The Fire Within: A Call to Purify Our Offerings
"And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger." - 2 Kings 17:17
In the somber narrative of 2 Kings 17:17, we are confronted with the horrific practices of an unfaithful people: "And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger." This verse stands as a stark reminder of the desperate lengths to which humanity can go when they turn away from God and embrace practices steeped in darkness and despair.
The imagery of passing children through the fire is particularly ghastly, evoking both literal sacrifice and the metaphorical sacrifices made when people abandon their covenant with God. The fire symbolizes not only the physical danger faced by these children but also the spiritual fires ignited by disobedience. Each act described in this verse—divination, enchantments, and the selling of oneself to evil—serves as a manifestation of an internal rejection of divine authority, a forsaking of light in favor of darkness.
To grasp the gravity of what God’s people did, we must understand the cultural context of these practices. Ancient peoples often resorted to rituals seeking favor from demonic forces, believing such acts could grant them power or blessings. They turned away from God’s commandments, including the earliest teachings handed down to them, which forbade child sacrifice and any form of idolatry (Deuteronomy 12:31). Instead, they chose to ally themselves with dark forces, thereby provoking God to anger. It is not merely the act of forsaking their children that is lamentable; it is the deeper spiritual and moral decay that led them to that point.
As Christians today, we are also called to examine our own hearts. In what ways do we, too, pass our children through the fires of contemporary culture? Are we offering them over to distractions such as social media, entertainment that glorifies evil, or practices that undermine their faith and moral compass? The fire to which we sacrifice our young may not be literal, but the implications are deeply felt in the spiritual and moral erosion of our society.
Moreover, the verse indicates a willingness to "sell themselves to do evil." While this may sound extreme, it mirrors the compromises we make daily, whether consciously or unconsciously. Choosing convenience over righteousness, ignorance over truth, and the fleeting pleasures of this world over the lasting joy in obedience to God are ways in which we too can sell ourselves cheaply. Each small compromise chips away at our integrity and pushes us further from the light of Christ, echoing the decisions made by the Israelites so long ago.
As we contemplate this verse, rejoicing in the Lord’s mercy becomes paramount. God’s anger provoked by sin is also met with His grace and redemption offered through Jesus Christ. The story of God’s people is not just one of rebellion but of repentance and restoration. As believers, we are called to come to the altar of grace, surrender our ways, and seek to live in obedience and faithfulness.
Let us, therefore, draw close to the Holy Spirit, who guides us into truth. As we discover the areas of our lives where we may have allowed compromise, let us offer those to God and seek His purification. Let us teach our children about the importance of holiness and the beauty of a life surrendered to God instead of worldly temptations.
In our homes, let us create an environment that celebrates goodness, truth, and beauty in Christ. Instead of allowing our children to pass through the fires of secular influence, let us lead them towards the altar of God, where they can be enveloped in His love and truth. As we reflect on 2 Kings 17:17, may we see not only the darkness but also the incredible light offered through Jesus, and seek to walk in that light daily.
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2 Kings 17:17 - "And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger."
"And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger." - 2 Kings 17:17
2 Kings 17:2 - "And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, but not as the kings of Israel that were before him."
2 Kings 19:17 - "Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands,"
1 Kings 17:2 - "And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,"
2 Kings 17:40 - "Howbeit they did not hearken, but they did after their former manner."
2 Kings 17:8 - "And walked in the statutes of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had made."
2 Kings 21:17 - "¶ Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and all that he did, and his sin that he sinned, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?"
2 Kings 17:19 - "Also Judah kept not the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made."
2 Kings 17:22 - "For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they departed not from them;"
2 Kings 17:12 - "For they served idols, whereof the LORD had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing."
2 Kings 17:14 - "Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the LORD their God."
2 Kings 24:17 - "¶ And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah his father's brother king in his stead, and changed his name to Zedekiah."
2 Kings 17:5 - "¶ Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years."
2 Kings 17:3 - "Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria; and Hoshea became his servant, and gave him presents."
2 Kings 17:10 - "And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and under every green tree:"
"Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands," - 2 Kings 19:17
2 Kings 6:17 – "And Elisha prayed, 'Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.' Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes."
2 Kings 11:17 - "¶ And Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people, that they should be the LORD'S people; between the king also and the people."
2 Kings 14:17 - "¶ And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years."
2 Kings 17:1 - "In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah began Hoshea the son of Elah to reign in Samaria over Israel nine years."
2 Kings 17:33 - "They feared the LORD, and served their own gods, after the manner of the nations whom they carried away from thence."
2 Kings 4:17 - "And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life."
2 Kings 17:30 - "And the men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth, and the men of Cuth made Nergal, and the men of Hamath made Ashima,"
2 Kings 17:38 - "And the covenant that I have made with you ye shall not forget; neither shall ye fear other gods."
"And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, but not as the kings of Israel that were before him." - 2 Kings 17:2
2 Kings 2:17 - "And when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, Send. They sent therefore fifty men; and they sought three days, but found him not."
2 Kings 8:17 - "Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem."
Revelation 17:2 - "With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication."
2 Kings 17:18 - "Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only."