Children Bible Overview 78 19/10/08

MAN OF GOD, ELISHA, ISRAEL STILL DID NOT REPENT AND

THUS PERISHED IN THE END
Teachers to read bible scripture: <2 Ki 13:1-17:23>
Children to memorize bible scripture: <Deu 5:9-10>

Recap
Children, last week, we saw how King Ahab's entire clan (Queen Jezebel, Ahab's 70 children) and all
the people who worshipped false god, Baal, were all destroyed. This is the consequence of all those
who oppose the Lord, God.

Introduction
Although this was so, Israel still did not turn to follow God. They continued to disobey the laws of the
Lord, God and followed the sins committed by Jeroboam to worship the golden calves which he
worshipped. Therefore, Israel lost the help of God and was unable to oppose the Aramean army
which continued to violate them. When it reached Jehu's grandchildren, where Jehoash became the
King of Israel, Elisha developed an illness. It was time for God to bring him back. Elisha hence told
King Jehoash, "Open the window and shoot the arrows, God will give you victory over the Aramean
army.” King Jehoash hence did as he was told. Thereafter, Elisha asked King Jehoash to take some
arrows and strike the ground. He had little faith and only struck the ground three times. Elisha then
said, "Since you only struck three times, you will also defeat the Aramean army three times.” Having
said that, Elisha passed away and went back to where God was. Thereafter, King Jehoash indeed
defeated the Aramean army three times. But after a few generations, Israel became weak again, and
forgot the help of the Lord, God and went to worship Jeroboam's golden calves. They were also often
like the Gentiles beside them, placing idols on high places and under the trees. They offered incense
before the idols on the altars and served them, which infuriated the Lord, God. The Lord, God through
many occasions, spoke to Israel through the Prophets, telling them to obey the laws of God and also
rescued them from the enemies' hands. However, Israel was still hardened towards the Lord and did
not submit to Him. They disliked and abandoned His covenant and laws to worship other gods. Israel
continued not to abandon their sins, until the very end when they completely did not have a repentant
heart, such that the Lord, God raised up the Gentile, Shalmaneser King of Assyria. Shalmaneser King
of Assyria had great power. He led a big army to attack the whole land of Israel and surrounded the
city of Samaria and thereafter invaded the whole land of Israel, imprisoning the King of Israel and the
people of Israel were exiled to the land of Assyria. Thereafter, the kingdom of Israel hence perished
and they no longer exist!

1. (In question and answer style): Why did the people of Israel continue to receive
God's help but not long after, rebelled against God and did not listen to Him?
1) First, this was because of the work of the devil, Satan! Before God pushes the devil
into hell, he will continue to tempt and deceive God's people day and night, so that
they cannot listen to God's words and hence leave God. He will continue to use
many different types of idols to confuse and tempt them (give them what they like
through the idols), so that they cannot differentiate between who the real God is.
2) Because of the work of the devil, Satan, God gave them His covenant, laws,
commandments (God's words), to protect them so that they would not be deceived
by Satan. But because Jeroboam led Israel to go by other roads, and regarded the
golden calves as god, subsequent kings of Israel also followed the road of Jeroboam.
Therefore, after they received God's help, they were very quickly deceived by Satan
and forgot God because the whole Israel did not listen to God's covenant, laws and
commandments (God's words).
3) The people of Israel continued to be bound by Satan and did not turn towards God. As
a result, as time went by, their lives would be filled with many idols (love the world
and all the things in the world to play, eat and buy…) Therefore, deep in their hearts,
 they did not like God's words and laws. Therefore, although they received God's help,
they were soon tempted by the benefits the idols bring.

2. (In question and answer style): Since God is a loving God, who loves Israel
eternally, why did He eventually destroy them?
1) Because God is a merciful and loving God, therefore when Israel rebelled against God,
God still gave them many chances at the start and did not completely destroy them.
This was because God was not willing to see Israel being destroyed as a result of sin
but He wanted them to repent. Therefore, God continued to send out prophets (like
Elijah and Elisha) to speak to them and asked them to turn towards God.
2) God did not destroy Israel from the start. This was because there were still people in
Israel who listened to God and to the words of the Prophets. However, towards the
end, there was not one who was willing to repent and listen to God's words. They all
belonged to the devil, Satan and listened to him. Therefore, God eventually
destroyed Israel and allowed King of Assyria to invade them.
3) God destroyed Israel because he wanted to protect the House of Judah (Next week,
we will talk about Judah). The House of Judah had many people who knew God and
the people there also loved God. But because Israel often influenced Judah, and
tempted the people of Judah to worship idols and not listen to God, God had no
choice but to destroy Israel.

3. (In question and answer style): Sometimes, we are like the Israelites who continue
not to listen to God. Will we perish?
1) When we know and believe in the Lord, Jesus Christ, we are already God's children
and people whom God loves eternally. Therefore, regardless of the sins we have
committed, God will forgive us and will not destroy us like the way Israel was
perished.
2) Therefore, when we do not like God and people but only love the world and
ourselves, God will use His words (through our teachers/ parents) to tell us. When
we are willing to repent, God not only forgives us, he also does not allow the devil to
harm us.
3) If we continue not to listen, God will discipline us (like how parents disciplined their
children) so that we are not harmed by the devil.