by Ester yusufu | 14 October 2020 08:46 pm10
In everyday language, a “hook” is something we use to hang or secure objects. But in the Bible, hooks were both practical tools and powerful symbols, used to teach deeper spiritual truths—especially about God’s authority and how He deals with disobedience.
In the Old Testament, hooks were used in the construction of the Tabernacle, the sacred dwelling place of God among the Israelites. These hooks were made of precious metals like gold and silver and were used to hold curtains, fabrics, and other items used in worship.
Exodus 26:37
“Make five posts of acacia wood for the entrance to the tent and overlay them with gold. Make gold hooks for them, and cast five bronze bases for them.”Exodus 27:10
“With twenty posts and twenty bronze bases, and with silver hooks and bands on the posts.”
These instructions show God’s concern for order, beauty, and holiness in worship. The use of hooks here was purely functional but served a sacred purpose—supporting the structure that symbolized God’s presence.
God also used the image of a hook symbolically to describe how He deals with pride, rebellion, and arrogance—especially among leaders who set themselves against His will. In 2 Kings 19, God speaks to the arrogant King of Assyria, who mocked and threatened God’s people:
2 Kings 19:27–28
“But I know where you are and when you come and go and how you rage against me. Because you rage against me and because your insolence has reached my ears, I will put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth, and I will make you return by the way you came.”
This metaphor paints a vivid picture. Just as animals are led by hooks in their noses, God declares He will humble the king and drag him back to where he came from—no matter how powerful or proud he thinks he is.
This same message appears in Isaiah 37:29, showing God’s consistency:
“I will put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth, and I will make you return by the way you came.”
From a theological standpoint, these passages reveal key attributes of God:
- God is sovereign (Psalm 115:3): “Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him.”
- God opposes the proud (James 4:6, NIV): “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
- God disciplines those He loves (Hebrews 12:6): “The Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”
Like a farmer putting a hook in an animal’s nose to guide it, God may allow hardship, exile, or defeat to discipline and redirect His people—not to destroy them, but to bring them back to obedience and restoration.
We see this throughout Israel’s history. Kings who rebelled against God were defeated, exiled, or handed over to their enemies (2 Chronicles 36:15–17). Yet even in judgment, God always left a door open for repentance.
These truths challenge us today. When we resist God’s will or walk in arrogance, we risk being humbled by the very God who made us. But when we submit to His authority, we find grace, restoration, and peace.
As Jesus taught in Matthew 23:12:
“For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Conclusion:
Hooks in the Bible may seem like a small detail, but they carry big meaning. They remind us of God’s order in worship, His sovereign power over nations, and His fatherly discipline over His people. May we walk humbly with Him and never force His hand to “put a hook in our nose” to bring us back.
May the Lord help us to remain obedient.
Shalom.
Source URL: https://wingulamashahidi.org/en/2020/10/14/what-are-hooks-in-the-bible-2-kings-1927-28/
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