lsrael is - biblebase

entire farnily and mor€
than
40
members
of
Ahaziah's
family
too.
[2Kings 9-10]
lsrael
is
In the northern kingdom of
Israel the family dynasty of
Omri came to an end with the
death ofJehoram oflsrael. He
had been a son of Ahab and
the brother of Ahaziah. During
the 12 years of his reign the
prophet
Elisha was God's
representative in that kingdom. [2 Kings 3-8] It was
another
demonstration
of
God's forbearance that He did
not leave the northern kingdom without a witness at this
time.
fl;oLo !
During
his
reign
the
Benhadad II, king of Syria
besieged Samaria, Jehoram's
capital city. The Syrian army
fled having heard fearful
noises and Jehoram was
spared. [2Kings 7] But only for
a short time.
.Elijarl,r was
instructed to anoint Jehoram's
successor. The dynasty of
Omri was coming to an end.
The new king would be Jehu
one of the military leaders of
the nation. Jehu would be
God's instrument of judgment
upon the house and family of
Ahab.[2 Kings 9]
(RB 1996)
His fellow officers were enthusiastic about Jehu's anointing
and Jehu set out to make the
kingdom his own. There are
few things which reveal a
man's character as fully as the
wayhe drives! Jehu was notorious for his reckless driving.
[2 Kings 9:20] Jehoram was in
the company of Ahaziah, king
ofJudah, when Jehu arrived
and realised that Jehu had
arrived bent on treason. As he
fled
Jehu's
arrow
went,
straight through him.
This was the era of the fateful
alliance between Israel and
Judah. Ahaziah ofJudah had
married the sister of Jehoram
of Israel and the two nations
were becoming ever closer.
The brothers-in-law, Ahaziah
and Jehoram, were together
when Jehu arrived. Seeing
Jehoram dead Ahaziah tried
to escape but was caught and
killed in Megiddo. Jehu had
surceeded in killing both kings
in one day. Jehu's blood lust
knew no restraint. He proceeded to murder Jezebel, Israel's queen mother and then
went on to slaughter Ahab's
83
He then announced that
although Ahab had served
Baal a little Jehu would
serve Baal better. He proclaimed a great religious
celebration and invited all
the priests of Baal to join
him. In the midst of their
ceremonies Jehu unleashed
80 men among them and
annihilated the followers of
Baal in one day. There is a
mystery here in that although this atrocious carnage was Jehu's own choice
and there would be consequences for him to suffer.
yet at the eame time it fulfilled God's purposes in removing the family of Ahab from
the throne. So very often in
these remrds we find the right
thing done in the wrong way.
Jehu's family were to reign for
oyeT 100 years orler the kingdom oflsrael, but finally retribution would' come to them
too. Jehu was hard pressed
throughout his reign. If you
have to fight to get it you will
have to fight to maintain it. In
the British Museum there is
an object from Assyria called
the
Black
Obelisk
of
Shalmaneser. It showe a man
on his knees, his beard touching the floor. He is paying
homage to the Assyrian king,
Shalmaneser III. The inscription refers to Shalmaneser as
"the
mighty king, king of the
univense, king without rival.
the autocrat, the powerful one
of the four regions of the
world", and records that tribute was paid by "Jehu, the eon
of Omri" [the Assyrian kings
continued to refer to the kings
of Israel as if they were the
descendants of Omri]
.
f,'ollowing the Seed
The scripture tells us about
another of Jehu's problems;
Hazael the king of Syria. Its
record is very brief; In those
days the LORD began to
cutlsr:ael shorh and Hazael
smote them in all the border:s of Israel. [2 Kings 10:32]
had a sister who at this time
was maryied to the high priest
Jehoiada. She snatched her
nephew Joash from the scene
of the slaughter and hid him
from his crazed grandmother
Athaliah. Joash was raised
secretly
in
the
temple
precincts for six years.
Meanwhile in
the
southern
kingdom
of
lsrael
Judah events
took
another
turn. Jehu had
killed
two
kings in one
day; Jehoram
of Israel and
Jehoram (l)
Athaliah
Ahaziah
of
Judah.
