“Then they called out in Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to terrify them and make them afraid in order to capture the city. They spoke about the God of Jerusalem as they did about the gods of the other peoples of the world — the work of human hands.” (2 Chronicles 32:18-19, NIV)
Today’s scripture from 2 Chronicles actually begins with an account of the siege of Jerusalem by the ruthless and powerful Assyrian army. In order to gain tactical advantage, the Assyrians taunted the watch-standers of Jerusalem by insulting the Lord God — in Hebrew!
It should be known that Hebrew, in that day, was not a world language. It was a minority tongue. That the Assyrians would use Hebrew to taunt the people of Jerusalem is a great example of what modern warriors call “psychological operations” or “psy ops.”
The take-away I am offering from this lesson is that we, as disciples of Jesus, should not fear assaults on our faith, even when these affronts come in the vernacular most familiar to us; or when they come from persons with great standing or power. It’s all “psy ops.” It is a tactic designed to erode our confidence in God; and to persuade us to abandon our posts as sentinels and beacons of light.
The story continues: The people of Jerusalem did not lose heart. They remained in the city, despite the insults of the Assyrians and, in time, God delivered them from the Assyrians.
When you are in distress, stand firm. Divine help is coming. God will either deliver you from the peril — or through it. – Luther
