Enemy At The Gates

2 Kings 17:27

Then the king of Assyria gave this order: ‘Have one of the priests you took captive from Samaria go back to live there and teach the people what the god of the land requires.’

They hate you openly. Aside from causing you harm, they will also make sure you wouldn’t experience anything good. That’s how your enemies work. It seems they have nothing in their minds, and hands, but your downfall. He’s the horrible boss who wouldn’t let you have that promotion; the controlling, abusive spouse you’re sleeping in with; or, your X-Men first class bud turned Magneto. Thankfully, I don’t have much personal stories except for some mean, gossip girls. But I have known friends who were left damaged and distrusting because of these people. I’m sure they were begging for an exemption to love their enemies. Or for God to at least change the command ‘love’ to ‘civil’. Not bad right?

When the prophet Jonah opted to disobey God rather than preach to Niniveh, as humans, we would find it understandable. Assyrians were cruel people. They instill so much fear to their captives that they’d be half defeated even before the attack. If Jonah knew Israel would soon be deported, dragged naked and in fish hooks to that heathen land, he’d rather be inside the fish belly ‘til today. Replacing the Israelites in the towns of Samaria, the Assyrian king brought in settlers from their realm. Some believed poor remnants from Manasseh and Ephraim intermarried with these pagans, giving birth to the Samaritans. Now we’d understand why the Jews hated them.  What they don’t understand was why God was gracious to them. Why did He send a prophet there before the exile? Why was Jesus talking to that woman by the well? Why would the Bible even allot verses telling us that they could be a good neighbor or a thankful leper? In our verse today, we even saw God orchestrating an Israelite priest to teach them God’s law. Why not infest them with more lions instead?

Resisting God’s command to love our enemies is withholding that opportunity for them to experience God’s forgiveness and grace. It’s our silent revenge for all the sufferings we shouldn’t have endured. They have taken away a lot from us - - this one we will not give! But when the cross took God’s only son from heaven, he too undeservedly suffered from His brutal enemies – the Romans, the Jews, and us. It was our sins that nailed Him there. Yet His first words were still ‘Father, forgive them!’ Being civil is not Christian enough. Not doing anything bad doesn’t mean you’re already doing good. So who’s that person pulling you down and pushing you hard? Will you let their hate overcome you? Or will you allow God’s love - an even powerful weapon – overwhelm them? The Bible said, ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink’. Now, if he’s outside your gates, shouldn’t you let him in? :>