The
vacant throne
of Judah was
Ahaziah (J)
seized
by
Athaliah,
queen-mother
family connection
and daughter
of Ahab and
Jezebel. She acted with typical
thoroughgoing
wickedness.
rebellion against Athaliah
And
when
Athaliah
the
Aft,er six years the high priest
motherof Ahaziah saw that
organised a rebellion against
herson was dead she arose
Athaliah. He gathered the
and destroyed all the seed
captains ofthe army together
royal of the house of .Iudah.
and in the temple precincts
[2Chr 22:L0]
revealed Joash the son that
Jehu's slaughter
had cost
Athaliah her entire family; her
mother Jezebel, her brother
Jehoram
and
all
the
descendants of Ahab. The
entire royal family of Israel. It
had also cost her Ahaziah. her
sorl.
In a frenzy ofviolence she now
systematically
set our to
destroy the whole royal family
of Judah. Succeeding, except
for the single exception of the
baby of the family; Joash. In
this confusion of families it is
difficult to keep up with all
the characters in the story, but
the murdered king Ahaziah
Followingthe Seed
everyone thought was dead.
He was seven years old.
.Iehoiada brought out the
king's son and put the
crown on him; he pnesented
him with a copy of the
covenant and proclaimed
him king. Ttrey anointed
hirn,
and
the
people
clapped their hands and
shouted, 'T,ong live the
king!" [2Kin 11:12NIV]
This
reference
to
the
testimony
or copy of the
covenant,
as
the
MV
interprets
it, is significant.
This reign was to have a
genuine Bible base. It was a
return to basics. This king wae
84
not intended to behave like
oriental kings but to be a
sharer in his people'e care and
destiny. It was intended as a
return to the Davidic kind of
kingship. It was a mutual
covenant where each of the
persons involved had their
privileges and responsibilities.
Judah
Jehoshaphat
Jehoram (J)
Jehoiada
then made a
covenant
between the
LORD
and
the king and
people that
they
would
be
the
L O R D ' s
people.
He
also made a
covenant
between the
king and the
people. [2Kin
11:17MVI
The six years
that the young Joash spent
with Jehoiada seemed to have
forged a {eep bond. Jehoiada's
wife, Joash's aunt, presumably
acted as a mother to him, and
Jehoiada the High Priest
seems to have been a godly
man. He reigned in all for 40
years. The introduction to his
reign has an ominous notel
.Ioash did what was right in
the eyes of the LORD all
the yeans Jehoiada
the
priest instructed
him.[2Kin
12:2 MV) For the first part of
his
guidance
reign
was
available to him and we
presume he took it.
reformation
A thorough reform was begun
and the temple buildings put
good
in
repair.
The
atmosphere of 2Kings 12 is
one of order and continuing
improvement. 23 years into his
reign the improvements are
continuing.
[2Kings
L2:6]
(RB 1e96)
When Jehoiada died however
things began to unravel. The
leaders of the nation turned
their back on their covenant
with God and began to flirt
with foreign religions. After
the death of Jehoiada, the
officials of Judah came and
paid homage to the king,
and he listened to them.
They
abandoned
the
temple of the LORD, the
God of their fathers, and
worshipped Asherah poles
and idols. Because of their
guilt, God's anger came
upon
.Iudah
and
.ferusalem. [2Chr 24:17,LB
NIV}
flesh; and your sons and
your
daughter:s
shall
prophesy, your old men
shall dream dreams, your
young
men
shall
see
visions: And also upon the
servants and upon the
handmaids in those days
will I pour out my spirit.
lJoel2:28,291
Joash began well but like so
many failed at the last. 2
Chronicles records a tragic
event in the liG ofJoash. After
Jehoiada's death when God
sent prophets to them to bring
them again to the LORD, one
of those prophets was
have him stoned to death. His
ritual murdertook place in the
temple courtyard itself.
the Hebrew bible
There ie an interesting
postscript
to
Zechariah's
murder. The Hebrew Bible
was not one book like ours but
a collection of scrolls. The
scrolle were kept together in
three groups. (see last
session's notes). The third
grouping was known as the
Writings
and
contained
Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song,
Ruth,
Lamentations,
Ecclesiaetes, Esther, Daniel.
