Emphasis Preaching Journal

Some might call the Old Testament lesson an unfulfilled prophecy. Initially it must have referred to the northern kingdom of Israel, which was battered more than once in the third quarter of the eighth century B.C. by the world power of the time, Assyria, in northern Mesopotamia. Finally in 721 B.C., the capital city, Samaria, was beseiged, conquered and destroyed. Forced shifts in population followed. Israelites were marched away in great numbers to various parts of the empire and other peoples were brought in to take their place.