Today's Sufficient Grace

2 Kings 17 describes the dark hours in Israel's history.  Judah follows close to this rebellious nation. After a three year siege Israel (or known then as Samaria) falls to Assyria.  Many are taken captive.  The Assyrians occupy the land and the country becomes a hybrid nation -- Samaritans.

The Divine comment on the state of the Samaritans was this: “So they feared the Lord but also served their own gods, after the manner of the nations from among whom they had been carried away.” (2 Kings 17:33, ESV).

This is 'syn·cre·tism'.  It is defined as the blending of two or more religious belief systems into a new system, or the incorporation into a religious tradition of beliefs from unrelated traditions. The word comes from the Greek: synkretismos, or the "union of communities".   

Jehovah was worshiped merely as another god.  "The mixing of foreign people within the former land of Israel brought about religious havoc." [1]  Orthodox Jews would have nothing to do with this mongrel peoples.  Indeed the “. . . Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.” (John 4:9, ESV).   But Christ Jesus, in spite of the significant challenges entered into the lives of the Samaritans, bringing the Gospel to them (John 4:6-26) and the Apostles followed suit (Acts 8:25).

The solution to racial intolerance, hatred, prejudice and reconciliation is the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.  “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28, ESV).  

“For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.” (1 Timothy 4:10, ESV)

 

 

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1. Criswell, W. A., Patterson, P., Clendenen, E. R., Akin, D. L., Chamberlin, M., Patterson, D. K., & Pogue, J. (Eds.). (1991). Believer’s Study Bible (electronic ed., 2 Ki 17:29). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.