How can Isaiah 36:16 guide us in discerning truth from deception today? Setting the Scene “Do not listen to Hezekiah. For this is what the king of Assyria says: ‘Make peace with me and come out to me, and each of you may eat from his own vine and fig tree and drink water from his own cistern.’” (Isaiah 36:16) The Rabshakeh, envoy of the Assyrian king, broadcasts this offer outside Jerusalem’s walls. It sounds generous, even humane—an escape from siege starvation. Yet it is a lie designed to break Judah’s loyalty to the Lord and to their God-appointed king. Why the Words Sounded Convincing • Tangible benefits: vines, fig trees, personal cisterns—simple, homely comforts. • Immediate relief: “Come out” now, avoid suffering now. • Authoritative voice: a powerful empire speaks with seeming certainty. • Half-truths: peace on Assyrian terms, but silence on coming exile (v. 17). How the Offer Was Deceptive • It contradicted God’s covenant promise to protect Jerusalem (Isaiah 37:35). • It undermined the authority God placed in Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 32:7-8). • It required compromise—submission to idols and pagan power. • It hid the larger agenda: relocation and bondage (Isaiah 36:17). Timeless Principles for Discerning Truth from Deception 1. Compare every message with God’s revealed word. • “If they do not speak according to this word, there is no light of dawn” (Isaiah 8:20). • Scripture, not appearances, is the plumb line (2 Timothy 3:16-17). 2. Watch for enticement that bypasses obedience. • Satan tempted Eve with “good for food” and “desirable to the eyes” (Genesis 3:6). • Deception often offers comfort without the cross (Matthew 16:24). 3. Note voices that erode trust in God-appointed leadership. • The Rabshakeh: “Do not listen to Hezekiah.” • False teachers “despise authority” (2 Peter 2:10). 4. Beware “peace” divorced from righteousness. • “They dress the wound… saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace” (Jeremiah 6:14). • True peace flows from reconciliation with God, not capitulation to the enemy. 5. Remember the deceiver’s pattern. • “He is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). • Lies masquerade as “servants of righteousness” (2 Corinthians 11:15). Practical Checkpoints for Daily Life • Keep Scripture front and center—daily reading anchors discernment. • Measure promises by eternal consequences, not just immediate relief. • Seek wise counsel from believers who fear the Lord (Proverbs 11:14). • Test every spirit: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God” (1 John 4:1). • Look for the fruit: truth produces holiness; deception breeds compromise (Matthew 7:17-20). Anchoring Our Discernment in Christ Jesus is “the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6). By fixing our minds on His voice in Scripture and relying on the Holy Spirit, we can recognize modern “Assyrian offers” for what they are—inviting counterfeits that promise comfort but deliver bondage. Holding fast to the Lord, as Hezekiah did (2 Kings 18:6), we discern truth, reject deception, and stand secure. |
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