The Thursday After

Day 70 of the 180 Challenge (2 Chronicles 32) is a fascinating read. By now in the story, we know that Hezekiah is one of the good kings and the regional bully superpower (why does each age have one?) has run amok. Sennacherib, king of the Assyrians lets it be known that he is coming to make Jerusalem his own (wiping out everything, taking slaves, raping, killing and stealing anything of value). We have an example right now of a bully superpower deciding to expand power and control, but that’s half a world away and I really have no idea of what the threat of invasion feels like. What is it like to wonder over dinner if we will be invaded this week?

There’s lots to meditate on here (look how Hezekiah prepares, what’s going on outside Jerusalem, and later his sickness), but I just want to draw attention to the speech Sennacherib’s messengers give. Its in Hebrew, so the common folk can understand. Its pretty reasonable : we are a superpower, no one else has been successful against us, why is little Jerusalem going to be different? And this God of yours seems pretty invisible — how is he going to make a difference?

We live in a time when everyone is “at the city wall” (thankyou internet!) to hear what messengers shout (its easy to set up a web page, blog or news feed). There’s a ridiculous amount of nonsense being shouted. Beyond the silly stuff, state and other actors are working smart and hard to influence our minds with part truths for their own power purposes. Note how Sennacherib’s message sounds pretty reasonable.

Put yourself in the situation. Would it have been hard for you to believe that God would save you from Assyria? How does that translate for you today? [Sunday update: today we sang the song Battle Belongs. I can imagine Hezekiah even writing this song after the whole experience, but whats more incredible is that he could sing it before the invasion! Lord help me in my unbelief.]

The story of the bible show God biased to partner with the remnant or the left-over minority. When the biblical story shows the partnership working working, people trusted God even when it didn’t seem particularly popular or reasonable.

Kids in high school are often advised to “choose your friends carefully”. Totally true – talk to high school survivors. Wisdom in choosing your friends is also emphasized in the biblical wisdom books. Seems like today we can also add “choose what you allow into your head carefully”.

Don’t you just love how ancient biblical literature gives us wisdom today?