attacked for faith – Be Still…

Read 2 Chronicles 32:9-23

Have you ever been ridiculed for your faith? Perhaps untruths were spread about something you did or said. That’s what Hezekiah endured as King Sennacherib of Assyria tried to distract the people from listening to Hezekiah’s declaration about how God would sustain them.

All it takes is a little doubt to cause us to stumble in matters of faith. Clearly, Sennacherib was feeling pressured to find success. He did a fine job of tooting his own horn and that of the Assyrian kings who had come before him. By casting a shadow on the trust people had in their God and his servant, Hezekiah, Sennacherib was doing what he thought would be most effective in assuring an Assyrian victory. Continue reading

Read 2 Chronicles 21:1-20

I wonder what was so intriguing about these pagan traditions? How could children from good upbringing, particularly Jehoram having witnessed a faithful father, choose anyone but the LORD to worship? I can’t say as though I was shocked, however. How distraught the LORD must have been to have such an evil king leading his people. Yet God remained true to his promise to David. Jehoram was not a good guy or a good king.

I must admit I was shocked when I read about how Jehoram just up and killed his brothers. There doesn’t seem to be any point to their senseless murders. The text says Jehoram was “established” as king, so there wouldn’t be any threats from his siblings, would there? Maybe there was petty jealousy that was driving Jehoram mad. The text doesn’t say, so I’m just imagining.