II Kings 18:17-19:7; Isaiah 36:2-37:7
Imagine yourself standing on the wall of Jerusalem, peering over the parapet, listening to the Rabshakeh of Assyria taunt Hezekiah’s officials and the people of Jerusalem (including yourself). You’ve heard reports of Assyrian brutality for years. You know that nations larger and stronger than Judah have fallen before the might of Assyria. You’ve watched refugees from all over Judah stream into Jerusalem, looking for protection within its walls. You’ve heard their tales of destruction — their homes, their possessions, their crops set ablaze, their daughters raped, their sons killed. You’ve watched the Assyrian army advance towards Jerusalem, and now they are about to lay siege.
As the Rabshakeh speaks, his words seem so reasonable. He questions foreign aid from Egypt. (And indeed, looking across the field, all you see are Assyrian forces, no Egyptian chariots in sight.) He questions whether you have good reason to trust in the LORD after Hezekiah has torn down the high places. (Hasn’t Judah worshipped at those high places for generations?) He claims that the LORD sent him against Judah. (Haven’t the prophets said the same?) He says Hezekiah is misleading you by saying the LORD will deliver Jerusalem. (You ask yourself: Is there any indication at all of such deliverance?) He promises to resettle you to another land where you will prosper. (That sounds so much better than starving in Jerusalem under siege!) He claims the gods of the other nations could not withstand Assyria? (Isn’t that obviously so?)
But King Hezekiah has said to be silent. You look to your right and to your left. Your neighbors are obeying the king’s command, but they look just as scared as you know yourself to be. You hear rumors that Isaiah is assuring the king that the LORD will rescue Jerusalem. But you wonder how. To whom do you listen, to the Rabshakeh or to the king and his eccentric prophet?
We know the right answer here, because we can review the story with 20/20 hindsight. We can peek at tomorrow’s reading and learn the rest of the story. The more challenging question for us is this: To whom do we listen today?
Do we listen to scientists, whose brilliant insights have led to marvelous technological improvements in life but who insist that we are just the result of a long series of random events? Do we listen to politicians with their claims of compassion for the poor, but whose welfare policies (perhaps unintentionally, but predictably) lead to fatherlessness, the primary root cause of poverty and crime? Do we listen to the wealthy, those who are clearly successful in business? Do we listen to the mainstream media (which is called “mainstream” because most people tune in) with its claims of truth? Do we listen to our “friends” on social media with their alternate claims of truth? Do we listen to “experts” with their steady stream of facts and figures? Do we listen to celebrities?
Do we listen to the world? Or do we listen to the Word of God? Do we listen to a smooth-talking devil? Or do we listen to Christ? Do we listen to our own pride? Or do we listen to the Holy Spirit?
To whom do we listen?