There was a day that the “old timer’s” speak of,when there was power in one’s word. The word of a man or woman in those days was binding, and you could trust that word and perhaps a good handshake; Or maybe, I have romanticized the good old days from too many movies or Little House on the Prairie shows. No matter, my question for today is, “How much trust do you place in the Word of God?”
The threatening attack of Sennacherib on Jerusalem recorded in the book of Isaiah and other books of Scripture, have always fascinated me simply for the mere show of God’s power, but I did see something new in the threatening message sent by Sennacherib to Hezekiah. The Rabshakeh, a high ranking military official and servant of Sennacherib, says in Isaiah 36:5,
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” I say, sayest thou, (but they are but vain words) I have counsel and strength for war: now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?”
The ESV translates this verse saying, “Do you think that mere words are strategy and power for war? In whom do you now trust, that you have rebelled against me?”
In other words, it even appears to the enemy that Jerusalem’s physical powers and defenses are weak, and they appear to be trusting only in words. Rabshakeh asks, “What type of war strategy is this, that you would base your strategy off of words?” Was this merely Hezekiah’s war propaganda that Jerusalem was trusting? If so, this would have been a horrible strategy.
But they were not trusting the word of Hezekiah, nor any of the other people of Jerusalem; they were trusting the Word of the God of heaven and of earth. They knew that God had said that He would protect His city, and Isaiah the prophet had declared to Hezekiah God’s intention to protect the city. This was their trust.
As I pondered this passage once again, the question that gripped me was, “Would I trust the Word of the Lord, and that alone, in the face of battle and certain death?” I wonder if Isaiah had any doubts; it is clear that Hezekiah did. I’m sure the people may have thought, “I hope the King and Isaiah have this right!” And we have all been there before – “I hope God’s got this one right.” When we stand on the brink of the battle and stare out over the strong enemy, the ridiculously, large giant, will we trust solely in the Word of the Lord? Do His words alone stand as our battle strategy, and do we have the trust to accept that strategy. This may seem crazy in the enemies’ eyes, in the world’s eyes, but as we, His people know, this is the strategy for victory. Americans have known this strategy through many wars, and have declared “In God We Trust.” May it be true in our battles today and for a lifetime.
