The king of Assyria had captured Samaria. He exiled the people of Israel and then replaced them by transporting groups of his own people to resettle the towns of Samaria. After the LORD sent lions to kill some of the new residents, the king commanded one of the exiled priests of God to return to Samaria to live there and teach them how to worship the LORD.
Kings 17:32-34,41 These new residents worshiped the LORD...And though they worshiped the LORD, they continued to follow their own gods according to the religious customs of the nations from which they came.
And this is still going on today. They continue to follow their former practices instead of truly worshiping the LORD and obeying the decrees, regulations, instructions, and commands he gave the descendants of Jacob, whose name he changed to Israel.
...to this day their descendants do the same.
Genesis 32:28 "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome."
How much am I still a person who "struggles with God and with men?" Do I follow God partially but also follow my own desires instead of truly worshiping the LORD and obeying Him completely?
Romans 7: 24,25 "Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated be sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord."
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