Voices That Intimidate and Mock
Do not listen to Hezekiah, for thus says the king of Assyria: ‘Make your peace with me and come out to me. Then each one of you will eat of his own vine, and each one of his own fig tree, and each one of you will drink the water of his own cistern. 2 Kings 18: 31 (ESV)
Hezekiah had paid Sennacherib with the wealth in silver and gold that Judah possessed to stop his military advances. Sennacherib, however, remains relentless in his conquest and reneges on the deal. So the showdown continues. Sennacherib sends envoys, including a high-ranking military official, to the capital city of Judah, Jerusalem. The envoys launch a campaign of words to cause dissension. Their words taunt them ruthlessly. They mock Hezekiah’s quiet diplomacy. Several times, they question them regarding the object of their trust. They ask, “In whom do you now trust, that you have rebelled against me?” (2 Kings 18:20). The Assyrians realise that, despite Judah’s fear of their military might, they must be trusting in someone mightier than them to be holding their ground. They even make the claim that God, Yahweh, had sent them to destroy Judah (2 Kings 18:25). They try to break the morale of the people by saying,
“Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria! Thus says the king: ‘Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you out of my hand. Do not let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord by saying, The Lord will surely deliver us, and this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” 2 Kings 18:28-30 (ESV)
When we face difficult challenges, our trust in God may falter, causing us to listen to other voices. These voices may come from others who mean well. They may give us advice contrary to God’s will in the season we find ourselves in. Some of these voices may even be mocking our faith in God to come through for us. They may also come from Satan, who mocks us and whispers his lies into our hearts and minds. Lies that tell us that God is not able to rescue us from our difficulties. Lies that cause more anxiety and worry. Any narrative that enters our mind that causes anxiety and worry does not come from God. When God speaks to us, His voice is kind and gentle. A voice that speaks peace to our hearts when everything around us is shaking. God, in His unfailing love and compassion, will not remove His covenant of peace from us (Isaiah 54:10). Let us listen to His voice, the only One who is faithful and promises His peace to us.
Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints; but let them not turn back to folly. Psalms 85:8 (ESV)
Think about the voices you are listening to. Do they speak peace to your heart, or do they cause fear and anxiety?
Prayer:
Lord, help me to trust You and not to listen to the voices that drown out Your voice. Give me the ability to discern Your voice so that I can receive Your peace and comfort. In Jesus’ name, amen.
