Today we are continuing in the book of 2 Kings, originally written to people living in exile, people who had been removed from their homes and land and taken captive. They had the question resonating in their heads and hearts, How did we get here? This text, 2 Kings, is a processing of that question.
If we rewind back to 1 Kings 8, when Solomon was king, we can see his wisdom revered by the world. The ark was brought into the temple (1 Kings 8:1–11); Solomon recognized God’s faithfulness (1 Kings 8:12–21); and Solomon offered his prayer of dedication (1 Kings 8:22–53). This was a big moment. The temple had been built and God’s presence settled on it. There was a great call to turn to God (the temple) in all moments of life.
It was a moment of perceived utopia: there was great wealth and great respect from other nations; there was great power and wisdom; they had accomplished what had been hoped and dreamed for generations; and they were in the promised land. They were God’s people and everything was working!
But then we turn the page, and in 1 Kings 11, Solomon turns from God. The temple is still there, still with that new paint smell, and Solomon turned to other gods.
As we jump from 1 Kings 11 to 2 Kings 17, just over 200 years have passed. Israel has divided into two nations—Judah in the south with Jerusalem within its borders, and Israel in the north in the region of Samaria. And over that 200-year period, we have watched the spiral of kings and nations turning from God. There were a few bright spots, and plenty of moments that were opportunities for turning back to God, but over all, it has been a downward spiral.
And so we have this book written to the people living in exile and asking, How did we get here? And a theme that we’ve seen throughout is that this was not sudden or a surprise. There were now centuries of warning and grace from God, and still a turning—a persisting in turning—away from God. And now today in 2 Kings 17 we come to this powerful statement:
They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their ancestors and the statutes he had warned them to keep. They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless. They imitated the nations around them although the Lord had ordered them, “Do not do as they do.” (2 Kings 17:15)
Centuries earlier God had spoken to Abraham. This is the “covenant” mentioned here in 2 Kings.
The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:1-3)
In 2 Kings 17, we come to the culmination of the people’s rejection of God. It ends with a realization that it’s all worthless and meaningless. Their efforts are in vain.
In our processing of 2 Kings, we have continually been returning to this question as our theme: How will I persist? And today we will see a moment where the people continue to trust in, depend on, seek help from, find meaning in, and look for hope in something that is ultimately in vain.
What does “in vain” even mean? To do something in vain means to do it without achieving the intended result, without lasting value, or in a way that is empty and ineffective. It’s worthless. A vapor or a puf of smoke. Meaningless.
The people in exile saw that they had gotten to where they were because of all those vain efforts.
I don’t want to be spinning my wheels in life in vain! So our focus today isn’t on shaming or looking down on people from the past. Instead, this is a moment for us to refine our trajectory in putting our hope, trust, and faith in God—a reminder that efforts toward God are not in vain.
As we get started, here is a list of life moments that have the potential to be in vain. These are things we might put energy and effort and time and focus and hopes and more into, and for what?
Chasing wealth to find lasting security
Pursuing success to find worth or identity
Seeking approval from others to feel valued
Holding onto bitterness instead of forgiving
Building a reputation without building character
Accumulating possessions that cannot satisfy
Comparing yourself to others to find worth
Worrying about things you cannot control
Seeking revenge instead of reconciliation
Trying to control everything
For each of these 10 moments, I want you to give two scores. The first is this: How much effort does our culture put into this? Give it a number from 0 (no notable effort) to 7 (endless effort). The second score is this: How much effort do you put into this? Again, give it a number from 0 (no notable effort) to 7 (endless effort).
What stands out to you as you look at your answers and listen to each other’s thoughts?
These things are obviously “in vain” to some degree. And yet, knowing that can seemingly have little to no impact on the efforts that people put into these things.
What causes someone to put effort into something that will likely be found to be meaningless or in vain?
In a moment I am going to have you share a story about something you lost or broke or had stolen. We’ve all had things that we’ve lost. Sometimes we find them again later; sometimes they are just gone. And we’ve broken things, from possessions to bones to vehicles in car accidents. And sometimes things get stolen. These are painful moments. Let’s share our stories.
What have you lost, broken, or had stolen?
In Matthew 6, in the middle of His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says this:
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21)
Jesus doesn’t say don’t have treasures. He’s telling us that treasures will ask a lot from you. They take attention, focus, effort, maintenance, and care. And because treasures require these things, we should pay attention to what we hold as a treasure.
Jesus is trying to help us out here. When we invest in treasures that are confined to this world, that’s a risky investment. Efforts may be in vain. Those things can be broken or lost or stolen. But things that are not confined to this world are less risky. Treasures in heaven—like loving people, seeking God’s kingdom, generosity, obedience, faithfulness, mercy, justice, prayer, humility, and forgiveness—these things can not be lost, broken, or stolen.
