God is With Us (Ps 46:8-11)
The Assyrian king not only taunted King Hezekiah by situating his massive army around the little city of Jerusalem, he also beat Hezekiah down spiritually. The Assyrian king sent his spokesman, Rabshakeh, to frighten the citizens of Jerusalem saying, ‘’Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria! Thus says the king: ‘Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he shall not be able to deliver you from his hand; nor let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, “The LORD will surely deliver us; this city shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria”’” (2 Kings 18:28–30).
Hezekiah was feeling both physically and spiritually defeated, until the prophet Isaiah approached him and said, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Do not be afraid of the words which you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me. Surely I will send a spirit upon him, and he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land’” (2 Kings 19:6–7).
Isaiah affirmed an important spiritual truth to the lonely king, the truth that God is with us! If God is with His people, then His people cannot fail. The Lord is saying to Hezekiah, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). God will exalt Himself among the nations (Assyria), and He will be exalted all over the earth (v. 10). Assyria will soon find out who the God of Israel really is when He defeats them.
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In the Gospels Jesus lived out the phrase, “Be still, and know that I am God” when He and the disciples were on the boat traveling across the Sea of Galilee. As they were crossing, Jesus fell asleep. A massive wind storm swept the boat into dangerous swells, filling the boat with water and threatening all their lives. Remember, many of the disciples were skilled sailors who spent most of their lives fishing the Galilee, so when they woke Jesus,crying out, “Master, Master, we are perishing” (Luke 8:24), they weren’t joking. When Jesus woke up He did not fear the wind and the waves that endangered their lives because He is the Creator of the wind and waves; He is the God who calls us to be still in the midst of storms, trials, and tribulations.
God fulfilled His promise to be Hezekiah’s refuge when “the angel of the LORD went out, and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand; and when people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses—all dead” (2 Kings 19:35). Hezekiah’s enemy quickly learned who the God of Israel is, and how He protects those who belong to Him.
Psalm 46 teaches us three important truths to remember when we feel beaten down physically and spiritually by the enemy. First, God is our present refuge in times of great distress (Psalm 46:1–3). Second, God is not moved by any outside source that might threaten His authority, and since we are in Him we are not moved by any circumstances that may arise in life (Psalm 46:4-7). Finally, God is with us and He begs us to be still and trust that He is in control (Psalm 46:8-11).
So what’s the source of your confidence?
Click here for Part 1 of What’s Your Source of Confidence where we look at how You Have A Place To Hide (Ps. 46:1-3).
Click here for Part 2 of What’s Your Source of Confidence where we look at how You Cannot Be Moved (Ps. 46:4-7).
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Reading it always is comforting to read these messages!!