Judgment

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PASSAGE:

The idea of hell and judgment are nowhere to be found in Betty Eadie’s bestseller, Embraced By The Light, on the N.Y. Times bestseller list for more than 40 weeks, including five weeks as #1. In November 1973, Eadie allegedly died after undergoing a hysterectomy, and returned five hours later with the secrets of heaven revealed by Jesus. Eadie says that Jesus “never wanted to do or say anything that would offend me” while she visited heaven. Indeed, Jesus seems to be relegated to the role of a happy tour guide in heaven, not the Savior of the world who died on the cross. (Richard Abanes, in Christianity Today, March 7, 1994, p. 53)

In this chapter we find five reasons for God’s judgement on Israel:

1. Because of her transgressions against God’s covenant (vv. 1-3). This seems to refer to Assyria coming to attack Israel and take her people into captivity (II Kings 15:28, 29). The trumpet indicates the severity of the attack. The eagle indicates its swiftness.

2. Because of her setting up kings and princes without God’s direction (v. 4). None of the kings of the Northern Kingdom were God’s appointed rulers of the land.

3. Because of her idolatrous practices (vv. 5-7). The heart of their idol worship was Samaria and the specific form was that of a golden calf. God was angry with them because they worshiped a product of their own hands, rather than worshiping the God who made them.

4. Because of her alliance with Assyria (vv. 8-10). God’s plan for Israel was that they should be a peculiar people for Him and that they would worship Him. Instead they forsook God and adopted the ways of the Gentiles. They turned to Assyria in rebellion against God.

5. Because of her multiplication of sacrificial altars (vv. 11-14). Throughout Israel many sacrificial altars were built. In spite of God’s clear revelation (v. 12) they went off into the practice of idolatry and judgement had to fall (v. 13).

APPLICATION:

God’s judgement came upon Israel by mean of the Assyrians. In seeking self preservation apart from God it brought about its own destruction. When I seek security in anything except God I expose myself to great danger. With out God there is no lasting security.