The Fall of the Northern Kingdom
Outline of 1 & 2 Kings
- 1 Kings 1-11 The Wisdom and the Folly of King Solomon
- 1 Kings 12-16 Kingdoms in Chaos
- 1 Kings 17-2 Kings 13- Elijah and Elisha
- 2 Kings 14-16 Decline of Israel in the North
- 2 Kings 18-25 Decline of Judah in the South
“History is not a random series of meaningless events. It is rather a succession of periods and happenings which are under the sovereign rule of God, who is the God of history.”
John Stott
The Kings of 2 Kings 17-18
Kings in Israel
Hoshea
Kings in Judah
Hezekiah
Kings in Assyria
Shalmaneser
Sennacherib
2 Kings 17: 1-23 – The Fall of Israel
- v 1-5 Hoshea
- v 6 Israel falls
- v 7-12 God redeems, Israel rejects
- v 13-17 God warns, Israel ignores
- v 18-23 God responds and removes
“And this occurred because the people of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharoah king of Egypt, and had feared other gods…”
2 Kings 17:7
“Therefore, the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight.”
2 Kings 17:18
“Amazing grace is met with massive apostasy…we must never forget that, at its root, Israel’s love affair with the nations is a rejection of grace. Amazing grace should have been met with lasting gratitude.”
Dale Ralph Davis, 2 Kings: The Power and the Fury
2 Kings 17:24-41 – Assyria Resettles Samaria
- v 24-28 Immigrants and lions
- v 29-34 Making their own gods
- v 35- 40 Restating the covenant-the fear of the Lord
- v 41 Generations of paganism
The fear of the Lord stated 11 times in v 24-41
Hebrew word Yare: To fear, to revere, to hold in reverence
2 Kings 18 – Hezekiah and the attack of Judah by Sennacherib
- v 1-8 A king like David
- v 9-12 A retelling of the Fall of Israel
- v 13-16 Sennacherib attacks Judah
- v 17-35 Sennacherib’s representatives confront Hezekiah
- v 36-39 Judah’s response
1. God is faithful to his covenant promises
“And I will scatter you among the nations, and I will unsheathe the sword after you, and your land shall be a desolation, and your cities shall be a waste.”
Leviticus 26:33
2. God is faithful, even when circumstances go against us
“Any person who sticks with Christianity as long as things are going his or her way, is a stranger to the cross.”
Tim Keller
“When you go through a trial, the sovereignty of God is the pillow upon which you lay your head.”
Charles Spurgeon
Discussion Questions
- Why should grace cause us to show gratitude?
- Why are some believers disappointed with God when their goodness seems to go unrewarded?
- What has helped you remain steadfast in adversity?