Ezra-Nehemiah. I & II
The Prophecies of Joel
The Facts:
Now:
what has happened (l : I -20)
repentancewill bring blessing(Z:lS-27)
The Explanation:
w h y i t h a sh a p p e n e(d2 : l - 1 7 )
Later:
The next verse shows again
God's amazing faithfulness
even in the presenceoftheir
unfaithfulness. Although the
LORD sent prophets to the
people to bring them back
to himo and though they
testifred against them, they
would not listen. IZC]rrr24:L9
MVI Bible students believe
that JoeI was perhaps one of
the prophets that God sent at
this time. Joel has things to
say for the people of his day
but some of the things he had
to say were not fulfilled until
Acts 2 and the coming of the
Spirit; And it shall come to
pass afDerward, [that] I will
pour out my spirit upon all
(BB 19e6)
a n e v e ng r e a t e rb l e s s i n g( 2 : 2 8 - 3 : 2 t )
Zechariah the son ofJehoiada
the High Priest. (this not the
Zechariah whose prophesy we
have at the end of the Old
Testament). This man was a
memberofthe family in which
Joashhad been raisedl almost
a brother. The Spirit of God
came upon Zechariah and he
prophesied; Then the Spirit
of
God
came
upon
Zec}narra}r son of Jehoiada
the priest. He stood before
the people and said"'Ttris is
what God says:'IVhy do you
disobey
the
LORI)'s
commands? You will not
prosper. Because you have
forsaken the LORD, he has
forsaken
you."' [2Chron
24:2OlJoash'sresponsewas to
85
Chronicles. The last book in
the Hebrew Bible then was
this book of 2 Chronicles. We
can tell that Jesus regarded it
in this way because of
something He said; Therefore
this gener:ation will be held
responsible for the blood of
all the prophets that has
been
shed
since
the
beginning of the world,
from the blood of Abel to
the blood of Zechariah, who
was killed between the
altar and the sanctuar;r.
Yes, I tell
you,
this
generation
will be held
responsible for it all. fl,uke
11:50MVI
f,'ollowingthe
Seed
He goes from the beginning of
the Hebrew Bible to its end.
From the first to the last, not
the last historically but the
last one a Jew would read
about in the Hebrew form of
the Bible.
the end ofJehu
Meanwhile in the northern
kingdom oflsrael the reign of
Jehu was coming to an end.
His son,Jehoahaz,came to the
throne at a low ebb of Israel,s
fortunes. Israel had come
under pnessure first from
Syria under Hazael and then
from Assyria under Benhadad
III. The scripture describes
the consequences of the
conflict with Hazael, king of
Syria. Nottringhad been left
of the army of clehoahaz
except fifty horsemen, ten
chariots and ten thousand
footsoldierq for the king of
Anam (Syria) had destroyed
the rest and made them
Iike the dust at threshing
time. [2Kin 13:7 MVJ These
numbers represent little more
than a personal bodyguard for
Jehoahaz.
There was a brief respite when
Jehoahaz sought Jehovah's
favour, but the trend was ever
downwards. His reign was 1?
years and with its end the
alliance between Judah and
Israel ended too. It hacllasted
for 80 years with devastating
long term consequences for
Judah.
Joash murdered
In the southern kingdom of
Judah someof Joash'speople
had staged a conspiracy and
murdered Joash as he slept.
He had reigned for 40 y.u.u.
[2Kings
l2:tg,20
2Chr
24:24,251 (He is also called
Jehoash) He had begun well
under his uncle Jehoiada's
guidance but when Jehoiada
Followingthe
Seed
was dead he went astray
quickly. His son Amaziah
succeededhim.
Amaziah of Judah's reign was
patchy too. The record tells us
that He did what was right
in the eyes of the LORI),
but not wholeheartedly.
[2Chr 25:2 MV] He killed
those who had murdered his
father but not their children.
In this he obeyed the original
instructions given to Moses.
