Isaiah 36:1-3, 13-20; 37:1-7; then 2:1-4
This is a great example of what works with us as humans. Assyria comes to the gates, armed, with a history of winning, and challenges Israel. More than Israel, Assyria challenges King Hezekiah and God. Assyria challenges the faith of the people of God in the God who has delivered them in the past. Assyria is trying to make them believe that Assyria has more power than God. Assyria makes promises about how their lives won’t change…until they are moved out of the promised land to another land just like it. Assyria promises that nothing will really change, that Israel will just be under new management.
Isaiah comes back to a terrified king and asks him to believe again and anew in God. Isaiah promises that Assyria will be defeated. Another challenge to Hezekiah comes after this, and Isiah promises again what will happen. Isaiah and God end up being right (surprise, surprise!)
What challenges us to turn from God and believe nothing will change? How do respond to threats to ourselves, to our lives, to our way of being, that only ask us to give up the basic foundation of our lives? What are we willing to change to have nothing change?
