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Hoshea was the last king of the northern Kingdom of Israel, comprising the ten tribes of Israel, with Samaria as the capital city
The king of Assyria had invaded Samaria and compelled Hoshea to pay tribute to him, but after some time, he stopped because he had allied with the king of Egypt
So the king of Assyria returned and laid siege to Samaria for three years, after which Israel fell to Assyria in 720 BC, and the Ten Tribes dispersed to colonies in Halah and the cities of the Medes
All these happened because Israel had sinned!
They worshipped other gods, Baal, idols carved in the image of calves, Asherah, and even the starry hosts
They followed the practices of the heathen nations to the point of child sacrifice, divinations and omens, sold themselves to evil, aroused God’s anger, and failed to listen to God’s warning through the prophets
Paul entered Athens in his second missionary journey
Athens is the seat of Greek literature and art, although inhabitants are zealous idol worshippers, but they are open to discussing the latest ideas
Paul had the opportunity to address the council that oversaw the civic and religious affairs of the city
He had noticed many shrines and the inscription on an altar which reads “To an Unknown God”, so he began preaching the true God to them
God is the sovereign creator and sustainer of all things and does not require man’s help.
Yet His purpose was for the nation to seek after Him; He wants us to know Him personally
Hence, they must not think of God as an idol designed by craftsmen from stone, gold, or silver
God has overlooked the ignorance of idol worship in earlier times, but now commands everyone everywhere to repent
At the end of the discussion, some, even members of the council, became believers