Fathers shall not be put to
death for their children,
nor children put to death
for their fathers; each is to
die for his own sin.lDeut
24:16MVI
the alliance breaks
It was his obedience to the
word of God which frnallv
broke the alliance with Israel
inthe north. Amaziah hired a
mertenarx/ army from Israel at
the cost of 1000 talents of
silver. His intention was f,o
attack the Edomites. A
prophet arrived who rebuked
him for allying himself with
Israel. Amaziah had paid the
price and wanted the army but
the prophet assured him that
God would not allow Amaziah
to suffer loss by obedienceto
God's word. Amaziah sent the
Israel army home. The Israel
arrry had looked forward to
the spoils of war and were nou/
disappointed. In their fury
they pillaged the cities of
Judah as they returned home.
The alliance was over. [2Chr
251
Amaziah of Judah won his
battle against the Edornites,
and brought their gods home
with him!A prophet arrived to
rebuke him but Amaziah
would not listen to him. In his
hot-headed arrogance he now
determined to punish Israel.
He was thoroughly beaten by
86
the armies of Israel who took
Amaziah hostage. The ransom
demand was paid out of the
royal treasury and with
temple treasures. Amaziah
outlived his rival in the norbh
but was finally assassinated.
[2Chr 25].
Amaziah's rival
in
the
northern kingdom of Israel
was called Joash! Its not
difficult to see why this period
of Bible history gets so
complicated. And Amaziah
the son of Joash king of
Judah lived after the death
of Joash son of Jehoahaz
king oflsrael fifteen years.
[2Chr 25:25 I{,JY - the MV
calls the secondJoash in this
sentence Jehoash in an
attempt to make the story line
clearl We will call him Joash
oflsrael or Joash (I).
two strong kings
Thesenext two kings oflsrael
built up Israel's military might
and made the northern
kingdon a power to be
reckoned with. Joash (I) had
somegoodpoints althbugh the
nett result of his life is to
continue the downward path
ofthe nation. Joash (I) had the
services of the prophet Elisha
available to him and bv
listening
gained
".rn."Jl
victories. His reliance on
Elisha is seen at Elisha's
death bed scene;Now Elisha
was fallen siek of his
sickness whereof he died.
And Joash the king of
Israel eame dov,rn unto him,
and weptoverhis face, and
said, O my father, my
father, the chariot of fsrael,
and the horsemen thereof.
[2Kin 13:14]
His life story ie seen in his last
meeting with Elisha. Elieha
told him to take a handful of
arrows and to strike the with
(RB 1e96)
them. Joash (I) struck the
ground three times and
stopped. He had given up too
soon.Now only three victories
over the Syrians would be
gained. There is another
ominous comment which
follows this story; And the
LORD was gracious unto
them, and had compassion
on them, and had respect
unto them, because of his
covenant with Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob, and
would not destroy them,
neither cast he them from
his presence as yet. [2Kin
13:231Asyet....
Jeroboam ll
Speaking in strictly military
terms however Joash (I) was a
successfulking and after a 16
year reign he left Israel much
stronger
than
at
his
beginnings. This military
successwas continued by his
son JeroboamIL This king of
Israel is an interesting man in
the way the scriptures reveal
the God-perspectiveof things.
His reign was the longest of
8 5 2 - 8 4 1B C
any king of Israel, and he was
the greatest
and most
powerful of all the kinge of
Israel, and yet the scriptures
give only the briefest history
of him. The record in Kings
occupies only seven verses.
[2Kings 14:23-29] The book of
Chronicles only records the
histories of the kings of Judah
from this point, and is silent
regarding Jeroboam.
boundaries of fsrael from
Lebo Hamath to the Sea of
the Arabah, in accordance
with ttre word of the LORI),
the God of fsrael, spoken
through his servant Jonah
son of Amittai, the prophet
from Gath Hepher. [2Kin
14:25 MVI This introduces us
to another famous Old
Testament character. Jonah.
Jeroboam II himself followed
his
namesake
in
the
thoroughness of his sin; He
(Jeroboam II) did evil in the
eyes of the LORD and did
not turn away from any of
the sins of cferoboam son of
Nebat
which
he
had
ca 'sed Israel to comrnit.
