Enemy Invades

 

    When the enemy invades into a person's home, city, or nation they induce fear.  They took the place where a person felt safe and striped them of that.  It gets into the head.  How do you deal?  Do you panic?  Do you let anxiety consume you?  Do you get angry and fight?  Do you pray and seek God's comfort and guidance?  Or is there something else?

    The Assyrian King attacked and conquered Judah in 701 BC, then set out for Jerusalem.  This had been predicted, but it doesn't mean that the people were ready.  Hezekiah was the King at the time.  He was confident and that confused King Sennacherib of Assyria.  The city was completely surrounded.  There was no way out.  It looked like a guaranteed victory for Assyria.

    In times like this, it is easy for the enemy to get into your head.  It can really mess with you: doubt, confusion, fear, and more.  This can cause you to do uncharactistic or desperate things.  When a person doesn't understand God they can be consumed by fear and doubt.  Acknowledging Him is not enough.  You have to know Him.  That way when the enemy comes to attack, destroy, or kill then you can still have confidence and comfort.

    The Assyrian King did not understand God.  He did not see His error in speaking crudely to or about God's people.  He had already destroyed their ally, Egypt.  They had no one coming to their rescue.  He was flaunting his defeat before anything happened.  It is a good phycological strategy, but he wasn't on the same level as God.  

    He spoke to the people declaring that Hezekiah was weak for trusting in God.  He declared that neither would protect them.    He believed God was a myth or idol like all other gods.  He even went so far as to compare God to Hamath, Arpad, Sepharvaim, and more false gods.  He made himself out as their savior, like a god.  

    God's people remained silent during all of the insults, ranting, and bullying.  They refused to respond.  They had confidence in their king no matter how bleak it looked.  The king's officials told Hezekiah what was being said as if they were in mourning over how Sennacherib talked about God.  It was all very daunting, but God was in control.

Isaiah 36