Setting the Record Straight

Thus you shall say to Hezekiah king of Judah, Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you saying, Jerusalem will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria. 2 Kings 19:10

I am astounded that someone would say such words against God. In the previous chapter the people of Judah were told not to let Hezekiah deceive them about being delivered from the hands of their enemies. I wasn’t as surprised that time because there are times people can deceive us. I have heard too many stories of elderly people losing their life savings to a swindler, fraudulent deals over the internet, salesmen misrepresenting their products with false claims, and children under the influence of a child molester. My mind still reels from the stories of deception from the likes of Jim Jones, David Koresh, and numerous cult figures. It is hard enough to be deceived by someone who is deceived himself, but it is even more tragic to be deceived by someone who knowingly lies to you.

But for these words to be spoken against God is to malign His character. Bringing into question the character of God is as old as the garden of Eden when the serpent asks Eve, “Hath God said?” And then when she answers, he is wretched enough to cast doubt on what God did say. Now it is the king of Assyria saying such things. Like a ventriloquist act, both the serpent and this king are mouth pieces for the king of deception himself, Satan. I can almost hear the hissing as he spews out his verbal venom. But there is a principle at work here that cannot be altered. A lie can never become truth and truth can never become a lie.

God is Truth and His Word is trustworthy. On that I can rely! On that I must rely! The Bible is a book that has been given to us to reveal the character of God. If a person reads it all the way through they will see a God who keeps His word. He says what He means and He means what He says. He has already set the record straight on how we got here, why we are here, and where we will spend eternity. If this were not all based on truth nothing would really matter. But it is based on truth and the only way to get people to doubt it is to use deception.

Father, may I always desire to know the truth about You. For You are the foundation of everything I build my life upon. Outside of You and Your Word I am a sitting duck for deception, lies, and confusion. Amen.