Topical Bible: Idolatry: The Jews: Followed the Assyrians In

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Idolatry, the worship of idols or false gods, is a recurring theme in the history of Israel and Judah, often leading to divine judgment and exile. The influence of surrounding nations, particularly the Assyrians, played a significant role in the Israelites' descent into idolatry.

The Assyrians were known for their polytheistic practices, worshiping a pantheon of gods and goddesses. As a dominant power in the ancient Near East, their cultural and religious practices often influenced the nations they conquered or interacted with, including the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah.

Influence on Israel:

The Northern Kingdom of Israel was particularly susceptible to Assyrian influence due to its political alliances and subjugation. King Hoshea, the last king of Israel, sought an alliance with Egypt to resist Assyrian domination, but this political maneuvering did not prevent the fall of Samaria in 722 B.C. to the Assyrians. The Israelites' adoption of Assyrian idolatry is documented in 2 Kings 17:7-12 :

"All this happened because the Israelites had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, out of the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They had worshiped other gods and walked in the customs of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites, as well as in the practices introduced by the kings of Israel. The Israelites secretly did things against the LORD their God that were not right. From watchtower to fortified city, they built for themselves high places in all their cities. They set up for themselves sacred pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree. They burned incense on all the high places like the nations that the LORD had driven out before them. They did wicked things, provoking the LORD to anger. They served idols, although the LORD had told them, 'You shall not do this thing.'"

Influence on Judah:

The Southern Kingdom of Judah also fell into idolatry, influenced by Assyrian practices, especially during the reign of King Ahaz. Ahaz sought Assyrian assistance against his enemies and, in doing so, adopted some of their religious practices. 2 Kings 16:10-12 describes Ahaz's actions:

"Then King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria. He saw the altar in Damascus and sent to Uriah the priest a model of the altar and its pattern, exact in all its details. And Uriah the priest built an altar according to all that King Ahaz had sent from Damascus. By the time King Ahaz returned from Damascus, Uriah the priest had completed the altar."

Ahaz's actions led to the introduction of a foreign altar in the temple of the LORD, signifying a departure from the worship of Yahweh alone.

Prophetic Condemnation:

The prophets of Israel and Judah consistently condemned the idolatrous practices adopted from the Assyrians. Isaiah, Hosea, and Micah, among others, warned of the consequences of such unfaithfulness. Isaiah 2:6-8 highlights the syncretism and idolatry prevalent in Judah:

"For You have rejected Your people, the house of Jacob, because they are full of superstitions from the East; they practice divination like the Philistines and clasp hands with the children of foreigners. Their land is full of silver and gold; there is no limit to their treasures. Their land is full of horses; there is no limit to their chariots. Their land is full of idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their fingers have made."

The prophets called the people to repentance, urging them to return to the covenant faithfulness required by the LORD. Despite these warnings, both Israel and Judah faced judgment, with Israel being exiled by the Assyrians and Judah later by the Babylonians.

Conclusion:

The influence of Assyrian idolatry on the Israelites serves as a cautionary tale of the dangers of cultural assimilation and the abandonment of covenantal faithfulness. The biblical narrative underscores the importance of exclusive devotion to the LORD and the consequences of idolatry.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Ezekiel 16:28-30
You have played the whore also with the Assyrians, because you were insatiable; yes, you have played the harlot with them, and yet could not be satisfied.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Ezekiel 23:5-7
And Aholah played the harlot when she was mine; and she doted on her lovers, on the Assyrians her neighbors,
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

A Kingdom's Epitaph
... of faith and courage which were needed to keep the Jews from becoming ... 'They followed
vanity, and ... In verses 16 and 17 the details of the idolatry follow the ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/a kingdoms epitaph.htm

The Prophet Joel.
... of Judah, and allowed free scope to idolatry. ... According to Jerome, the Jews followed
the latter view ... view, the first swarm denotes the Assyrians, together with ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/the prophet joel.htm

Babylon.
... so completely, that they never returned to their idolatry. ... He judged among the Jews,
and confuted the two ... devouring bear of Persia; then followed the flying ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson xi babylon.htm

Book 13 Footnotes
... Maccabees, which he had so carefully followed, and faithfully ... worshippers of the
true God without idolatry, as the ... sent from the "people of the Jews," as well ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/book 13 footnotes.htm

Isaiah
... This is followed by another prophecy of the Babylonian exile ... would be the descendants
of the Jews who had ... lvi.9-lvii.2, and the old immoral idolatry is rampant ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/isaiah.htm

The Twelve Minor Prophets.
... differs from the Masoretic, which is followed in our ... of all the patrons of idolatry
and the ... By the slanderous representations of the Jews' enemies this work ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxiii the twelve minor.htm

The Prophet Hosea.
... readily acknowledge, as he does, their advantages,"for "Salvation cometh of the
Jews.". ... Image-worship was very speedily followed by idolatry,"which is ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/the prophet hosea.htm

Agency of Evil Spirits.
... He had succeeded in establishing idolatry in every part of the ... of swine as a rebuke
to those Jews who were ... the sorcerer, and the damsel who followed Paul and ...
/.../the great controversy between christ and satan /31 agency of evil spirits.htm

The Historical Books.
... with its calamitous consequences, and the idolatry of Solomon ... spare the sins of the
pious monarchs that followed. ... written, after the return of the Jews from the ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xx the historical books.htm

Agency of Evil Spirits
... He had succeeded in establishing idolatry in every part of the ... of swine as a rebuke
to those Jews who were ... the sorcerer, and the damsel who followed Paul and ...
/.../white/the great controversy/chapter 31 agency of evil.htm