Read Isaiah 36:4-10
“And Rabshakeh said unto them, Say ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?” (v. 4).
Weather forecasts can be very entertaining, especially in retrospect. In winter, the dire predictions of “at least seven to ten inches of snow” have people swarming to grocery stores for last minute stock-ups on food
essentials. Spring’s threats of severe storms and too much rain spur worries and cancel plans. Nature’s storms can be powerful, but how often do we over-react to the hype of a broadcaster who simply hopes to boost the ratings? The weather is difficult to predict, and meteorologists often get things wrong. So why do we keep listening to them?
This Rabshakeh knew what he was doing when he questioned the Israelites’ trust. If they trusted in something they could see (the Egyptian army), the Assyrians were certain they could win. If the Israelites trusted in the one they could not see (God), the Assyrians judged based on recent events that they would still have the victory. After all, if this God was so powerful, why did He allow the leader of His people to make so many sweeping changes to the methods of worship in His land?
The Assyrians did not know three important details. First, the changes Hezekiah was making were in line with God’s law. The people were returning to God’s way of doing things. Second, God was certainly capable of taking care of His people. Isaiah described in the very next chapter just how He did it. And finally, God loves His children. He will always take care of them! (Michelle Avery)
Life often challenges our faith. God is always ready to meet that challenge!
This week’s featured devotional is the Tuesday, June 10, 2014 entry of Opening the Word. Order your copy!
Photo credit: "Summer Storm in Saragossa" by Paulo Brandao used under CC BY-SA 2.0 / Resized and cropped.