Watch your head...

Anytime you feel overwhelmed by the pressures of this world or enemies and obstacles in your path, or anytime you think you really have a handle on life and can conquer all by your lonesome, just check out God’s Word. Isaiah 36-37 is one such passage that illustrates God’s awesome sovereignty and power over our circumstance.

The scene opens with the Rabshakeh, a messenger from the Assyrian King, Sennacherib, boasting insultingly against God’s people in Jerusalem and against the power of God Himself. The messenger is so crude and vile that the Hebrews ask him to speak in Aramaic, as opposed to Hebrew so that the people in the walls won’t hear the conversation. The messenger rails against the Lord even louder. In 36:10, he even admits that it was the Lord that sent him against the city.

After this the prophet Isaiah reassures the people that the Lord is with them and not to fear Assyria; Actually Assyria is the one that should be afraid…and this is my favorite part of the story:

The Lord calls Sennacherib out for boasting against the Holy One of Israel (37:23) and says basically, “look, I made you who you are to do just what you’re doing, but don’t think for one second that you’re off my leash (37:26-27) because I know where you live, and you know what, I’ll turn you this way just like I turned you that way, and you know why’ll I’ll do it? A. Because I can, B. For my Name Sake, and 3. For David’s name sake (you can almost feel God telling him, “ you know, the real king”). And here’s the climax…God is not slack in carrying out His Word…Soon thereafter the Angel of the Lord went out and killed 185,000 Assyrians in one sitting (37:36).

Bottom Line: The Lord has put you right where He wants you, so: Don’t be too proud, and also, If He’s leading you somewhere, fear nothing that stands in the way.

What's in a name?

I gave you hate, violence, lust and lies.
You laid your rightful anger and my punishment aside.
You found me dead & dying, a sick man in a sick world, full of sin.
You gave me life and holiness, lifted my head, made me whole within.
A horrible death engulfed me, captive in sin behind iron doors;
You bought my lifeless body and exchanged it for something more.
- Inspired by Ps. 103:3-4a -