September 4, 2008 · 10:45 AM
Isreal was taken captive by the Assyrians 722 BC, and priests of different religions were placed among them. The people soon had many different gods, but the sons of Isreal spoke of thier God, and how HE had sent lions among the people because they did worship/fear the one true God. So they were sent to teach the others, but something strange happened. Now there is a huge nation who fear God but serve many other idols. You can read the entire account in 2 Kings 17:7-40.
32They also feared the LORD and appointed from among themselves priests of the high places, who acted for them in the houses of the high places. 33They feared the LORD and served their own gods according to the custom of the nations from among whom they had been carried away into exile.
38“The covenant that I have made with you, you shall not forget, nor shall you fear other gods. 39“But the LORD your God you shall fear; and He will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.” 40However, they did not listen, but they did according to their earlier custom. 41So while these nations feared the LORD, they also served their idols; their children likewise and their grandchildren, as their fathers did, so they do to this day.
As I have been studying for my class (to start in October), I have been brought back to these verses over and over again. In the Western culture that I live in, we may not have a shelf full of statues that we bow to every day, but we most definitely serve other gods. Whether that be “people pleasing”, addictions, vehicles, posessions, style, how about our children? mmmm I know I have fell into that a few times, only to be called out to lay them down, and say Blessed be thy name LORD.
Wondering what you all may think about these verses? Have we been carried away to our own type of exile…strongholds…? Did you even know it was possible to fear God and serve other gods? Has our lifestyle been handed down through generations, and we believe that it is all okay? HE said there shall be NO other gods….I believe HE means it as well today as when HE said it the first time.
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ponderings of a princess... 
v41 – we pass our beliefs on – we are the pace setters for our children –
you are doing good but don’t quit now.
cha … didn’t realize that you could fear God and still serve other gods… wow… Lord, save me from idolatry – YOU AND YOU ALONE will I serve! I lay down everything at your feet right now, ‘ministry’, children, friends, church …. EVERYTHING.
Bajan- I was :shocked: when this resonated on me…now I have a stronger view of idolatry…and man have we got some…no wonder we are in such need for deliverance 😉 Love you bro!! hows the weather in Barbados?? just thinking… 🙂
Papa- thank you, you are so kind and sweet!! I know i have lots to learn, and to apply…but I pray hard for my kiddos, and even for the ones that enter their life. So yes you were prayed about before the visit..LOL God never steers me wrong!! I just need to listen!
oh man! 😯
Yes Miss Darla….submission…completely…that means turning it over, laying it down, His way….over and over again…thank you for this.
Love you, still without the phone…call me and I’ll call right back..Love you!
thanks for posting this.
This is one of my favorite, in that it is one of the most illustrative of the human tendency.
This verse is also the probable origin of the Samaritans, an amalgam of regional varieties of paganism and Judaism.
When our Lord Jesus Christ says, “You Samaritans worship what you do not know” this verse is screaming his meaning.
Jason as I have been studying this…I have also been looking around, and it seems to me that we, the people, are more like the Samaritans than the spiritual seed of Abraham, and it saddens me. I have been talking to the Lord all day about this…and first it all starts with me…thanks I have been trying to link those passages together and wasn’t sure about it, but I agree it is highly probably that Jesus was speaking to this.
oh sure. each and every single day i have to work at laying down my idols. and honestly, i dont always succeed. in fact, id be lying if i said i did. i go in and out it seems. and its not that im a fence rider – because i am completely aware of this – which is why i recognize that each day it will take a purposeful effort from me to decide Whom i will serve.
Tam- these verses in studying actually shocked me..as I was always told you can only serve on master…but those verses are actually about money. these say that it is possible to worship God and serve idols…I know I have lots of work a head of me, and as for the daily thing…its a daily thing..some need to be laid down and I need the power of God to do that…good thing for me I do! 😆
I did not mean that it is good and acceptable to worshp God and serve other gods…ahhhhhhhhhh I am tired!
ha! i totally followed you. and i sure wasnt talking about money. hmmm…ive learned my lesson there. but like you i was thinking kids, for one…even ministry. there has to be a balance. He has to be my leverage.
now go to sleep 😉
Hi! papa will be gone at 10am – so call later – mama will be at a funeral home helping w/papa’s funeral arrangements – seriously! lol
I just got here…sorry.
Amen. Following after God with a single-mindedness — what a challenge! I think it’s interesting how Paul knew he couldn’t serve God and have a wife. Not to say we should all get divorced — never! But it is easier when we don’t have family to be more singleminded.
But, as I type it, I know that His will is for most of us is to have families. So, somehow, it works to bring Him glory.
whatever…???
Michelle, I always love your thoughts! and the “whatever” just made me smile big!
🙂
I think you know where I stand here..
Phil 4:8 Tells us what kinds of things we should fill our lives with…
* What is true
* What is noble
* What is right
* What is pure
* What is lovely
* What is admirable
* What is excellent
* What is praiseworthy
Go through everything that you value in life. Do they fit that definition. Here is the question can you make it past the first? What is True or Truth?
The sneak peak I gave Darla of Chapter one speaks to how we set up Idols against What is True, and the progression of how it happens in our lives.
Maybe that Chapter needs to make it into the Hands of some other people around here so they can give feedback…
Carl, I love where you stand here, and I stand with you!
I certainly did NOT realize that you could fear one and serve another. Wow. That’s big.