyone who abides in Christ Jesus is a new creation: If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here (2 Corinthians 5:17). Every one of us is distinct and different from one another in our being, in our calling, in our response to our calling, in our spiritual gift distribution, in our faith in God, in our behavior, in our attitude, in everything we say or do, in our social status, and so on. As the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit are distinct and different from each other in their functionalities while being united together in the core of their existence as the One true God, every human being is created distinctly and differently from each other though we all have a common ancestry. This being said, we need to understand that every person who lives in the world [that may include every person who lived in the past since the creation of mankind, those who are living right now, and those who are yet to be born to live in the world until Christ’s return] are very distinct and different from each other. In short, no two individuals ever existed/exists/will exist would be exactly the same in their appearance and physique. Each person’s outward appearance and inward qualities differ from one another. Each person’s eye and finger prints are different from each other. Such could be the situation with everything else in the universe, including animals, birds, plants, water drops or snowflakes, and so on. For instance, for a normal eye, all snowflakes might look the same in its appearance or all water droplets might look the same in its dropping form or every mass of condensed water vapor floating in the atmosphere above us might look the same/similar but in reality every snowflake and every water droplet and every cloud differs from each other. No one may be able to understand such differences but God, the Creator of everything in the universe both visible and invisible. He is an Omnipotent [all-powerful, all-authoritative, Almighty], Omniscient [all-wise, all-knowing], Omnipresent [ubiquitous, present everywhere at all times, infinite], and all-loving and compassionate (Job 11:7-9; Psalm 139:1-18; 145:3; 147:5; Isaiah 40:28). He is the One who created us and cares for us. Everyday morning when we get up from our all-night restful sleep, we can understand that we were under God’s care and protection. 

The Lord has blessed us with an invitational Scripture passage for our SftW meditation this week that is taken from the book of 2 Kings 17:13 (mentioned above). Although the books of First and Second Kings are added as two different books in the Christian Scriptures [Bible], it seems they were originally written as one document and included in the original Hebrew Scriptures as one book. The authorship of the book is still uncertain since there is no mention of any specific individual or group in the book. However, there are several Bible historians and scholars who believe that the book is possibly written by prophet Jeremiah. In addition, there are also some strong speculations going around regarding its authorship where some believe that the book might have been written by either prophet Ezekiel or Ezra the priest and Scribe or someone else who remains anonymous. The names of Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Ezra are heard in connection with its authorship because [as per some Jewish traditions] these individuals were very familiar with the things in Israel as they were living in the regions during the time-period the book was written. It does not matter who wrote the book, what it really matters is the contents of the book – which focuses on God and the people of God and their approach towards Him. 

The passage we chose for our meditation this week focuses on God’s invitation to His people who have rebelled and sinned against Him, saying: Turn from your evil ways. Observe my commands and decrees, in accordance with the entire Law that I commanded your ancestors to obey and that I delivered to you through my servants the prophets (2 Kings 17:13). This passage indicates that the people whom the Lord had chosen for Himself did not follow His righteous laws and decrees and commands rather they rebelled and sinned against Him. Yet, God warned them time and time again through His servants and invited them to return to Him. Despite God’s warning to His people, they continued to rebel and sin against Him. They deliberately ignored the faithfulness of God who brought them up out of Egypt from under the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt, as it is mentioned: … The Israelites had sinned against the Lord their God, who had brought them up out of Egypt from under the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt (2 Kings 17:7a).

Some of the specific detestable practices they committed against the Lord their God are mentioned below based on 2 Kings 17:7b-17 … 

• • The chosen people of God forsook the Lord their God (17:7b) who … 
    • delivered them from their bondage in Egypt
    • delivered them from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt
    • stayed close to them day and night as they traveled through the wilderness
    • protected them in times of harm and danger
    • subdued their enemies before them
    • provided them with everything they need in life
    • blessed them with His righteous laws and decrees and commands for a cherished spiritual life
    • blessed them with everything they need in life [material blessings]
    • subdued their enemies before them
    • blessed them with provision of lands and houses and a nation
    • blessed them with efficient leaders and kings to reign over them
    • blessed them with everything they need to live a fruitful life on earth
  • They worshiped other gods (17:7c)
  • They followed the practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before them (17:8a)
  • [In addition] They followed the practices that the kings of Israel had introduced (17:8b)
  • They secretly did things against the Lord their God that were not right (17:9a)
  • They built themselves high places in all their towns from the watchtower to the fortified city (17:9b)
  • They set up sacred stones on every high hill and under every spreading tree (17:10a)
  • They set up Asherah poles on every high hill and under every spreading tree (17:10b)
  • They burned incense at every high place (17:11a)
  • They did everything as the nations whom the Lord had driven out before them (17:11b)
  • They did wicked things that aroused the Lord’s anger (17:11c)
  • They worshiped idols, though the Lord had said, “You shall not do this” (17:12)
  • [Despite God’s warning to them] they continued to rebel and sin against Him (17:13a)
  • [Despite God’s warning to them] they continued to practice the detestable things (17:13b)
  • They rebelled against the Lord their God and would not listen to Him (17:14a)
  • They became stiff-necked as their ancestors as they rejected the righteous laws and decrees and commands the Lord their God has given them through His servants (17:14b)
  • They did not trust in the Lord their God just like the way their forefathers did (17:14c)
  • They rejected God’s righteous decrees (17:15a
  • They rejected the covenant the Lord their God had made with their ancestors (17:15b)
  • They rejected the statutes he had warned them to keep (17:15c)
  • They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless (17:15d)
  • They imitated the nations around them although the Lord had ordered them, “Do not do as they do” (17:15e)
  • They rejected the Lord their God Himself who delivered them from slavery in Egypt and from the power of Pharaoh the king of Egypt (17:15f)
  • They forsook all the commands of the Lord their God (17:16a)
  • They made for themselves two idols cast in the shape of calves (17:16b)
  • They made an Asherah pole (17:16c)
  • They bowed down to all the starry hosts (17:16d)
  • They worshiped Baal (17:16e)
  • They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire (17:17a)
  • They practiced divination (17:17b)
  • They sought omens (17:17c)
  • They sold themselves to do evil in the eyes of the Lord (17:17d)
  • They aroused God’s anger with all the detestable things He prohibited them from doing (17:17e)

The people and their kings alike forsook the Lord, the God of their fathers, who blessed them with both spiritual and material blessings and gave everything they need in life to live on earth. Prophet Hosea stated that Israel has rejected the good … (Hosea 8:3). God spoke through prophet Jeremiah, saying: My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water (Jeremiah 2:13). In fact, God made it clear to their ancestors while establishing His covenant with them and reminded their descendants time and time again through His messengers that they must not worship any gods other than the Lord their God, the God of Israel, as it is mentioned:

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. 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. You must always be careful to keep the decrees and regulations, the laws and commands he wrote for you. Do not worship other gods. Do not forget the covenant I have made with you, and do not worship other gods. Rather, worship the Lord your God; it is he who will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies” (2 Kings 17:35-39).

However, like the kings and rulers of the earth rallied together against the Lord and against His anointed One as it is mentioned in Psalm 2:2 (also refer to Acts 4:26), most of the kings and rulers and elders and people in Israel and some in Judah turned their back on the Lord their God and denied the authority of the messengers and prophets of God and denied their messages of warning and encouragement. The messengers of God repeatedly urged the people of Israel to return to the Lord, but they did not. For instance, prophet Hosea urged them, saying: Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled by your iniquity (Hosea 14:1; also refer to Ezekiel 16:47; Zechariah 1:3). Instead of returning to Him, they continued to worship the starry hosts and other gods thinking that they would bless them to a great extent of prosperity and security for their well-being (2 Kings 17:16). They neither took God’s warnings to them seriously nor listened to His advice and returned to Him wholeheartedly, as it is stated in the Scriptures that they became as stiff-necked as their ancestors, who did not trust in the Lord their God: They would not listen and were as stiff-necked as their ancestors, who did not trust in the Lord their God. They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their ancestors and the statutes he had warned them to keep. They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless. They imitated the nations around them although the Lord had ordered them, “Do not do as they do”  (2 Kings 17:14-15). When the Lord, the God of Israel, saw that the king Hoshea son of Elah and the people alike sinned against Him, as they neither listened to Him nor returned to Him wholeheartedly (2 Kings 17:1-2, 7), He was angry with them and removed them from His presence, especially the people of the the Northern Kingdom Israel, as it is mentioned: So the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them from his presence (2 Kings 17:18). The Lord allowed Shalmaneser king of Assyria to invade the entire land of Israel, and he marched against Samaria and laid siege to it for three years, as it is noted: Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up to attack Hoshea … seized him and put him in prison … invaded the entire land, marched against Samaria and laid siege to it for three years. (2 Kings 17:3-5). Again, in the ninth year of the reign of Hoshea the king of Israel, Shalmaneser the king of Assyria invaded Samaria completely and deported its people to the territories of the Assyrian kingdom, as it is mentioned: In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and deported the Israelites to Assyria. He settled them in Halah, in Gozan on the Habor River and in the towns of the Medes (2 Kings 17:6). And, it is mentioned that the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Kuthah, 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 (2 Kings 17:24). Despite all the upliftments and downfalls and all that happened to the people whom the Lord God chose for Himself as His possession, they continue to rebel and sin against Him, as it is mentioned in the Scriptures: To this day they persist in their former practices. They neither worship the Lord nor adhere to the decrees and regulations, the laws and commands that the Lord gave the descendants of Jacob, whom he named Israel (2 Kings 17:35).

