Isaiah Chapter 36: Verses 20-21 (NIV)
Who of all the gods of these countries have been able to save their lands from me? How then can the Lord deliver Jerusalem from my hand?”
But the people remained silent and said nothing in reply, because the king had commanded, “Do not answer him.”
Isaiah Chapter 37: Verses 18-20 (NIV)
“It is true, Lord, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste all these peoples and their lands.They have thrown their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only wood and stone, fashioned by human hands. Now, Lord our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, Lord, are the only God.”
Isaiah Chapter 37: Verses 26 – 28 (NIV)
“Have you not heard?
Long ago I ordained it.
In days of old I planned it;
now I have brought it to pass,
that you have turned fortified cities
into piles of stone.
Their people, drained of power,
are dismayed and put to shame.
They are like plants in the field,
like tender green shoots,
like grass sprouting on the roof,
scorchedbefore it grows up.
“But I know where you are
and when you come and go
and how you rage against me.
King Sennacherib was so confident that he would be able to vanquish Judah so easily, that he and his commanders taunted the king and the people. In some ways at first glance, they had just cause. Anyone who they previously fought had been wiped out. But there are important lessons for us in the summary of the story as recorded in these verses. The people did not respond to the taunting. Hezekiah had told them not to. As these verses show, there was a good reason for this.
In the current climate Christians are so often ridiculed for their faith. Sometimes it is right and just do speak out on God’s behalf, but there are other times when He tells us to say nothing.
We read that Hezekiah realised that the other opponents of Sennacherib could not be saved by their gods because, in fact, they were not gods at all, but inanimate objects. So, they had no one to come to their aid. But we also read what God later revealed to Hezekiah. God had allowed Sennacherib to defeat these other countries. He knew what was going on. But Sennacherib got above himself and thought it was all down to him. And God knew all about the taunting and the ridicule. In fact, He knew everything about Sennacherib, who was about to get his comeuppance.
Hezekiah was confident as he came before God, that the LORD would intervene. That’s perhaps why he told the people not to rise to the bait when they were being taunted. When we are ridiculed for any reason, it is so easy to want to respond and justify your faith or actions. But the good thing is, if we remain trusting and confident in the LORD, then we know He is well able to act as He wishes. As Paul told Timothy and I was reminded of just the other day, “That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.” (1 Timothy Chapter 1 verse 12)
We can trust that whether we are followers of God or not, He knows where we are and when we come and go. Those of us who follow Him can trust that He will not allow His Name or His Glory to be taunted forever, but we need to follow Hezekiah’s example and stand firm.
Dear Lord,
Thank You for the example of Hezekiah’s trust in You. He was prepared to wait and stand firm, confident that You would move on Judah’s behalf. Thank You that we can have the same confident trust in You, because You haven’t changed. You are God and there is no one else like You. Amen.