Are You a Spiritual Samaritan?

When the Jewish people of the Northern Kingdom (Israel) were exiled for their disobedience to God (Yehovah). The Assyrians who deported them moved pagan people from other conquered lands into Israel. The Assyrians mixed people from different countries together to keep any one national group from being large enough to rise up against their conquerors. The imported people brought their religious practices with them. Worse, they intermarried with the remaining Jews. The Jewish people from the Southern Kingdom (Judah) had antipathy for the Jews that intermarried with the foreigners, as this was a violation of God’s law.

When God saw the pagan religious practices, He sent lions to kill some of the people (2 Kings 17:24-25). The king of Assyria responded by sending an exiled priest back to Israel to “teach them the custom of the god of the land. So one of the priests whom they had carried away into exile from Samaria came and lived at Bethel, and taught them how they should fear Yehovah” (2 Kings 27-28). However, just as the people groups intermarried, they also intermixed their religious practices. “They feared Yehovah AND served their own gods according to the custom of the nations from among whom they had been carried away into exile” (2 Kings 33).

Jesus said the greatest commandment was “Hear, O Israel! Yehovah our God is one Lord; and you shall love Yehovah your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Mark 12:29 quoting Deuteronomy 6:5-6). All of our love, devotion and service are due Him.

Please note this is a commandment, not a suggestion. God’s character requires this from us, “[Yehovah] that is my name. I will not share my glory to another; I will not let idols take the praise that should be mine (Isaiah 42: 8). While we do not worship idols made of metal and wood, too many of us pursue the gods of pleasure, possessions and prestige (1 John 2:16). These are the modern gods “according to the custom of the nations.”

God blesses us for keeping this commandment, “For the eyes of Yehovah move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His” (2 Chronicles 16:9). This verse tells us that God watches over His people not to catch them sinning so He can punish them, but to look for opportunities to act on their behalf.

Isaiah assures us that “You (Yehovah) will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You” (Isaiah 26:3). Paul echoes this truth when he wrote, “the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7)

Let us have hearts that are totally devoted to love God and keep His commandments (Psalm 128:1). God responds by providing His unwavering support and complete/perfect peace during our times of trials and troubles in this life.