Israel & Assyria

Synopsis     2Kings 16:16-17:5     9/24/2019 

King Ahaz of Judah changed the basic form of worship for the first time since Moses. He replaced the altar of sacrifice and reorganized the arrangement of the water basins for washing. After reigning for sixteen years, Ahaz died. After this, his son Hezekiah became king.  

Meanwhile, Hoshea was reigning over Israel in the northern kingdom. In those days, Shalmanezer was king over Assyria. So, King Hoshea committed Israel to pay tribute and to remain under Assyrian authority. 

However, at one point, Hoshea became insubordinate toward Assyria. And so, he eventually refused to pay tribute to the foreign king.  

For this, King Hoshea was eventually arrested and imprisoned by Assyrian forces. The capital city of Samaria was besieged for three years. And finally, the city fell and Shalmanezer’s forces occupied the whole land.  

Israel Under Assyrian Authority 

King Hoshea willingly used Assyrian help and support in exchange for protection. However, once the Israelite king no longer felt the need for the protection and support of Shalmanezer’s forces, he looked for a way out of his part of the bargain.  

In short, Hoshea wanted to benefit on the contract he made, but he didn’t want the responsibility. He didn’t want to hold up his end of the bargain. So, he looked to cheat on the contract. And he was caught.  

The Role of Political Authority 

Synthetic communities form out of the mutual agreements of all the participants. That’s why they are usually called “Social Contracts”. The mutual agreement is the things that binds all the participants.  

In Authentic Community, it is different. The rule of an authentic community is transcendent. The rule is given by God for the common good.  

This is one of the reasons I struggle with the rule of the Authentic Community. My tendency is to treat the church like a social contract. Of course, the reason I do this is because I want the benefits but not the responsibilities of God’s way. So, I am like Hoshea – I want to cheat. 

But there is no cheating God or His rule. His law is pure love. His law is pure goodness. It is a gift for my own good and the good of others.

In cheating the law, I cheat myself. I accept less than the full possibility of my life.  

Still, God knows this. And this is why I have a synthetic authority. Because civil authority, imperfect as it is, keeps me from disaster as I mature. It brings me closer to the self-discipline necessary to fully enter into that which God has reserved for each of us.  

“For rulers are not a cause of fear to good conduct, but to evil. Do you wish to have no fear of authority? Then do what is good and you will receive approval from it, for it is a servant of God for your good. But if you do evil, be afraid, for it does not bear the sword without purpose; it is the servant of God to inflict wrath on the evildoer.” Rom 13:4-5