A similar kind of downfall happened to Judah also. Although Judah saw the downfall and all that had happened to the nation of Israel due to their unfaithfulness towards the Lord their God, they neither learned some life-improving lessons from the Israelites’ life-experiences nor returned to the Lord their God wholeheartedly, as it is stated: 

So the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them from his presence. Only the tribe of Judah was left, and even Judah did not keep the commands of the Lord their God. They followed the practices Israel had introduced. Therefore the Lord rejected all the people of Israel; he afflicted them and gave them into the hands of plunderers, until he thrust them from his presence (2 Kings 17:18-20; also refer to 1 Kings 14:22; Jeremiah 3:6-11). 

We can understand from several Scripture passages that God warned the people of Judah time and time again through His servants. Let us once again read and analyze and study the passage we chose for our meditation this week, which is based on 2 Kings 17:13, for our personal and communal spiritual benefit. What we can understand is that …  

• • The Lord warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and seers (17:13a) … 
    • … to turn from their evil ways (17:13b)
    • … to observe God’s commands and decrees (17:13c)
    • … to obey God’s commands wholeheartedly (17:13d)
    • … to obey His decrees fully (17:13e)
    • … to keep God’s righteous laws and decrees and commands in its entirety (17:13f)
    • … to follow all that the Lord their God commanded their ancestors wholeheartedly (17:13g)

Despite God’s warnings to His people Israel and Judah to turn away from their rebellion and sin against Him, they continued to live in their sins. They did not turn away from the detestable practices they were carrying out nor from the wrongs they were committing nor did they return to the Lord wholeheartedly. Rather, they continued to rebel and sin against the Lord their God and carry out the detestable practices Israel introduced (2 Kings 16:3a; Jeremiah 11:10). Regarding the rebellion and sins of Israel and Judah God spoke through prophet Ezekiel that The sin of the people of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great; the land is full of bloodshed and the city is full of injustice. They say, ‘The LORD has forsaken the land; the LORD does not see’ (Ezekiel 9:9). Due to the ever-increasing unfaithfulness of Judah, God handed them over to the Babylonians [as He handed Israel over to the Assyrians] who invaded Judah and exiled its people into several territories of the Babylonian empire, which is described in several passages like 2 Kings 24:1-25:21; 2 Chronicles 36:15-21. Though the Lord their God was gracious to them, having pity on the people of Judah, they provoked Him to anger by the detestable practices of the nations and, thus, God decided to remove them from their presence (2 Kings 17:17; 21:6; 2 Chronicles 33:6; Isaiah 8:19; Jeremiah 10:2). As a result, the Lord handed them over to the Babylonians, as it stated:

The Lord, the God of their ancestors, sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place. But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused against his people and there was no remedy. He brought up against them the king of the Babylonians, who killed their young men with the sword in the sanctuary, and did not spare young men or young women, the elderly or the infirm. God gave them all into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar. He carried to Babylon all the articles from the temple of God, both large and small, and the treasures of the Lord’s temple and the treasures of the king and his officials. They set fire to God’s temple and broke down the wall of Jerusalem; they burned all the palaces and destroyed everything of value there. He carried into exile to Babylon the remnant, who escaped from the sword, and they became servants to him and his successors until the kingdom of Persia came to power (2 Chronicles 36:15-20). 

Dear brothers and sisters, as we conclude this week’s meditation, let us try to understand the fact that whoever rebels and sins against the Lord will face its consequences when they called to settle their account. This is what we can learn from the lives of the people of Israel and Judah – God chose their ancestors to be a special people and blessed their descendants more than they asked or imagined. However, God warned them saying if they rebel or sin against Him, He will remove them from His presence and not spare them because they have been chosen by Him as His special people but will be punished in the same manner others are punished. Yet, God, being compassionate and gracious (Exodus 34:6; Numbers 14:18; Psalm 103:8), gave wrong doers the opportunity to correct themselves by turning away from their evil ways and return to Him with integrity of heart. It was clear that if they follow His counsel and live a life according to the righteous laws and decrees and commands He has given them, He will spare them, if not they have to bear the consequences of his/her actions, as it is stated: The LORD is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished … (Numbers 14:18). We can understand from our discussion above based on 2 Kings 17:13 that the Lord their God warned both Israel and Judah in advance [perhaps several times], but they did not listen to Him nor did they turn away from their evil ways and return to Him nor did they stop practicing the detestable things before Him (2 Kings 17:13; 2 Chronicles 36:15-16; Jeremiah 7:7-8, 25; 25:4-7). Therefore, God allowed the nations, particularly Assyria and Babylon, to invade them and exile them into other nations (2 Kings 17:23b; 25:11, 21b). In the light of our meditation, it is time for us [the redeemed ones] to abide in the Lord and hold fast unto Him and obey His righteous laws and decrees and commands in its entirety. Let us learn to take the warnings from the Lord seriously and act wisely. Also, let us learn to trust and obey the Lord our God who created us, sustained us, redeemed us, and promised us life-everlasting. Definitely, there will be great rewards for those who follow God’s righteous laws and decrees and commands in its entirety and do what it says. May the Lord God Almighty bless us all! Amen!