Israel Goes Into Slavery

Jeroboam was the only king in Israel’s history noted to have actually “made” the people sin. Notice: “... and Jeroboam drove Israel from following the LORD, and made them sin a GREAT SIN. For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they departed not from them” (2 Kings 17:21-22). Jeroboam bringing Israel to sin caused God to “remove Israel out of His sight ...”II Ki 17:23 further records that the outcome of their Sabbath-breaking was captivity and slavery: “Until the LORD removed Israel out of His sight, as He had said by all His servants the prophets. So was Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria unto this day” (2 Kings 17:23).

Judah was not taken into captivity until 604 B.C. But God caused the Assyrians to take the House of Israel into captivity in 721-718 B.C. The Assyrians literally enslaved them and carried them far away from their homeland to Assyria on the southern shores of the Caspian Sea.

Several generations later, the Babylonian (Chaldean) Empire came to power under Nebuchadnezzar. They entered Judah and took the inhabitants captive into the land of modern-day Iraq, over the period from 604 to 585 B.C.

Not long after Israel was taken to Assyria, the Assyrians migrated to northern Europe and settled in what is now modern Germany. They took their Israelite slaves with them, eventually allowing these peoples to migrate further north and west and to regain their independence. They settled in North-western Europe, including the British Isles and Scandinavia.

A huge question looms from this historic invasion, migration, and the Ten Tribes losing their identity: WHY did the House of Israel become lost to themselves—and to the world? For over 200 years, Israel had known their identity—that they were the House of Israel. What happened?

The answer is basic, and more crucial to your understanding than you can imagine: Israel stopped keeping God’s Sabbath—and thus LOST THE NATIONAL SIGN THAT IDENTIFIED THEM! They ceased to be the people with whom God was working.

Israel lost all national identity. After they were taken to Assyria, they ceased to function as a nation, with a king and a government. Eventually, they took on the Assyrian language, losing track of their native Hebrew tongue. They became slaves.

The Ten Tribes that had followed Jeroboam into rebellion against God became lost to history. Because they gave up God’s IDENTIFYING SIGN—His Sabbath—they lost track of who they were. Even the world no longer recognizes them!

Why God Allowed Israel’s Defeat

God never allows people to decide WHAT is right and WHAT is wrong. That is His prerogative—and He exercises it. But He does permit them to decide WHETHER they will obey Him—or WHETHER they will disobey.

In Leviticus 26:1-46, during Moses’ time, God carefully outlined what He expected of His people. This chapter promises NATIONAL BLESSINGS for obedience and NATIONAL CURSINGS for disobedience. Take time to read it all. God cited two particular sins—two Commandments—upon which everything hinged.

Here were His terms: “You shall MAKE YOU NO IDOLS nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall you set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God. YOU SHALL KEEP MY SABBATHS, and reverence My sanctuary: I am the LORD” (Lev. 26:1-2).

God specifically warned against Sabbath-breaking and idolatry. These Commandments were so critical, so vital, to God’s Plan that—“IF you walk in My statues, and keep My commandments and do them”—He would pour out blessings upon Israel. He described those blessings in the next 11 verses (Lev. 26:3-13). This was followed by 20 verses (Lev. 26:14-33) explaining all of the curses that would come if these two Commandments were broken. God explained that, for 2,520 years, Israel would lose all prosperity, be conquered, taken from their land into slavery, and suffer plagues, sickness, and disease.

Sabbath-breaking and idolatry were the triggers God stated would bring captivity. Yet these were the very first things that Jeroboam instituted after the nation of Israel was divided into two nations. The result: the Assyrian king Shalmaneser defeated and enslaved Israel.

Why the Jews Were Taken Into Slavery

The House of Judah remained a nation for another 117 years, until 604-585 B.C. Over this 19-year period, they were also taken captive. The reason was directly related to Sabbath-breaking.

Jeremiah prophesied a time when many Jews would return to the Holy Land (Jer. 29:10), 70 years after entering captivity, to rebuild the temple and restore the knowledge and worship of the true God.

Here is what Nehemiah said after the captivity when the people of Judah reverted to Sabbath breaking, which caused them to go into captivity in the first place: “In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses ON THE SABBATH, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on THE SABBATH DAY: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals. There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold ON THE SABBATH unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that you do, and PROFANE THE SABBATH DAY? Did not your father's thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? Yet you bring more wrath upon Israel BY PROFANING THE SABBATH” (Neh. 13:15-18).

Disobedience to God’s commands is a serious matter. Let’s review: Sin is the transgression of God’s holy, righteous, and perfect spiritual Law (1 John 3:4; Rom. 7:12, 14). When people break God’s Law—any part of it—the penalty is death (Rom. 6:23). God says, “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.” Men say, “Ignore this command and keep Sunday holy instead.” This is a COLOSSAL SIN, carrying terrible consequences!

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