September 27, 2026

UNIT 1 History of Israel and Judah

LESSON: 4

Study Text: 2 kings 17:1-41

Central Truth: People face ruin when they refuse to repent.

KEY Verse-- 2 Kings 17:18 The LORD was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only (KJV).

Because the LORD was very angry with Israel, he swept them away from his presence. Only the tribe of Judah remain in the land (NLT).

LET'S GET STARTED

Rental agreements always include stipulations for both parties. The owner provides a livable space, and the tenant agrees to respect the space and follow the owner's rules. If the tenant breaks their part of the agreement, the property can be damaged, neighbors can be affected, and the rental relationship can be dissolved. Since broken contracts produce negative consequences for other people, justice often demands the tenant's removal.

DISCUSSION STARTER--One-Star Review

Without becoming too negative, describe a not-great experience you've had as a tenant or as a property owner.____________________________________________________________________________

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God's covenant established stipulations for the people of Israel to retain the land. Their idolatry poisoned the land, oppressed the vulnerable, and destroyed their relationship with God. The tragic result was eviction from the land: the exile.

                                                       PART 1--Hoshea: Israel's Last King

          Pressure from Assyria                               2 Kings 17:1-4

Ironically, the name of Israel's final king, Hoshea, means "salvation." The text specifies that, while "he did what was evil in the LORD'S sight" (2 Kings 17:2), he was not quite as bad as Israel's other kings. Hoshea's short reign may simply mean he did not have time to implement as many evil policies. In other words, he may not have been actively promoting pagan worship as other kings had been. King Shalmaneser of Assyria attacked Hoshea and exacted a heavy tribute. At some point, Hoshea the agreement, refused to pay, and attempted to make an alliance with Egypt. When King Shalmanster discovered Hoshea's betrayal, he imprisoned Hoshea and left Israel without a king.

? Sadly, we can sometimes mistake God for a temperamental mob boss who is ready to shake us down if we miss our quota of good works for the day. Why do we fall into this distorted view of God and how can we avoid it?

The Capital Falls                       2 kings 17:5-6

Assyria made its way south into Israel, invading and conquering smaller cities on the way to the capital. Assyria set up a siege of Samaria, cutting off all imports and exports util the city essentially starved. A besieged city could only survive as long as their supplies lasted or if they could find a way to smuggle in new supplies. According to 2 Kings 20:20, Hezekiah built a tunnel to bring water into Judah's capital, Jerusalem, in the event of a siege. Unfortunately, the northern capital, Samaria, did not make the same provisions. Eventually, the siege against Samaria choked the life out of the city, and Israel fell. The Assyrians forced the Israelites to leave the land and settle in different Assyrian towns.

? Read Amos 3:9-11 as one example of the prophetic warnings God gave to Israel long before their downfall. Why do you think the leaders and people of Israel ignored these warnings?

PART 2--Why Israel Fell

The Catalog of Sins                      2 Kings 17:7-12

The charges against Israel are listed in 2 kings 17:7-12. The Israelites had known the curses and consequences for not keeping the covenant since the time of Moses (Duet 28:15-68), as we saw in last week's lesson, the people neglected and forgot about the book of the Law until it was found in the temple during Josiah's reign, an event that led to a renewal of the covenant after centuries of not reading or hearing God's Word. If the people of Judah, which had some good kings, did not know the book of the Law, how much less would the people in the Northern Kingdom have known the book of the Law?

 ? How should a just judge handle a defendant who has not heeded many warning and lesser consequences?.

  Swept Away            2 Kings 17:13-18

Judgment could have been avoided, but the people foolishly "were as stiff-necked as their ancestors, who did not trust in the LORD their God." By worshipping worthless idols, they actually "became worthless themselves." The Israelite's idolatry led them to reject all of God's commands, worship an array of Canaanite gods, practice sorcery, and even sacrifice their children. God's holiness required Him to judge such grievous sins. Instead of being His righteous representatives. God's people became just as evil as the people who first lived in the land. Israel, 'sold themselves to evil, " completely breaking covenant with God and stirring His anger: So, He word and expelled them from the promised land.

 ? Psalm 135:18 says, "Those who make idols are just like them, "How would you explain this statement and how it applies to Chritians today ?

PART 3-Israel's Ongoing Idolary

   Learning to Live in the Land               2 Kings 17:24-28

The cities mentioned in 2 Kings 17:24 were located in modern-day Syria, Iraq, and Iran. The new inhabitants of the Promised Land didn't worship the one true God when they moved in, so "the LORD sent lions among them." The  king of Assyria received a message describing the crisis, although Scripture does not specify who sent the report. God's punishment on foreign inhabitants of the land indicates that He still considered the land sacred. The Assyrian king's proposed solution to the lion problem involved figuring out h to correctly worship Israels God.

 ? What does the one true God require of His worshippers?

Halfway In Is All the Way Out                  2 Kings 17:29-34

The people resettled by the Assyrians brought their own gods with them and continued worshipping them--even after learning how to worship the God of Israel (2 Kings 17:29-30). Their syncretism even included the horrifying practice of child sacrifice. Remember, God demands devotion not only because He deserves it and it pleases Him, but because righteousness benefits humanity. By loving and living for God, we bless the people around us.

? What false gods in your culture draw? people away from God?

WHAT IS GOD SAYING TO US?

Our sinful nature bends us toward selfishness and control, even when it makes no logic sense. How often do we waste our second, third, or tenth chances? Because we have eternal citizenship in the kingdom of God, we can--and must--let go of the other things battling for our devotion. Only then can we present ourselves to God as "a living and holy sacrifice--the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him."

LIVING IT OUT

Pray daily, asking God to give you a heart repentance. 

             DAILY BIBLE READINGS

                        Monday: The Assyrians Invade Judah. 2 kings 18:13-17

                                   Tuesday: God Defeats the Assyrians. 2 Kings 19:15-20, 35-36

                          Wednesday: The Assyrian Empire Falls. Nahum 3:14-19 

Thursday: Called to Repent. Luke 13:1-5

Friday: Unless You Repent. Luke 13:1-5

                                        Saturday: Godly Sorrow and Repentance. 2 Corinthians 7:8-11

RADIANT LIFE

Volume 107 Number 3 Mar. Apr. May 2026

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