July 23, 2026; 2 Kings 17

Daily Dose of Hope July 23, 2026   Scripture: 2 Kings 17   Prayer:  Dear Holy God, Your love is amazing.  Thank you for the way you care for us.  In these next few moments of silence, Lord, help us focus on you...Lord Jesus, help us set aside every distraction and take this time to lean on you.  We want to hear your voice.  Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading.  We are about two-thirds done with 2 Kings and this has been quite a journey. Today's reading, 2 Kings 17, is what we have been dreading.  The kings are once again leading the people astray.  In the north and the south, they are worshiping other gods, committing child sacrifice, and they have set up altars in the high places.  Both nations are depending on the protection of the pagan nations around them.  They are paying tribute to some and not others, and the political consequences are bad.  God allows Aram and Israel to conquer Judah, and the casualties are significant, although God doesn't allow them to be totally decimated. But destruction does occur in Israel.  All the disobedience, the years of pushing God away, the horrific kings over generations, and the constant warnings that were not heeded, it has all come to a head.  The Assyrians have taken over.  While there is priest allowed to stay to teach the people about their God, it's a warped Judaism mixed with pagan influences.  This is the end of the Northern Kingdom.  I had always been taught that once the Assyrians conquered the Northern Kingdom, that was basically the end of them.  The Assyrians were known for their brutality and moving the native people out of their land, sending their own people to populate it.  But we do see here that some Israelites stay.  Again, Chronicles helps fill in some of the gaps.  Hezekiah (who we will read about tomorrow) invites many from the north to settle in Judah after the Assyrians take over the north and they take him up on that offer.  Most likely, many of the residents stayed, mixing with the new immigrants from Assyrian lands.  This helps make sense of why the Samaritans were so despised in Jesus' time by the Jews.  They were not pure Jews, having many different mixed cultural and religious influences. While this chapter was expected, it is also incredibly sad.  There is a high cost to disobedience.  God offered so much mercy, giving many chances, and sending many prophets to warn the kings and the people.  But they just didn't listen.  Blessings, Pastor Vicki