This passage from 2 Kings 17 is about the sad truth of the Israelites going after other gods. This happens repeatedly in the Old Testament where God calls His people to worship Him alone. They would worship only Him, for a while, but then go after other gods and reject the Lord who had made them. Bad things would happen, and they would repent and return to God.  He would forgive, and they would again worship Him. Things would be fine for a while, and then they would turn to other gods again.  The cycle was repeated over and over again.

Proof of this cycle is throughout the Bible and specifically in 1,2 Samuel, 1,2 Kings, and 1, 2 Chronicles.

From the journal  .  .  .  . January 2000

2Kings 17:7, This disaster came upon the people of Israel because they worshiped other gods. They sinned against the Lord their God, who had brought them safely out of Egypt and had rescued them from the power of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt.

This is pretty sad, Lord.  The Israelites turned from God and served other gods.  You want total commitment exclusively, not serving other gods just to be on the safe side.  I can’t consult my horoscope, just in case.  No seances or ouija boards.  Only Jesus.  Fidelity is what He wants.  A commitment to Him alone.  No other gods. 

Jesus, please show me if I might be serving something as another god.  In today’s world we consider gods in a different way, but people do put their hope in things apart from You.  Are those gods?

And God Said to Me:

Come to Me first.  Seek to consider and please Me.  The only thing that can make your life better or more significant is Me.  You have chosen that.  You have chosen Me and My Word, and you are committed to Us.  You have encumbrances and distractions, but they are not gods.

God wants exclusive rights to us!  I think in the same way that a married couple wants exclusive rights to each other in the area of romance. One of my pastors once said that it is perfect and right that he would be jealous if his wife was giving the kind of attention to another man that she should only give to him. I think it is in this way that God wants us to worship only Him. Our worship is meant for Him only! He is jealous when we don’t put Him first.

Exodus 20:1-6 20

Then God spoke all these words, saying,

² “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

³ “You shall have no other gods before Me.

⁴ “You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. 

⁵ You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, ⁶ but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.