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Daily Devotion: Isaiah 36:18-20

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Isaiah 36:18-20     "Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, The LORD will deliver us. Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?  (19)  Where are the gods of Hamath and Arphad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim? and have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?  (20)  Who are they among all the gods of these lands, that have delivered their land out of my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?"

To bring us up to date:  Assyria had invaded the land of Judah. The captain sent messengers to try to cast doubt and fear into the hearts of the people. He made them a promise that might sound good for a moment. It is in those moments that we must always take care not to allow those good sounding things to override our God-blessed spirit. The captain said he would take the people "... away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards." That sounds good, doesn't it? I will take you to a land "... like your own.." But if you notice, all the things promised would require hard labor for the people. They would have to plant and harvest the corn, grow, tend, and press the grapes to make the wine, and work the wheat to bake the bread. Then all of those things would go to the king and his people. Whereas, they lived in a land that had been given to them by the Lord. It was a land that flows with milk and honey - true blessings from God that they should have been enjoying themselves.

It seemed the people were taking all those things into their thoughts.  "Has any other god delivered his land? Where are those other gods? They did not deliver." In fact, those things are absolutely true because the gods of the other lands were not gods; rather, they were idols made of men's hands. They could not ever deliver anything or anyone. But then the captain made a grave mistake. He asked the wrong question. "Who are they among all the gods of these lands, that have delivered their land out of my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?"  He dared to compare the true God with those idols. Though there was still some fear among the people, this seemed to shake them a bit. Hezekiah had spent much time casting out the idols that his father had allowed to be brought into Jerusalem. He had brought back the teaching priests. The people had been revived to true worship. They knew their God is the true God and there is no other like Him. Who is the LORD that should deliver you?  He is OUR GOD! He will supply all our needs and we can do all things that strengthen us through His mighty and Holy Name! Let us never forget or be duped into thinking our God is like the idols of the world. He is the only True and Living God. He reigns in truth and glory! He is omnipotent and sits upon His throne in absolute control. Let us praise His glorious name!

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