I2I{tnL4:24 MVI The time for
Israel's
final
destruction
however was not yet, and God
used
Jeroboam
II
to
strengthen the nation and so
give more time for national
repentance. God sent the
reluctant prophet to say that
this would happen. fle was
the one who restored the
Jeroboam ll defeats Syria
Jeroboam
II
completely
defeated Syria, and recovered
the whole of the territory
which the northern kingdom
had lost in previous years; As
for the other events of
.feroboam's reign, all he
did,
and
his
military
achievements,
including
how he necovered for fsrael
both
Darnascus
and
Hamath,
which
had
belonged to Yaudi, are flrey
not written in the book of
the annals (cltronieles KIV)
of the kings of Israel? [ZKin
14:28 NIVI The answer to the
question here is No. Perhaps
they once were, but God has
Elisha
Ahaziah
84't BC
8 4 r- 8 1 3B C
Elisha
Athaliah
(Queen)
8 4 1- 8 35 B C
8 1 4 - 7 9 8B C
Elisha
joash (J)
8 3 5 - 7 9 6B C
7 9 8 - 7 8 1B C
Elisha
Amaziah
796-767BC
793-753 BC
Jonah
Amos
Azariah
(Uzziah)
767-739BC
Jotham
/JU_ /JI
Jehoram
Joel
Zechariah
lsaiah
Hosea
7 5 3B C
Hosea
Isaiah
Micah
the four generationsof Jehu'sdynasty
(RB 1996)
87
Following
tlle Seed
allowed that record to perish.
On his death Zachariah his
son succeeded to the throne.
He lasted for only six rnonths
and was assassinated in full
view of his subjects. His reign
is recorded in just two verses.
[2Kings 15:8-9]
Amos & Hosea
With Zachariah's death the
dynasty of Jehu ended. Jehu
had
promised
been
4
generations. Israel was on the
last part ofthe slippery slope
now, within 30 years Israel
would be no more. It was
during the reigns ofJeroboam
II and his son Zachariah that
the writing-prophets
Amos
and Hosea were prophesying.
There is an amazing contrast
between these two men.
It seems as though Amos was
the earliest and almost from
beginning to end he predicts
judgment.
prophecy
His
concerns
the
northenr
kingdorn of Israel and was
received at the time when
Jeroboam II was on the
throne.
Only at the last
moments of his prophecy is the
mood altered. In the last 5
Yerses he changes
from
judgment to the promise of
blessing which lies beyond the
coming judgment. The people
of Israel became self-confident
in the heady days ofJeroboam
II. To use an old English
saying
pulled
th.ey had
themselues up by th,eir own.
boot-laces, or
as
Amos
expressed it you who rejoice
in the conquestof Lo Debar
and say,'T)id we not take
Karnaim
by
our
own
strength?' [Amos 6:13 NIVJ
Amos is one of the first
prophets to make a social
protest. The wealthy were
enjoying their wealth at the
expense of the poorl Hear
Following the Seed
this, you who trample the
needy and do away with
the poorof the land, saying
'\[hen will the New Moon
be over that we may sell
grain, and the Sabbath be
ended that we may market
wheat?'-skimping
the
measure, boosting the price
and
cheating
with
dishonest scales, buying
the poor with silver and the
needy for a pair ofsandals,
selling even the sweepings
with the wheat. Amos 8:4-6
MVI
Mine
all
spiritual
unfaithfulness was really
spiritual
adultery. Hosea
takes up this picture.
judgments and promise
Amos sees the judgments on
the horizon, but in his last
verses he sees beyond the
judgment to the freeing of the
captives and a time of fruitful
blessing.In physical terms the
last 5 verses of Amos have
never
been
fulfilled.
Christians have different
views about the implications
of this. Some say that the 10
tribes of the north must return
to the land of Israel. Others
see a gospel promise in this
thought of the captives
returning. My own view is the
latter.
the prodigal wife
The story line to Hosea'slife ie
that he married a woman who
was (was potentially) a harlot.
He was told to name his
children symbolically; the first
was Lo-ruhammah, meaning
not having obtained mercy.
The second was to be called
Lo-ammi, meaning not my
people.
