(full text – 2Kings_18:1-7
1Now it came about in the third year of Hoshea, the son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah became king. 2He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah. 3He did right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father David had done. 4He removed the high places and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah. He also broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the sons of Israel burned incense to it; and it was called Nehushtan. 5He trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel; so that after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who were before him. 6For he clung to the LORD; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the LORD had commanded Moses.
7And the LORD was with him; wherever he went he prospered. And he rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him.
);7And the LORD was with him; wherever he went he prospered. And he rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him.
▪︎ Others mingled with the nations, letting idol worship separate them from God – Ps 106:35-36, 37;
(full text – Ps_106:35-41
35But they mingled with the nations
And learned their practices,
36And served their idols,
Which became a snare to them.
37They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons,
38And shed innocent blood,
The blood of their sons and their daughters,
Whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan;
And the land was polluted with the blood.
39Thus they became unclean in their practices,
And played the harlot in their deeds.
40Therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against His people
And He abhorred His inheritance.
41Then He gave them into the hand of the nations,
And those who hated them ruled over them.
);And learned their practices,
36And served their idols,
Which became a snare to them.
37They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons,
38And shed innocent blood,
The blood of their sons and their daughters,
Whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan;
And the land was polluted with the blood.
39Thus they became unclean in their practices,
And played the harlot in their deeds.
40Therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against His people
And He abhorred His inheritance.
41Then He gave them into the hand of the nations,
And those who hated them ruled over them.
▪︎ Believers are God’s family, His children, His people – 2Cor 6:16, 17;
▪︎ God’s holiness prohibits communication with those who commit sin. It can cause our fellowship with God to go dormant; consequently, we may feel like He is no longer with us – Josh 7:11, 12; James 4:4, 5;