God’s Mercy to Eclectic Worshippers

Today’s reading: 2 Kings 17:1-19:13

My selection: II Kings 17:41

So these nations feared the Lord and also served their carved images. Their children did likewise, and their children’s children—as their fathers did, so they do to this day.

My reflections: After Israel was defeated and taken captive by Assyria, the land was repopulated with a mixture of peoples from captured nations. They had various gods and forms of worship including the burnt offerings of children. When lions attacked the people, they concluded that they were offending the “god of the land.” The Assyrian king sent a prophet of Israel to them to instruct them in the law of God.

The result was not a single-minded embracing of the law of the God of Israel but the addition of Biblical worship to their previous traditions. This is why the Samaritans came to be despised by the Jews, as is easy to see in several incidents during Jesus’ ministry. But Jesus presented Himself to them as the Messiah and Savior of the world, and they turned to Him in faith (John 4).

My challenge: Praise God for His mercy and grace to such eclectic and unlikely worshipers and to us as well.

Tomorrow’s reading: 2 Kings 19:14-22:20

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