How should believers respond to intimidation, as seen in 2 Kings 18:27? The Threat Unveiled “ ‘Has my master sent me to speak these words only to your master and to you, and not also to the men sitting on the wall—who, like you, will have to eat their own dung and drink their own urine?’ ” (2 Kings 18:27) What Intimidation Looks Like • Loud, public shaming meant to erode confidence. • Graphic images of inevitable ruin (“eat their own dung”) to stir panic. • A calculated attempt to bypass leaders and sow fear in ordinary people. Immediate Lessons from the Scene • Intimidation targets the heart as much as the mind. • Its goal is to make believers forget who fights for them (Exodus 14:14). • God records this incident to show how empty but persuasive threats can sound. How God’s People in Hezekiah’s Day Responded 1. They kept silent before the intimidator (2 Kings 18:36). 2. They took the matter straight to their godly king (18:37). 3. Hezekiah went straight to the LORD in the temple and in prayer (19:1, 14-19). 4. God answered with assurance and deliverance (19:32-35). Timeless Principles for Believers Today • Guard Your Ears – Do not give fear a microphone (Proverbs 4:23). – Choose silence rather than arguing with a taunter who rejects truth (Matthew 7:6). • Take Threats to the Throne – Spread the issue before the LORD as Hezekiah did (2 Kings 19:14). – Cast “all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). • Stand on God’s Promises – “Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you” (Jeremiah 1:8). – “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7). • Stay in Community – Hezekiah’s officials reported together; isolation breeds panic. – Encourage one another daily (Hebrews 3:13). • Expect Divine Vindication – God turned Rabshakeh’s boasting into silence overnight (2 Kings 19:35-36). – “The LORD knows how to rescue the godly” (2 Peter 2:9). Putting It All Together When intimidation shouts, believers answer by: • Refusing to engage on the enemy’s terms. • Running to God in prayer and worship. • Reciting and resting on Scripture’s promises. • Standing shoulder to shoulder with fellow saints. • Awaiting God’s decisive action with confident patience. Following Hezekiah’s pattern turns a terrifying threat into a testimony of the LORD’s faithfulness. |
    |