Hosea'sprophecy is also dated
in the reign ofJeroboam IL He
uees a daring image of God's
love. In the time of Moses the
people who escaped from
Egypt entered into a solemn
covenant with Jehovah. That
covenant was like a marriage
covenantl Now when
I
passed by thee, and Iooked
upon thee, behold, thy time
lwasl t]re time of love; and I
spread my skirt over thee,
and covered thy nakedness:
yea, I sware unto thee, and
entered into a covenant
with thee, saith the Lord
GOD, and thou becamest
mine. [Ezek 16:8] From the
time that the nation became
88
Hosea is prophesyiug during
the closing years of the 10
tribes ofthe northern kingdom
of Israel. His predictions are
terrible. The disease is
incurable and terminal, but in
his own personal life another
truth is being declared. Hosea
is the husband of Gomer, the
prodigal wife. Hosea tells us
that it is never too late.
The only reason for the
northern kingdom of Israel's
survival was that God had
been merciful. BecauseHe had
been merciful they were etill
His people. Now God was
about to withdraw His mercy
and the result would be they
would no longer be His people.
At Sinai He had called them
Mine,now He would call them
not-Mine.
Hosea takes up the picture of
the nation's exodus from
Erypt.The nation would come
into bondageon account ofher
unfaithfirlness, and God would
woo her as He had of old and
start all over again; I will
plant her for myself in the
land; I will show my love to
the one I called 'Not my
loved one'. I will say to
'Not
those
called
my
'You
people',
are
my
people'; and they will say,
(RB 1996)
'You
ar.e my
2:23 MVI
God."'[Hose
In reading Hosea look out for
the words Eplraim, Samaria
and Israel; they are synonJrrns.
Ephraim was the largest of
the tribes which made up the
northern kingdom of Israel.
Samaria wae the capital city of
the northern kingdom, and
Israel is what is had been
called for 300 years. The
southern kingdom of Judah
appears in Hosea's prophecy
too, but his burden is for the
nation of the norbh. Judah is
usually
spoken
of
with
approval
but
Israel
in
judgment.
alone by himself: Ephraim
hath hired lovers. [Hos8:8]
Assyriastirs
Jencboam II had struggled and
finally defeated Syria with its
capital
Damascus,
now
another super-power rises
ready to swallow the nationl
the super-power of Assyria
with ite capital Nineveh. As
the tlrreat of Assyria grew it is
not difficult
to understand
Jonah's reluctance to be the
instrument of the Nineveh's
salvation.
in the south
What of the south during the
We have to ask the same
questions again. In Hosea's
prophecy there is repentance
and restoration predicted for
the people of Israel, but
historically
this has never
happened. Indeed the 10
tribes are untraceable at the
present time.
long reign of Jeroboam king of
Israel? When Amaziah was
assassinated his son Azanah
came to the throne of Judah.
The scripture synchronises his
enthronement with t}re 27th
year of Jeroboam's reign in the
north. To many he is better
known as Uzziah. We will give
him both names to help our
memories
and
call
him
Azariah-Uzzia}'
Most of the promises within
Hosea are specilic to the
northern kingdom of Israel,
hence the many references to
Eplrraim, Samaria etc. Many
Christians look for a literal
firlfilment in the last days, but
others see these promises as
having been opened out to the
Gentiles.
During the early part of his
reign he came under the
influence of another prophet
named Zechariah. There are
23Zechariahs in the Bible! Of
this one we know nothing
except Lhat U zziah responded
to his prophecies. [2Chr 26]
Uzziah
In terms of the revelation of
God's heart towards those who
stray from Him the book of
Hosea has no rivals. In the
short term Hosea saw the
impending doom of the nation.
With prophetic certainty he
declared; Isr"ael is swallowed
up: now
shall
they
be
among the Gentiles
as a
vessel
wherein
no
[isl
pleasu-ne. For they are gone
up to Assyria, a wild ass
Azariah-Uzziah
was
a
powerful king who subdued
his enemies and was able to
rebuild strong defenses in his
cities. He was a man with
foresight
and imagination,
building
watch-towers
and
reservoirs
for water.
He
fortified
Jerusalem
with
engines of war and was
famous. Then his pride drew
him on to disaster.
Uzziah's folly
(RB 1996)
89
Not content with being a
powerful king he decided that
he would take on a priestly
role. He forced his way into
the temple, and having taken
incense from the golden altar
in the holy place, was about to
enter into the holy of holies.
