II Kings 17
From the Journals of Isaiah
Shalmaneser put Hoshea in jail, conquered the land of Israel (not Judah), and dragged the people off to Assyria to be servants.
To keep wild animals from taking over the Israelite land, Shalmaneser brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim to live in the Israelite homes.
These Assyrian people took over the businesses and everything in the the Israelite towns. They even brought their gods with them to worship.
The problem now became that no one, not even one person remained in the land who still worshiped God. Even though there were people living in the towns, God allowed lions to come into the homes. They killed some of the people.
A messenger took the news to Shalmaneser. He said, "The people you sent to live in the towns in Samaria, Israel do not know what the god of that country wants. He has sent lions, which are killing them off because the people do not know what he wants."
"Hurry," Shalmaneser said. "Take one of the Israelite priests back to Samaria Israel to live. Have him teach the people I sent what needs to be don to please the god of the land."
The servants obeyed and brought an Israelite priest to Bethel to live. He taught the people how to worship the Lord.
Unfortunately, the new people not only worshiped the Lord, the one true God, but they also worshiped their own gods. Men from Babylon worshipped Succoth Benoth. The men from Cuthah worshiped Nergal. The men from Hamath worshiped Ashima. The Avvites worshiped Nibhaz an Tartak. The men from Sepharvites offered their children to their god Adrammelech.
So, although they worshiped the Lord, they also worshipped these other gods. What kind of worship is that?
God said, "Do not worship any other gods or bow down to them, serve them or sacrifice to them. Bu 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. Always keep his commands. 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.
But they would not listen.
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1. Hoshea was king of ________________
2. Where was he taken?
3. Who took over the Israelite land?
4. Where were the Israelite people taken and what did they have to do?
5. Why did lions come?
6. Did the new people worship the Lord?
7. What did they do wrong?
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