A Line in the Sand

by Zeke Flores

"This came about because the sons of Israel had sinned against Yahweh their God" (II Kings 17:7).

"The line in the sand." by Bernard Spragg, NZ, via Flickr

A line in the sand has a universal meaning: Don't cross it.

II Kings 17 tells of the end of the northern kingdom of Israel and the reasons for its fall (II Kings 17:7-18). The year was 722 B.C. and Israel had not only crossed the line, they stamped on it until it was obliterated. "Nobody's going to tell me what to do!" they must have thought, "Not even God!"

What was it that had such a powerful attraction that they would risk everything? Lots of things: the desire to be more "open" religiously and give a hearty nod towards the gods of their pagan neighbors, their ignorance and plain rebellion against God's revealed will, their willingness to sacrifice their children for the sake of their own selfish prosperity. But they didn't get prosperity in the end, only disillusion, heartbreak, and a boot out of the land God provided for them.

Ancient Israel was not the first group of people to abandon morality for the sake of "fitting in," being more "tolerant," or simply greed for wealth and sensual pleasure. They definitely won't be the last, either. Much of their arrogant rebellion sounds a lot like what's happening in modern America, doesn't it?

The lesson to learn isn't complicated: When God draws a line in the sand, don't cross it. It really is for our own good.