He was judged, sentenced and
punished in the same momenf,.
He was struck with leprosy.
[2Chr 26]
He spent the rest of his life in
quarantine, living in isolation
from
everyone.
His
son
Jotham acted ae regent.
coups and more coups
30 years into the reign of
Azanah-Uzziah
of
Judah
Zac}l'anah son of Jeroboam
was
assassinated
in
a
conspiracy. He had reigned
over the northern kingdom of
Israel for just six months.
Ttre chief conspirator was one
Shallum. He reigned over
Israel was one full month, and
himself
killed
Was
by
Menahem.
Details
of
Menahem's reign are few and
fierce. He was intensely
sadistic,
and followed the
path set by cleroboam the
son of Nebat who made
fsrael to sin. [2Kings lb]
During his reign of 12 years
Pul the king of Ass5rria came
against him. Menahem raised
a tax and bought off the
threat.
The kingdom
was
tottering to its death.
His son Pekaiah reigned in his
place. Of Pekaiah's reign over
the northern kingdom oflsrael
we know little. He followed the
pattern of.feroboam the son
of Nebat who made Israel
to sin, and was killed by one
of his officers in a palace coup.
His name was Pekah. [2Kings
151 lhe record s;mchronises
this with the 52nd year of the
.
Following the Seed
reigrr of Azariah-Uzziah in
Jerusalem.
lsaiah 6
From the safety ofJerusalem
Azariah-Uzziah had watched
five kings come and go in
Israel. Now his own time had
come.The passingof this great
but unstable king is used as a
date for one of the Bible's most
famous passages;In the year
thatkingUzziah died I saw
also the Lord sitting upon a
throne, hig'h and lifted up,
and his train filled the
temple. Above it stood the
seraphims: each one had
Isaiah's prophetic ministry
continued through the reigns
of four kings; Uzziah, Jotham,
Ahaz and Hezekiah. The time
span is almost 60 years during
which he faithfully spoke and
acted out what God had
showed him. He has been
called th,e euangelical prophet.
Isaiah's ministry was that of a
classical prophet. He exposed
and
denounced
sin;
he
predicted judgment and he
comforted with the note of
divine forgiveness and mercy.
We shall return to Isaiah
Jeroboam the son ofNebat
who made Israel to sin.
[2Kings 15:28]
lsrael attacks Judah
During his reign Pekah
entered into an alliance with
Rezin the king of Syria against
Ahaz king ofJudah. God used
the time to chasten wicked
king Ahaz of Judah who was
heavily defeated in the battle.
The record showsthat 120,000
men of Judah died in the
battle with countless others
being taken as slaves back to
Rezin's capital.
+f+fl.;:fll
iifii
7 9 3 - 7 5 3B C
ll
Jeroboam
Jonah
Amos
Hosea
753-752BC
Zachariah
Hosea
Shallum
Hosea
7s2-741BC
Menahem
Hosea
742-39rc
Pekahiah
Hosea
Pekah
Hosea
lsaiah
Micah
Micah
Hosea
lsaiah
Micah
Micah
752 BC
752-731BC
7 3 2 - 7 2 2B C
Hoshea
lsaiah
lsaiah
Azariah-Uzziah 792-739BC
Jotham
7 5 0 - 7 3 9B C
Ahaz
735-71
s BC
Hezekiah
7 1 6 - 6 8 6B C
Micah
the last days of lsrael
six wings; with twain he
covered his face, and with
twain he covered his feet,
and with twain he did fly.
And
one
cried
unto
another, and said, Holy,
holy, holy, lisl the LORD of
hosts: the whole earth [is]
full of his glory. llsaiah 6]
Following
the Seed
later.
