The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1954-06-26
II Kings l7:5.l4,1s
Judgement comes TO Israel
Bv RALPH ROGERS

BY RALPH ROC Frs
Bringing our lessons up to date
it might be well to check what
events proceeded today's lesson.
Israel was headed for trouble as
predicted by both Amos and
Hosea. Following the death Of
Jeroboam II his son Zechariah
reigned but six months when he
was removed by a conspiracy and
ShaHum was placed on the throne.
In about three years another
revolution took place and Shallum
surrendered the throne to Mena-
hem in 737 BIC.
About this time Tiglath-pileser,
the Assyrian monarch, made a
foray along the Maritime Plain
and threatened Israel. Mena-
hem then withdrew from the al.
lance with his neighbors and
paid tribute to Assyria. Two
years later he died and his son
Pekahiah had the pleasure of the
hot seat for only two months
when he was removed by revolu.
ton and Pekah took his place, as
King Of Israel.
Pekah then formed an alliance
with Syria to war against Judah
but the latter appealed to Assyria
for help Tiglath-pileser, King Of
Assyria, then responded by cap.
turing the Syrian capital and kill.
ing the king. It is said that he
also killed Pekah, king of Israel,
and set up the puppet Hoshea as
king Of Israel and exacted heavy
tribute from him.
The Siege and Fall
When Shalmaneser succeeded
Tglath-p leser as king of Assyria,
Hoshea became careless with his
tribute money. He conceived the
idea that with the help of Egypt
they both could resist the de.
mands of Assyria. It was a sad
decision, for Shalmaneser first
subdued Egypt and the NOV
ed northward bottling up Hoshea
in Samaria, his capital city.
The military genius of Omri in
wisely selecting the site enabled
the Israelites to withstand the
siege for three years. Desperate
and exhausted the city surrender
ed in 722 B. c. and an inscrip.
ton Of Sargon reads, "Samaria
l besieged and conquered; 1880
Iof its inhabitants carried into
captivity, fifty chariots l seized
from them; the rest of them I al
lowed to retain their possessions.
l set my officers over them; the
tribute of the former king laid
upon them" This marks the end
Of the northern kingdom.
The Common Cause
History reveals that men and
nations fall largely because Of
their sins. Any national collapse
is generally due to a breach of
moral and spiritual laws. The
fall was as Amos and Hosea had
predicted, but it was not because
they, predicted the fall. The
waywardness anG sins of the PEG.
pie precipitated the catastrophe.
These prophets were shocked at
the political, social and moral
principles eating out the very life
blood as a cancer which the re-
sponsible leaders failed to see.
Apeing the degenerate Canaan.
tie cults all about them, the
Israelites soon found that such
practices had Slapped the mental,
physical and moral fibre of the
nation. There might be a ques.
ton about how conditions could
be improved. The king, Jeroboam
II, seemed helpless. The people
found it easier to pay lip service
to Jehovah as they faithfully paid
their tithes and filled the temple
on the sabbath. Through the rest
OF the week they gave vent to IN
dulgences and practices 50 alien
to justice and righteousness, and
their RIGHTEOUSNESS weakened
them for the final Assyrian on
slaught. Could such a thing hap
pen - America?
While Hoshea was only q puppet
king having, been placed on THE
throne by Assyria, he soon became
foolish and refused to cooperate
with his conquerors by Withholding
tribute. Instead OF trusting In the
leadership Of God as proclaimed
by the prophets, they slipped off
to make alliance with foreign
powers. This only involved them
deeper in the Assyrian net. Their
weak, vacillating foreign policy
cost them their national identity
and they suffered the most severe
punishment Assyria could inflict.
that Of Punishment from their be-
loved promised land
Israel was beaten before Sargon
ever arrived for the final siege.
HE people, the priests. the people
were defeating themselvs as they
continued the indulgences so con-
trary to the teaching of Moses and