God’s question in this lesson is a tough one for us. It tells us about the spiritual condition of Israel at the time but has a tremendous application for us.
II Kings 17: 24 And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel: and they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof. 25 And so it was at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they feared not the Lord: therefore the Lord sent lions among them, which slew some of them. 33 They feared the Lord, and served their own gods, after the manner of the nations whom they carried away from thence.34 Unto this day they do after the former manners: they fear not the Lord, neither do they after their statutes, or after their ordinances, or after the law and commandment which the Lord commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel; 38 And the covenant that I have made with you ye shall not forget; neither shall ye fear other gods.39 But the Lord your God ye shall fear; and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.40 Howbeit they did not hearken, but they did after their former manner.41 So these nations feared the Lord, and served their graven images, both their children, and their children’s children: as did their fathers, so do they unto this day.
See the contradiction here? First they feared not the Lord. Then they feared. Then they feared not. Did they or did not fear God? Do we or don’t we fear God? Our actions may speak otherwise when we say we do. We don’t need a pretense fear as the Samaritans had.
You would think in this day of enlightenment with so many avenues of learning available to us that it would be easy for us to learn the Word. We have helps other generations didn’t have, yet it seems they understood it more and feared God more than our generation. We live in a time where we have to watch that we don’t get caught up in the times. Lost people used to drop their heads when they went by the church. People used to respect the church, the Word of God, and God’s people. Now too many are caught up in a surface fear of the Lord. This is what Samaria did. They stated they were the people of God. They said the feared him, yet they served the idols of other nations. Our relationship with the Lord doesn’t allow us to have a relationship with sin. We can’t have it both ways. We can’t be on the fence.
Judah was to the south. Galilee was to the north. Samaria was in the middle. Today Christians feel there is a middle ground, but we must be on one side or the other, God’s side or not. Fear him or don’t fear him. God hates pretense. He condemned Samaria. They claimed they belonged to him but lived how they wanted. It doesn’t work like that. Many churches and people are not blessed because they have not drawn a line. They have not given up sin. They think they can have their sin and the Lord.
When we don’t fear God, we don’t have what we need. There is no real relationship with God. They paid no attention to the commandments of God and made fun of those who did. Your devotion and fear of God is seen, and God will honor it. You may be persecuted by those who pretend. Countless people have told me they are okay with the Lord, but they have not departed from their old sins. There is no fear of the consequences of how they live. The world is geared, even the religious world, to be fence jumpers. It’s not what we say but how we live and follow up on what we say that counts. Many were descendants of Jeroboam. He said he followed the Lord, but he built altars to Baal. He turned around and built altars to God but sacrificed how he wanted. We must be Christians God’s way, according to his statutes.
These people just weren’t concerned about serving the Lord. How concerned are we? We need to be more so. Being near to or associated with the church, knowing a few verses, or saying a few prayers aren’t enough. We must be in the kingdom not just close to it. God said we are to have no other gods before him. He meant it.
We can talk about how much faith we have, but if we don’t serve there is no fear. We do not trust him like we should. Our love is somewhere else. We are to love the Lord with all our being. Samaria thought all they had to do was profess to fear God. Some think all they have to do is profess God, but it must be backed up. We must submit to him and let him be God. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, a knowing God, a relationship with him. The Samaritans thought they could have God and all their other gods too. They treated the Almighty like he was just another god. God is not part of our life; he has to be our life.
God would have changed them, but they refused to follow through. So to this day, they chose to follow other gods. Because Jesus is in us, we are different. Old things are passed away. All things are become new. We’ve been released from the devil and have the opportunity to walk in the light of the Lord. Let’s serve the Lord and be known for fearing him.
The people of Samaria fooled no one but themselves. We can’t split serving the Lord with serving something or someone else. He’s worthy of our love, our service, our devotion. In a real conversion there is a breaking from sin. A person puts Jesus first and self second. God is the only God, not one of many. The Bible says we are to seek him first. Everything falls in place when we put him first. Our faith in the one who sacrificed himself for us is what changes us. It could have been us on that cross. Those who don’t trust Jesus will bear their own sins. The suffering of Jesus for them will have been in vain.
I thank God for a Savior that through fear in him we find peace. Don’t fear other gods. Our God is the only one who made a covenant with us. Verse 39 says but the Lord your God ye shall fear; and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies. This is the promise. He is the only one who can deliver us now and in the time to come. Let him be Lord and God of your life. Fear him. He’ll take care of you.
Is your fear on and off? The only thing that will work is to seek the Lord with all your heart. Be like Joshua and serve the Lord.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 