Jesus ends with this emphasis:
“for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21)
Let’s talk about what this means for us.
What are some things in life that are not in vain—that putting your time, energy and effort into continually bring good returns?
In our text for today, 2 Kings 17, the focus swings back to the northern kingdom of Israel. Let’s back up to chapter 15 for a minute for some context. The king was Menahem. Pul, the King of Assyria, basically attacked Israel, and Menahem paid him off. He collected a tax of 1000 talents of silver—a multi-million dollar payoff—to buy peace between the Assyrians and the Israelites. For the moment. But was it in vain?
Pul, the king of Assyria, came against the land, and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver so that his hand might be with him to strengthen the kingdom under his rule. Then Menahem collected the money from Israel, from all the mighty men of wealth, from each man fifty shekels of silver to pay the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria returned and did not stay there in the land. (2 Kings 15:19-20)
In 2 Kings 17, it’s three kings later, and Hoshea is now ruling over Israel. And he decides it’s time to stop paying off Assyria.
Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up to attack Hoshea, who had been Shalmaneser’s vassal and had paid him tribute. But the king of Assyria discovered that Hoshea was a traitor, for he had sent envoys to So king of Egypt, and he no longer paid tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year. Therefore Shalmaneser seized him and put him in prison. The king of Assyria invaded the entire land, marched against Samaria and laid siege to it for three years. In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and deported the Israelites to Assyria. He settled them in Halah, in Gozan on the Habor River and in the towns of the Medes. (2 Kings 17:3-6)
Hoshea is put in prison. Assyria invades and starts deporting Israelites back to Assyria. And the next line in 2 Kings after this is a loaded phrase:
All this took place because the Israelites had sinned against the Lord their God. (2 Kings 17:7)
Their actions had an impact. This wasn’t just about refusing to pay off Assyria. 2 Kings declares that it wasn’t just the one thing, the one moment—it was their repeated running away from God. Over 200 years have passed since the moment Solomon turned from God. There has been warning after warning, opportunity after opportunity. God has shown grace and been patient. But here their actions are catching up to them.
All this took place because the Israelites had sinned against the Lord their God, who had brought them up out of Egypt from under the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They worshiped other gods and followed the practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before them, as well as the practices that the kings of Israel had introduced. The Israelites secretly did things against the Lord their God that were not right. From watchtower to fortified city they built themselves high places in all their towns. (2 Kings 17:7-9)
They would not listen. They would not trust God. They rejected the decrees and covenant. And instead, they followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless (NIV). A better translation might be “in vain,” which we already defined this way: To do something in vain means to do it without achieving the intended result, without lasting value, or in a way that is empty and ineffective.
They were worshiping vain gods. They were not achieving their intended results. There was no lasting value. It was ineffective. And in turn they became vain—not achieving intended results, losing lasting value, ineffective.
But they would not listen and were as stiff-necked as their ancestors, who did not trust in the Lord their God. They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their ancestors and the statutes he had warned them to keep. They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless. They imitated the nations around them although the Lord had ordered them, “Do not do as they do.” (2 Kings 17:14-15)
They were worshiping false gods and the stars, and it goes on to say that they were even sacrificing their children in fire. It has gone off the rails. And the painful declaration was that it was all in vain.
What is the sting of finding out that extraordinary actions have been done in vain?
How does it change a person to see and feel that efforts were done in vain?
It definitely hurts to find out that something has been done in vain. But. The sting of doing something in vain is not necessarily sufficient to cause change. So, now what?
The people in 2 Kings have been going in all kinds of directions to find hope, peace, provision, fertility, security, power, authority, and insight. And here in chapter 17, we’re told that all of that effort was in vain. Ouch.
But today, Jesus invites us to efforts that are not in vain.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
We’re going to close today by processing this together.
How has faith in Jesus’ promise impacted you? (How was it not in vain?)
Where have you seen godly efforts not be in vain?
What are the challenges in putting effort into “coming to Jesus”?
Take It Deeper Questions
Read Matthew 11:28-30.
When in your life have you felt the most weary or spent?
What tends to drain you?
What gives you life and renews your energy?
How has God provided rest, help, or support for you—both internally (through His presence, peace, or strength) and externally (through people, circumstances, or practical provision)?
As you reflect on this passage, what challenges you, encourages you, gives you hope, or leaves you with questions?
Bible Reading Plan
Psalm 23 • The Shepherd’s Care
Isaiah 40 • Strength for the Weary
Matthew 6 • Trust Over Worry
Matthew 11 • Rest for the Soul
Mark 4 • Peace in the Storm
John 15 • Abide in Jesus
2 Kings 18 • Trust God Alone
2 Kings 19 • God Delivers