Know God!

Then the Assyrian king’s chief of staff told them to give this message to Hezekiah: “This is what the great king of Assyria says: What are you trusting in that makes you so confident? Do you think that mere words can substitute for military skill and strength? Who are you counting on, that you have rebelled against me? On Egypt? If you lean on Egypt, it will be like a reed that splinters beneath your weight and pierces your hand. Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, is completely unreliable! “But perhaps you will say to me, ‘We are trusting in the LORD our God!’ But isn’t he the one who was insulted by Hezekiah? Didn’t Hezekiah tear down his shrines and altars and make everyone in Judah and Jerusalem worship only at the altar here in Jerusalem? “I’ll tell you what! Strike a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria. I will give you 2,000 horses if you can find that many men to ride on them! With your tiny army, how can you think of challenging even the weakest contingent of my master’s troops, even with the help of Egypt’s chariots and charioteers? What’s more, do you think we have invaded your land without the LORD’s direction? The LORD himself told us, ‘Attack this land and destroy it!’” [2 Kings 18.19-25]

Sennacherib’s chief of staff was confident in what he knew. He just didn't know God. It even sounds like he may have known Isaiah's previous prophecy the way he referred to Egypt being unreliable:

What sorrow awaits those who look to Egypt for help, trusting their horses, chariots, and charioteers and depending on the strength of human armies instead of looking to the LORD, the Holy One of Israel. [Isaiah 31.1 (before the event described in 2 Kings 18.19-25 and also Isaiah 36.4-10)]

Sennacherib’s chief of staff went on to make assumptions as if they were true:

“But perhaps you will say to me, ‘We are trusting in the LORD our God!’ But isn’t he the one who was insulted by Hezekiah? Didn’t Hezekiah tear down his shrines and altars and make everyone in Judah and Jerusalem worship only at the altar here in Jerusalem? [2 Kings 18.22]

Sennacherib’s chief of staff was completely off-base in what he said above and thus signaled Hezekiah's main leaders Eliakim son of Hilkiah, Shebna, and Joah to engage in a brilliant strategy:

Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, Shebna, and Joah said to the Assyrian chief of staff, “Please speak to us in Aramaic, for we understand it well. Don’t speak in Hebrew, for the people on the wall will hear.” [2 Kings 18.26]

Deducing from the context of what is said here, it would appear Sennacherib's chief of staff was indeed speaking in Hebrew up to this point meaning that at least some Israelites were already hearing what was said. The fact that Hezekiah's men then requested Sennacherib’s chief of staff speak in Aramaic from that point forward only triggered his defiant pride against him thus assuring that even more attention would be given to what he was saying in Hebrew. The problem with the Hebrews hearing what Sennacherib's chief of staff was saying was that Hezekiah had faithfully prepared his people with the truth and had already prepared them for this discourse from Sennacherib's chief of staff:

But the people were silent and did not utter a word because Hezekiah had commanded them, “Do not answer him.” [2 Kings 18.36]

Sennacherib’s chief of staff's arrogant speech only solidified what God's people already knew about their God! It was Hezekiah's way of saying, "Hey guys, watch this!"

The lesson for us is this: If we truly know God, the enemy's torrent of words (some even sounding somewhat like scripture), will be evident as incorrect. We have no shortage of evil people today quoting scripture (just like Satan did to Jesus). And, like Hezekiah instructed God's people, we will do well not to engage in argument. However, Jesus' example to us gives us a tool Hezekiah's people did not have: the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to answer Satan's every twist of truth and outright lie with the pure Truth, "It is written...!"

This brings up a critical point however: we must know the truth in order to proclaim it. Without a thorough knowledge of God's Word, we are perilously vulnerable, especially in this age of advanced knowledge (science, technology, etc...) that exalts itself against the knowledge of God (see 2 Corinthians 10.3-5).

And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” [John 8.32]

In contrast, the prophet Hosea made a bold statement before Jesus' Advent:

My people are being destroyed because they don’t know me. [Hosea 4.6a]

Bottom line: KNOW GOD!

Father, help Your people today to know You and make You known.