17:1ff The northern kingdom and Syria made an alliance to fight against Assyria. But Tiglath-pileser III captured Damascus, the capital of Syria, in 732 B.C. and annexed the northern kingdom to the Assyrian Empire. Ahaz, king of Judah, paid tribute to Tiglath-pileser III (2 Kings 16:1-14).
17:7-11 God’s message to Damascus was that it would be completely destroyed. The Syrians had turned from the God who could save them, depending instead on their idols and their own strength. No matter how successful they were, God’s judgment was sure. Often we depend on the trappings of success (expensive cars, pastimes, clothes, homes) to give us fulfillment. But God says we will reap grief and pain if we have depended on temporal things to give us eternal security. If we don’t want the same treatment Damascus received, we must turn from these false allurements and trust in God.
17:8 Many of the images were of Asherah, a Canaanite goddess who was the female consort of Baal. Queen Jezebel may have brought the worship of Asherah into the northern kingdom. The cult encouraged immoral sexual practices and attracted many people. The Bible warns against worshiping Asherah in groves (Exodus 34:13; Deuteronomy 12:3; 16:21), and Manasseh was condemned for putting up an idol that was most likely of her in the Temple (2 Kings 21:7).
Images of Asherah are no problem in our world, but a religion based on sexuality is. Pornography has become an addiction for many people. Media and entertainment industries feed our society’s obsession with sex. The runaway desire for stimulation and gratification often comes from an empty, lonely heart. God offers real joy and lasting love. Be on the alert for how sexual images divert us from God.