May 25, 2024

When Hoshea, son of Elah, began to reign in Israel, devastation and unrelenting judgment from God also began. Even though he was less evil than some previous kings and allowed the people to go to Jerusalem to worship, he didn’t forbid the worship of other gods. Hoshea, who was subject to the king of Assyria, sent him gifts. However, he must have been tired of his subjection to him because he had contacted So, the king of Egypt. Assyria’s king found out and locked up Hoshea and carried Israel into captivity, pouring them into the cities of Assyria. Not realizing that it was God who allowed their capture because they rejected his authority, their worship of other gods only became worse. Hoshea was the last king of Israel. The king of Assyria replaced the people of Israel in Samaria with his people. However, they didn’t realize that God was in charge of that land, and lions came in and ate the people. Thinking that God might help defeat the lions, Assyria’s king sent back a priest to teach his people God’s laws, except instead of leaving their idols behind and worshiping only God, they began to fear God but love their idols. 

We must have a healthy balance between our fear of God and our love of him; we must do both. If we do what’s right in His eyes, we do not need to fear Him and can passionately love him with all our hearts, souls, and minds. When we venture outside of His will, it causes us devastation; our disobedience brings His retribution. Therefore, we can only blame ourselves if we receive consequences. A good rule of thumb is to love God and love people; everything else falls subject to that command. 

And so it was at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they feared not the LORD: therefore the LORD sent lions among them, which slew some of them. 2 Kings 17:25

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Matthew 22:37-40