In the north Pekah reigned for
20 years. He followed the
ancient paths of the kings of
Israell And he did [that
which wasl evil in the sight
of the LORD: he departed
not from
the sins of
90
Pekah was minded to take
200,000 slaved of Judah for
himsel{, but a religious protest
among his army prevented it
and they were released to
return to Judah. [2Chr 28]
King Ahaz decided he needed
some alliee of his own and
(RB 1996)
turned, as had so many of his
predecessors to the Temple
treasuries. [2Kings 16] His
attempt to buy the support of
the Assyrians king profited
him
nothing,
but
the
Assyrians did come against
Israel.
more trouble from Assyria
So it was that during Pekah's
reign there was a repeat
attack from Assyria. The king
ofAssyria who is called pul in
2Kings 15:19 is the same man
who is called Tiglath-Pileser
in 2Kings 15:29. Confusing
isn't it? History knows this
man a6 Tiglath-Pileser IIL
first deportations
This attack had a serious
aft,ermath. The Assyrians not
only attacked but they took
captive the population ofthe
northernmost
parts of the
kingdom
of
Israel.
The
inhabitants of the major cities
and the whole land
of
Naphtali
and
Gilead
in
Tlansjordan
were deported,
and
carried
captive
to
Assyria. The judgments were
beginning
to fall. [2Kings
15:291 This is the background
to the earlier chapters of
Isaiah.
In 722 BC Samaria fell; 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.[2Kin
17:6MVI
The remainder of the chapter
is the nations epitaph. It tells
of repeated sin and repeated
acts of God to restore them. It
tells
prophets
of
who
constantly pleaded with the
nation to turn from its evil
ways; But they would not
listen
and
were
as
stiff-necked
as
their
fathers, who did not trust
in the LORD their God.
[2Kin 17:14MV]
Tlw mills of God'sjustice grind.
exceedingslow, but exceeding
fi.ne saysthe old proverb. After
253 years as a separate nation
the nation of Israel ended.
For the children of Israel
walked in all the sins of
.Ieroboam which he did;
they departed not from
them; Until
the LORD
removed fsrael out of his
sight, as he had said by all
his servants the prophels.
So was Israel carried away
out of their own land to
Assyria unto this day.2Kin
1722,23f
the Samaritans
There is a postscript to this
swallowing up of Israel. The
kings of Assyria intent on
breaking the spirit of their
various captive lands used
deportation as a weapon of
discipline. They understood
that to remove a man from his
country was only the first step
to breaking his spirit. The
second step was to give his
country away to someoneelse.
Other captive peoples were
brought from the east and
settled in the land; The king
of Assyria brought people
from
Babylon,
Cuthah,
Avva,
Hamath
and
Sepharvaim
and settled
them in the towns of
Samaria
t,o replace the
fsraelites. Th"y took over
Samaria and lived in its
towns. [2Kin 17:24MVI
another coup
These events triggered yet
another palace coup in Israel
and Hoshea came to the
throne. He reigned aE a
puppet king for Assyria, but
then tried to break free.
2 Kings 17 is the death knell
of the kingdom of Israel.
Hoshea was taken as a
hostage to Ass5rria where he
was imprisoned. The kings of
Assyria then returned and
besieged Samaria, the capital
city, for three years.
722 BC
(RB 1e96)
The Clash of Enrpires:Syria(Damascus)Assyria(Nineveh)Babylonia(Babylon)
91
Following
the Seed
Sanraria
lo replar:e
the
Israelites. They took over
Samaria and lived in its
towns. [2Kin 17:24 NIV]
the
LORD,
they
were
serving their idols. To this
day
their
children
and
grandchildren
continue to
do as their
fathers
did.
[2Kin 17:41 NIV]
These people in a strange land
were ,attacked by lions and
decided they must placate the
gods of the land.
Th.y
employed renegade priests to
instruct them in the right
religious rituals.
This is the origin of the
Samaritans. The hostility of
the record in Kings continued
down
seven centuries
to
Christ's day;Then saith the
woman
of Samaria
unto
him, How is it that thor4
being a cfew, askest drink
of me, which am a woman
The final verses ofthe chapter
tell us.. Even while these
people were worshipping
of Samaria? for the Jews
have no dealings with the
Samaritans. lJolm 4:9]
We shall see in our nexr
session that some remnants of
the northern
tribes moved
south before the final end, but
for the most part from this
point in time the lost tribes of
Israel move out of history and
into legend.
Israel is no more and the clock
is ticking for Judah too.
the last davs of the northern
r rah-Uzzia
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Following the Seed
92
(RB 1996)
-724