The Religion of Samaria 2Kings 17

1. THE RELIGION OF
SAMARIA
In the year 739 B.C...
Hoshea conspired against Pekah and made himself
master of a part of the 10 northern tribes (2Ki
15:30).
Finally, in the 12th year of Ahaz, (after 24 years
of gaining control) Hoshea had possession of the
whole kingdom (2Ki 17:1).
2Kgs 17:1
1 In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah began
Hoshea the son of Elah to reign in Samaria over
Israel nine years.
2Kgs 17:3
3 Against him came up Shalmaneser king of
Assyria; and Hoshea became his servant, and gave
him presents.
Shalmaneser: was the son and successor of
Tiglath-pileser: (he reigned 14 years in Assyria)

2. 2Kgs 17:7-10 The conduct of Hoshea’s rule
7 For so it was, that the children of Israel had
sinned against the LORD their God, which had
brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from
under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had
feared other gods,
8 And walked in the statutes of the heathen,
whom the LORD cast out from before the children of
Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had
made.
9 And the children of Israel did secretly those
things that were not right against the LORD their
God, and they built them high places in all their
cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced
city.
10 And they set them up images and groves in every
high hill, and under every green tree:
What you do in secret now you will soon shout
from the mountain tops.
2Kgs 17:17
17 And they caused their sons and their
daughters to pass through the fire, and used
divination and enchantments, and sold themselves

3. to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to
anger.
2Kgs 17:18
18 Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel,
and removed them out of his sight: there was
none left but the tribe of Judah only.
How God did it…
2Kgs 17:6
6 In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria
took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria,
and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river
of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.
2Kgs 17:24-25
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.
2Kgs 17:27 Their response…

4. 27 Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying,
Carry thither one of the priests whom ye brought
from thence; and let them go and dwell there, and
let him teach them the manner of the God of the
land.
2Kgs 17:29
29 Howbeit every nation made gods of their own,
and put them in the houses of the high places which
the Samaritans had made, every nation in their
cities wherein they dwelt.
2Kgs 17:32-34 Their compromise
32 So they feared the LORD, and made unto
themselves of the lowest of them priests of the high
places, which sacrificed for them in the houses of
the high places.
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;
2Kgs 17:41

5. 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.
Whatever their fear was,
their customs and practices remained the same,
with the addition of an acknowledgment of the God
of Israel.
These men still exist today.
They take delight in Christian activities, and yet are
much at home with the god of this world.
Some worship a deity as horrible as Moloch-
Human sacrifice in flames of fire, this god is only
appealing to the most devious of humanity.
However, the Romans and Greeks worshiped a
form of this god called Bacchus-
the god of the wine cup and the beer barrel.
There are others who adore the goddess Venus,
the queen of lust and uncleanness.
Too often the god is Mammon,
who is as devious and destructive a deity as any.

6. The man who is religious and also a disciple of the
Devil’s deceptions is the enemy of God.
The value of this mixture is less than nothing.
It is sin with a white wash veneer.
This man is a brilliantly painted billboard in the
vivid coloring of religious formality.
These Samaritans became the bitterest foes of God’s
people in the book of Nehemiah.
But the finger should point to the priest from Bethel
who approved this worship style. (2King 17:28).
2Kgs 17:28
28 Then one of the priests whom they had
carried away from Samaria came and dwelt in
Bethel, and taught them how they should fear
the LORD.
1Kgs 12:28-29
28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made
two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too
much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy
gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the
land of Egypt.
29 And he set the one in Bethel, and the other
put he in Dan.

7. 2Kgs 17:7-8
7 For so it was, that the children of Israel had
sinned against the LORD their God, which had
brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from
under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and
had feared other gods,
8 And walked in the statutes of the heathen,
whom the LORD cast out from before the
children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel,
which they had made.
There is no surer way to destruction than to be led
by one who does not speak out straight, and
honestly denounce evil.
If the preacher trims and twists to please all parties,
he is in league with Assyria.
Those who are afraid to rebuke sin, or to probe the
conscience, will answer for it before God.
On the anvil of false profession and
Cooperative compromise,
Satan hammers out the most hardened of hard
hearts.
Pious or Pagan, the ploy is the same,

8. A Priest, when a Prophet is needed.
2Kgs 17:26-27
26 Wherefore they spake to the king of Assyria,
saying, The nations which thou hast removed,
and placed in the cities of Samaria, know not
the manner of the God of the land: therefore he
hath sent lions among them, and, behold, they
slay them, because they know not the manner of
the God of the land.
27 Then the king of Assyria commanded,
saying, Carry thither one of the priests whom ye
brought from thence; and let them go and dwell
there, and let him teach them the manner of the
God of the land.
Ezek 2:3-5 Only God can send a prophet
3 And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee
to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation
that hath rebelled against me: they and their
fathers have transgressed against me, even unto
this very day.
4 For they are impudent children and
stiffhearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou
shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD.

9. 5 And they, whether they will hear, or whether
they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious
house,) yet shall know that there hath been a
prophet among them.
Amos 3:7-8
7 Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he
revealeth his secret unto his servants the
prophets.
8 The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the
Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but
prophesy? -A priest of Samaria that’s who.
2Kgs 17:41
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.
Fear is an emotion; Service is a determined
pursuit.
While most Christians profess God as the object of
their worship their service is the evidence of whom
they literally worship.

10. They bow to the gods of this world whom they
worship by choice, through the pursuit of pleasures,
riches, and the applause of this present evil world.
Their heart is fixed; to them their time, money and
affection is devoted.
Matt 6:24
24 No man can serve two masters: for either he
will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will
hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot
serve God and mammon.
Samaria is evidence you can fear one and serve
another.
Jas 4:4
4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that
the friendship of the world is enmity with God?
whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is
the enemy of God.
1Kgs 18:21 no more mixed signals
21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said,
How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD
be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him.
And the people answered him not a word.
Gal 1:10 please the Almighty, not man

11. 10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek
to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not
be the servant of Christ.
2Tim 4:10 Love makes Division not Addition
10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this
present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica;
Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.
800 yrs. later Jesus confronts the Religion of
Samaria
John 4:20-21
20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say,
that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to
worship.
21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour
cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at
Jerusalem, worship the Father.
John 4:23-24
23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true
worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth:
for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

12. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship
him in spirit and in truth.
Luke 9:62
62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand
to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom
of God.
1Pet 2:9
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an
holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth
the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness
into his marvellous light: