A broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise

2 Kings 18:19-37

Then the commander stood and called out in Hebrew, “Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria! This is what the king says: Do not let Hezekiah deceive you. He cannot deliver you from my hand. Do not let Hezekiah persuade you to trust in the Lord when he says, ‘The Lord will surely deliver us; this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.’

“Do not listen to Hezekiah, for he is misleading you when he says, ‘The Lord will deliver us.’ Has the god of any nation ever delivered his land from the hand of the king of Assyria? Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena and Ivvah? Have they rescued Samaria from my hand? Who of all the gods of these countries has been able to save his land from me? How then can the Lord deliver Jerusalem from my hand?”

Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah the palace administrator, Shebna the secretary, and Joah son of Asaph the recorder went to Hezekiah, with their clothes torn, and told him what the field commander had said.

Lachish, in the lowlands 50km southwest of Jerusalem, is besieged, and messengers are sent to Hezekiah. The three Assyrians are masters of psychological warfare. They refuse private talks with Hezekiah's cabinet and insist on a public harangue. And they play on the people's fears by speaking Hebrew - not the diplomatic language, Aramaic - so that everyone understands. But their boast that God cannot save Judah from Assyria seals their fate.

Why?

The situation in Jerusalem was dangerous and enemies boasted of their forces, and don't believe any gods can save them from their attack.

The officers of Judah went to Hezekiah with their clothes torn and told him what the field commander has said. It is express their sad and humble hearts.

Under a desperate situation, God is my only way and my help. Trust in the Lord with a broken heart!

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喊話過程好像撒旦控告人的話，你到底依靠什麼?埃及就是這個世界，依靠耶和華嗎？西希家自己真的依靠耶和華呢，只是希望人往耶路撒冷跑，不是真的敬畏耶和華。因為他把丘壇廢了。我們也常常被撒旦挑戰，你真的信靠耶和華嗎？我們常以為自己不敬虔，不夠愛主，因此祂怎麼會保護你?

神愛我們不是因為我們愛祂！

不是依靠埃及，不是依靠耶和華，靠你們自己，那有打仗的能力。這也是撒旦對人的攻擊。總是覺得自己不行，自我厭棄，一點也不願服事。

拉伯沙基假傳、曲解神的心意，現在我上來攻擊毀滅這地，豈沒有耶和華的意思嗎？耶和華吩咐我說：你上去攻擊毀滅這地吧！

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How?

My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise. (Psalm 51:17)