Men's Ministry

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Please read II Kings 17:1-5

1. The last time we read about Hoshea, he led a conspiracy against Pekah, who was king at the time.  After assassinating Pekah, Hoshea took the throne. In verse two, we're told that he was evil but not as evil as some of the kings before him. That being the case, why is God giving the nation over to Shalmaneser? Since Hoshea wasn't as evil as some of the others, wasn't there a hope that the nation would turn around?
2. A previous king, Menahem, accepted the status of a vassal to the king of Assyria, Tiglath–pileser. Tiglath–pileser died in 727 BC and his son, Shalmaneser V became king. Typically, vassal kings would rebel when a new king came on the scene and that's what appears to be happening here. What kind of rebellion did Hoshea commit? See verse 4.
3. What did Shalmaneser do in response to Hoshea's rebellion?

 

4. Why did God allow the Assyrians to conquer Israel?
5. Shalmaneser V died in 722 BC, the same year that Samaria and Israel fell. His brother, Sargon II, took over the throne and may have completed the siege of Samaria that Shalmaneser started. What happened to the people of Israel?  For a graphic depiction of what happened, see also Amos 4:2-3.
6. At the end of verse 7, we're told that God is judging them because they "feared other gods." What does it mean to "fear other gods?"  And, we're told that we are o fear God. Is there a connection?  What is it?
7. In verse 9, the people did things in secret that are not right in God's eyes. What do you think the writer of II Kings is saying? Is it possible to keep secrets from God? Why did the people do these things that were "not right?"
8. What did the Lord do to warn and encourage the nation to turn from their wicked ways?

 

9. Verse 15 says that "they went after false idols and became false" (ESV). Other translations say that "They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless" (NIV) or, "they followed vanity and became vain" (NASB 1995 and LSB). What does this mean?